12 and Holdingby Anonymous

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January 26, 2007: 12 AND HOLDING is one of those little Indie films that somehow slips through the cracks of public attention and only when it is released on DVD does it surface as brilliant star of a film. Powerfully and sensitively written by Anthony Cipriano and directed with unrelenting intensity and grace by Michael Cuesta, this is a film about youngsters on the brink of adulthood who respond to each other and to events in ways far beyond the scope of most mature adults. Identical twins Rudy and Jacob Carges (Conor Donovan in both roles) differ in the fact that Jacob has a facial birthmark and feels second fiddle to his twin Rudy, a quick, tempered lad who eggs on bullies causing the maelstrom that is to follow. Their close friends are Malee Chuang (Zoe Weizenbaum), the daughter of psychologist Dr. Carla Chuang (Annabella Sciorra) who remains bruised by a failed marriage to an abusive husband, and grossly obese Leonard Fisher (Jesse Camacho) whose parents (Marcia DeBonis and Tom McGowan) are equally addicted to junk food. When Rudy challenges two ruffian classmates (Michael Fuchs and Martin Campetta), the trio's tree house is threatened and is burned as a gesture or revenge - but Rudy happened to be inside the tree house and was burned to death. His parents (Linus Roache and Jayne Atkinson) are devastated as is Jacob, now their only son and one who feels he should have been the twin that died. The family wants revenge and is infuriated when the two lads who caused the tragedy are given only one year of detention. This event sets off changes in the three friends: Jacob visits the perpetrators in the detention home, unable to see that Rudy's death was an unplanned accident. He threatens the lads and one actually commits suicide in his cell. Jacob gradually becomes friends with the other lad when his security at home is threatened by is parent's adoption of a black son. This new camaraderie results in a plan that leads to a surprising end. In the meanwhile, Leonard's injury in the fire leads to his loss of taste and he sees his obesity, and that of his entire family, as disgusting and commits to changing his life, unable to even forcibly gain the same change from his parents - another surprising end. And Malee's desperate need for a father figure and her starting adolescence leads her to become enchanted by one of her mother's patients, construction worker Gus Maitland (Jeremy Renner in a superb performance) and she attempts to seduce the psychologically damaged Gus without success. The manner in which these three youngsters enter the adult world is more than challenging and the results of their response to entering 'maturity' and to the trauma of the death of Rudy is shattering. Cuesta directs these fine actors - there is not a weak one in the cast - with surety and a degree of sense of spontaneity that is truly splendid. This is most assuredly an ensemble performance worthy of awards: it is also a series of star turns for Jeremy Renner, Annabella Sciorra, Conor Donovan, Zoe Weizenbaum and Jesse Camacho. This is independent filmmaking at its finest: the story is tough, the conclusions disturbing, and the quality of acting is astounding. First Class work. Grady Harp