13 Minutes

I WAS HAPPY TO FINALLY SEE ANOTHER FILM ABOUT THE LIVES OF PEOPLE LIVING IN RURAL AREAS. I REMEMBER SEEING THREE SUCH FILMS IN 1984- "COUNTRY," "THE RIVER," AND "PLACES IN THE HEART," BUT IT'S BEEN A LONG WHILE SINCE I HAVE SEEN ANY OTHER FILMS OF THAT GENRE. IN ONE WAY, I LIKED THIS FILM EVEN BETTER THAN THOSE FILMS BECAUSE IT HAD A LOT TO SAY ABOUT HOMOPHOBIA, RACISM TOWARDS THE UNDOCUMENTED, & HOW DIFFICULT IT CAN BE WHEN A YOUNG WOMAN IS FACED WITH THE DILEMMA OF AN UNPLANNED PREGNANCY- ESPECIALLY WHEN THE FATHER OF THE BABY DOESN'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING TO HELP HER. HOWEVER, I THOUGHT THAT THE COMMENT THAT JESS MADE ABOUT PRO-LIFERS- I.E., THAT THEY CONSIDER POST-BIRTH BABIES TO A "BURDEN ON SOCIETY" WAS TOO MUCH OF A NEGATIVE GENERALIZATION. I THINK THAT MOST PRO-LIFERS REALIZE THAT ANY WOMAN WHO LOSES HER BABY TO ABORTION IS AS MUCH OF A VICTIM AS HER BABY. (THAT'S WHY WE MUST ALWAYS HAVE SYMPATHY AND COMPASSION FOR THE WOMEN WHO LOSE THEIR BABIES TO ABORTION). I REALLY HOPE THAT THEY DO A SEQUEL TO THIS FILM BECAUSE THERE IS SO MUCH MORE ABOUT THESE CHARACTERS THAT CAN BE EXPLORED. ONE ISSUE THAT I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE EXPLORED IS LUKE'S RELATIONSHIP TO HIS PARENTS. I THOUGHT THAT ANNE HECHE'S TRANSFORMATION FROM COMPASSIONATE TO COLD-HEARTED WAS SO CONVINCING, SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHAT ELSE SHE COULD DO WITH HER CHARACTER. I REMEMBER SEEING HER WHEN SHE REPLACED MARY-LOUISE PARKER IN "PROOF" ON BROADWAY, AND I THOUGHT THAT SHE WAS JUST AS GOOD AS MS. PARKER.