Thirteen goes viral on social media every few years, usually sparked by a scene that’s just as shocking today as it was in 2003. But now, Catherine Hardwicke’s cult classic movie is being talked about for a different reason: Netflix.
The past month has been a busy one for film fans. Superman continues flying high at the box office, The Fantastic Four made their First Steps into the MCU, and Adam Sandler returned to the green in Happy Gilmore 2.
But often the library content can be just as exciting, especially when it comes to movies that are hard to find online. Cue Thirteen, the teen drama written by director Hardwicke and then-13-year-old Nikki Reed.
Despite its lasting cultural impact, the film often comes and goes from streaming services, leaving fans hunting for old DVDs, late-night TV airings, or pricey digital rentals.
Is Thirteen on Netflix?
Yes, Thirteen landed on Netflix on August 1, 2025, at 12am PT / 3am PT. It’s unclear how long it will be there, so be sure to get your viewing time in over the next month.
Back in February, the movie showed up on Hulu, but it was removed from its content library a couple of months later, leading to demand from fans.
So, it’s no surprise the news that it’s now on the biggest streamer in the world has been met with excitement, with one writing on X/Twitter, “Someone said they are adding Thirteen on Netflix and omg I’m happy.”
“They done put Thirteen on Netflix, happy Friday,” said another, while a third added, “Netflix finally added the movie Thirteen back and I’ve never been so f**king happy dude.”
However, some are trying to avoid their younger relatives from watching it, including this person who wrote, “My niece said she wanna watch Thirteen cause they’re gonna put it on Netflix, immediately I said no.”
Why is it controversial?
The reason why Thirteen is considered controversial is because it depicts two 13-year-old girls’ (Evan Rachel Wood and Nikki Reed) descent into a world of drugs, self-harm, and sexual exploration, and it doesn’t shy away from showing any of it.
But let’s not get it twisted – it’s an incredible movie. Yes, Thirteen may shock, but it’s not gratuitous, instead serving up an authentic portrayal of teen angst, coming-of-age, and the often-strained relationships girls have with their mothers.
When it first debuted at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival, the film received critical acclaim, with Hardwicke winning the award for the drama direction category. But while some critics praised its honesty, others called it exploitative and accused it of romanticizing sex, drugs, and self-harm.
Hardwicke herself revealed to the LA Times that when she shopped the idea to producers, they “were terrified to make the movie” due to its subject matter.
It’s also worth noting that the film was written in just six days by Hardwicke and Reed, who met when the former dated the latter’s father. Hardwicke decided to base much of the story on Reed’s own lived experiences as a troubled teen in Los Angeles.
That authenticity made it even harder to ignore, and arguably even harder to watch. Due to the explicit content, when Thirteen was finally distributed in the US, it was given an R-rating – despite the fact that it was written, in part, by a 13-year-old.
According to IMDb, it was banned in multiple countries at the time, including Austria, Denmark, and Egypt. Reports also showed there was pushback from American educators and parents, who were left “shaking their heads” at the film for glorifying rebellion.
In reality, Thirteen was doing the opposite. It doesn’t sugarcoat anything, but it also doesn’t just shock for the sake of it. The movie holds up a mirror to the chaos many teenagers really faced at that time, a portrayal that still stands to this day.
Can you watch Thirteen for free?
If you don’t have Netflix, the bad news is that the streaming service doesn’t offer a free trial. However, there is another way to watch Thirteen without spending a dime: via the Internet Archive.
The Internet Archive is an open library for the public to use, but movies and TV shows uploaded there may be in violation of its copyright terms, so it may not always be available there.
For now, it’s on the site, where it’s been viewed nearly 6,000 times, as well as received one review, which reads, “It was AMAZING but it hurts how much I relate to Tracy.”
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