They should have been 14

11 year olds are typically not that sexual. They just aren't in that phase of puberty yet. 14 would have been a more realistic age for the events of the film.

That is the age (8th grade) when parties, drinking, casual sex and drugs start happening especially in low income areas. For suburban teens that doesn't start until late into highschool or even college, but for inner city kids it happens a lot earlier.

It's also the year before high school begins and many girls are anxious to change their image to appear more grown up.

I don't know why "11" was picked as the age for the girls, that's just so unrealistic. The mine characters story is not that uncommon for 14/15 year old. I've known girls from strict Muslim house holds who got into drinking and partying and seemed to be influenced so easily. Many left their homes..