Having loved Nick McDonell’s novel Twelve and eagerly awaiting Joel Schumacher’s big screen adaption, I had no problem forgetting about the swarms of negative reviews that emerged from Sundance. Now that the film’s official trailer is here, I can ignore the panning no longer because I see the problem; Schumacher has stripped the story of any heart and turned it into a teen drama à la Gossip Girl.

When casting details first arrived, I assumed Rory Culkin was taking the lead role of White Mike. I’m sure he makes a fine Chris, but Chace Crawford is just way too pretty to be playing a troubled drug dealer. It doesn’t help that we’re getting our first look at him in action in a poorly formulated trailer; it’s just a mash up of pretty faces, drugs and parties powered by techno pop music. This is not the book I read.

Rocky trailer or not, I’m still holding on to an inkling of hope Twelve will live up to my expectations, if only just a little.

By Perri Nemiroff (Via MTV)