''16 to Life'' is a

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

directed by Becky Smith and starring

Hallee Hirsh Hallee Leah Hirsh (born 1987/1988) is an American actress perhaps best known for her roles as Mattie Grace Johnson on '' JAG'', Daley in the children's series '' Flight 29 Down'', and as the adolescent and young adult Rachel Greene on '' ER''. ...

as Kate, a bookish teen about to turn 16 who plays match-maker for her friends. Co-stars include:

Shiloh Fernandez Shiloh Thomas Fernandez (born February 26, 1985) is an American actor. He is known for his roles in the television series '' Jericho'' and ''United States of Tara'', and the films '' Deadgirl'', ''Red Riding Hood'', and the 2013 remake of '' Evil ...

Mandy Musgrave Amanda Marie Musgrave (born September 19, 1986) is an American actress and singer. Best known for her portrayal of Ashley Davies on the television series ''South of Nowhere'', as well as portraying Misty Monroe in the web series '' Girltrash!'' a ...

Theresa Russell Theresa Lynn Russell ( Paup; born March 20, 1957) is an American actress whose career spans over four decades. Her filmography includes over fifty feature films, ranging from mainstream to independent and experimental films. Born in San Diego, ...

Carson Kressley Carson Kressley (born November 11, 1969) is an American television personality, actor, and designer. Beginning in 2003, he appeared in the Bravo series ''Queer Eye for the Straight Guy''. He was also the motivational host of the TV show ''How to ...

and

Nicholas Downs Nicholas William Downs is an American actor. Downs has played supporting roles in several films, including '' Constantine'' (2005), '' The Girl Next Door'' (2004), and ''Pearl Harbor'' (2001). He played the main character in " Is It Just Me?" (20 ...

. The film was originally titled “Duck Farm No. 13”, but the title was changed to appeal to younger audiences; it was filmed primarily in

McGregor, Iowa McGregor is a city in Clayton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 742 at the time of the 2020 census. McGregor is located on the Mississippi River across from Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. Pike's Peak State Park is located just south ...

and premiered August 29, 2009 at the

Landlocked Film Festival Landlocked Film Festival is an annual film festival hosted in Iowa City, Iowa. The Festival was founded in 2007. Landlocked Film Festival was created to support independent filmmaking by bringing the best of independent world cinema to the America ...

.Sellout Englert Crowd Cheers Iowa-Made '16 to Life', ''California Chronicle'', August 31, 2009, http://www.californiachronicle.com/articles/yb/134747091

Premise

An omniscient narrator begins the film only to have the main character, Kate, interrupt him to add her point of view. This introduction sets the scene as we watch Kate arrive at the riverside malt shoppe, Float-on-Inn. She arrives early to read a book about the cultural revolution in China. Not your typical 16-year-old. Kate demonstrates her maturity and care by helping her co-workers navigate their dreams, horoscopes, and moral dilemmas. At the same time, she has her own moral dilemma to navigate. Today is Kate's birthday. She's 16 and never been kissed.

References

External links

* * American comedy films 2009 comedy films 2009 films Films set in Iowa 2000s English-language films 2000s American films {{2000s-comedy-film-stub