After making a name for himself with the controversial, but honestly made 'L.I.E.', director Michael Cuesta returns with his second outing '12 And Holding', and continues his focus on the little covered ground known as modern youth.
This is a haunting coming-of-age film about children, bound by a common, shocking tragedy, who struggle to get on with life and overcome their own troubling problems. Despite the severity of issues conveyed in this film's overlapping vignettes, it never becomes melodramatic. Artful screen writing and direction infuse humour in the telling of these children's stories; stories rich with characters who are colourful, but never contrived. All of the children provide very genuine, endearing performances, essential if the audience is going to empathise with them and their disturbing behaviour. Depending on who you are, this movie will most likely make you uncomfortable at times, but no matter how horrifying and even monstrous these children's actions may be, they never lose their appealing and disarming qualities as children. These are ultimately good kids, even the most troubled, who easily win your affection.
During the course of the movie, one of the children queries the others by asking, "Do you know 90% of people's problems are due to their inability to get over the past?" All of these children will be faced with this challenge. You hope all will overcome this obstacle, but sadly, not all of them will or should be able to get over their past. One of my favourite films of 2006...