Twelve and Holding
Twelve and Holding Image
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Metascore
65 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 26 Critics What's this?

User Score
8.2 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 13 Ratings

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0 out of 10
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 26
  3. Negative: 0 out of 26
  1. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: Stephen Holden
    90
    This is the exceedingly rare film that understands how lonely, insecure preadolescent children can become so consumed by their feelings that they lose sight of ordinary boundaries and unconsciously act out their parents' darkest fantasies of passion and revenge.
  2. Chicago Reader
    Reviewed by: Jonathan Rosenbaum
    80
    Cuesta directs the lead actors with such feeling that their misery seems authentic.
  3. Austin Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Marrit Ingman
    78
    This is one of those rare movies about children but not necessarily for them, and it treats its adolescent subjects with bravery and compassion.
  4. Film Threat
    Reviewed by: Matthew Sorrento
    60
    With two of the three engines effective, Twelve and Holding unfortunately breaks down by trying to wrap up its problems too neatly. In this vision of early adolescence, the script throws in solutions when the preteens are still feeling out their issues.

See all 26 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
  1. PradR.
    10
    Only film this year that kept me engaged and unsure until the end. No pain-by-numbers here!
  2. bucket1975
    10
    hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv… Expand
  3. PaulK.
    9
    I really enjoyed L.I.E., so my expectations for this film were pretty high and I was not disappointed. The child actors did a great job and I found the stories to be complex and different, but totally enthralling. My eyes were glued to the screen with anticipation. Definitely see this in the theater.… Expand
  4. ChadS.
    8
    "Twelve and Holding" would've benefited mightily had the filmmaker eschewed one of Chekhov's tenets to writing (actually, playwriting) and trusted his kids to do the heavy lifting without resorting to some unnecessary melodramatics. What happens, I think, runs contrary to the nature of Jacob (Conor Donovan)'s ever-changing relationship with the prisoner. "Twelve and Holding" is supposed to be about real kids, and the young actors do indeed deliver some great unaffected performances (especially Zoe Weizenbaum as Malee), but their stories feel scripted(especially Leonard's family life, which resembles a bad John Hughes film played as drama). Weizenbaum, however, holds "Twelve and Holding" together with an ethereal blend of poise and vulnerability. She steals the film, much like how Hermione does in the Harry Potter movies (Jacob's scar might be a reference to the young wizard, who like the surviving twin has two best friends, a boy and a girl).… Expand

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