Thirteen included a scene where Evie (Nikki Reed), a teenager, kissed Tracy's mother, Melanie, and it was shocking for obvious reasons. 2003's psychological teen drama (recently added on Netflix) followed the story of curious seventh-grade student Tracy (Evan Rachel Wood), who became entangled with a life of crime, drugs, and sex after she befriended a troubled teen named Elvie in her school.
As the pair's friendship deepened, Evie eventually became close with Tracy's mother, Melanie (Holly Hunter), and she agreed to let her stay in her house for weeks to keep her daughter happy. However, this decision came back to bite Mel in the end because of one act from Evie that posed as a red herring.
Directed by Catherine Hardwicke, Thirteen has a stellar cast of actors led by Evan Rachel Wood, Holly Hunter, Nikki Reed, Jeremy Sisto (who plays Jubal in FBI on CBS), Vanessa Hudgens, Kip Pardue, and Sarah Clarke. Thirteen premiered in U.S. theaters on August 20, 2003.
Why Did Evie Kiss Mel In 'Thirteen'?
After Mel agreed to Tracy's request to have Evie over for a week in their house, she began to notice her daughter's change in behavior, but she didn't outright confront her about it. One night, Mel tried to lighten up the mood by showing Tracy her pants sewn with leopard fur, but she still ignored her.
Mel tried to kiss Tracy goodnight like she used to, but she dismissed her. Shockingly, Evie suddenly decided to kiss Mel on the lips, which later led to confusion in Mel's and Tracy's eyes. It was even more dumbfounding that Evie told Mel that she loved her, which was quite out of the blue because they had only known each other for a short time.
Based on what happened, it seemed that Evie's kiss was a way of saying thank you to Mel for letting her stay in her house. It could be part of Evie's manipulative scheme to retain her presence in Tracy's life, and trying to be intimate with Mel (as wicked and twisted as it sounds) could be her way of sending a message that she can be her daughter as well.
This made sense, considering Evie revealed that she grew up without a mother, and she could see Mel as the appropriate maternal figure for her moving forward.
Seeing that Tracy rejected Mel's kiss in the first place, Evie took advantage of the situation and kissed Mel to show that she was willing to accept her love more than her actual daughter.
Another way to interpret Evie's kiss is to highlight the fact that it could be her way of drawing some confusion within Mel and acting as a distraction while she manipulates Tracy into doing reckless things for her enjoyment.
Did Evie's Kiss Affect Mel's Decision for Tracy in 'Thirteen'?
While Evie tried her best to control and manipulate both Tracy and Mel in Thirteen, it ultimately didn't work because Mel proved that she was more than just a caring mother since she was also brilliant in her own way.
Although Evie's scheme almost worked by shifting the blame toward Tracy in the end, Mel's motherly love for her daughter prevailed when she realized that Evie had manipulated and badly influenced her daughter in the first place.
It's worth noting that Tracy's reckless and sometimes overbearing actions pushed Mel to the brink. Still, she decided to reassure her of her love despite her glaring mistakes because she knew Tracy was only misdirected and controlled.
While Thirteen's ending left Tracy's future on a cliffhanger, it's reasonable to assume that Mel will be present with her daughter every step. It might be hard, but there is no better way to do it than with one's family.
