13 Going on 30 (2004)

Jennifer Garner (Daredevil, TV's "Alias") and Mark Ruffalo (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) star in this hilarious flash-forward romance about a pre-teen girl who goes from geek to glamorous. With the help of some magic wishing dust, 13 year-old Jenna Rink (Garner) becomes 30 and gorgeous overnight, with everything she ever wanted, except for her best friend Matt (Ruffalo). Now, this grown woman must create some magic of her own to help the little girl inside find the true love she left behind.

Jenna, to a waitress at a club: "Oh, wait! Make it a Pina Colada, not virgin. Do you want to see my I.D.? I totally have it."

The highlight, of course, is the exuberant "Thriller" dance number. But let's not twist this, there are many moments worth watching in 13 GOING ON 30. Above all, you're dragged along in the wake of Jennifer Garner's charm and the infectious joy with which she plays Jenna. Not that she's produced a lot of stuff on the silver screen, but 13 GOING ON 30, breezy and laugh-out-loud funny, is without a doubt my favorite Jennifer Garner flick.

It's all about wish fulfillment, and, because we've already seen Big (Extended Edition) and Freaky Friday, we already know that the inherent lesson here is that be content within yourself and also that there's no place like home. It's a given that Jenna Rink will learn this lesson in due time, but not just yet. Because that would deny us the pleasure of watching then 32-year-old Jennifer Garner go thru her silly shenanigans. So, first, whilst being doused in magic dust, thirteen-year-old Jenna, experiencing a disastrous birthday, wishes that she were "thirty and flirty and thriving." She then wakes up to find herself in a beautiful 30-year-old body. What's more, she now resides in New York City in her own posh apartment and holding down a gig as a big-time fashion magazine editor.

The movie then shows us obligatory (yet wickedly humorous) scenes of Jenna striving to act mature, and not quite getting there. I got a quick chuckle from a brief shot of Jenna scoping out "Magazine Publishing for Dummies." Plenty of fun call-backs to 1980s pop culture, to a time when people really were that into Rick Springfield and where "Everybody Wang Chung tonight" kind of meant something. Me, I barely remember Razzles, let alone that they're both a candy AND a gum.

And then, as they're wont to do, the movie gets a bit serious (but, thankfully, not too serious). We learn that the woman Jenna had become is not a nice person. We also learn that the magazine she works for is suffering an alarming decline in popularity and in sales. Tons of pressure on Jenna, regarded as a bright star in the world of haute couture periodicals. Will Jenna get her act together? Will she make amends with her estranged former best friend Mattie, played, by the way, with down-to-earth appeal by Mark Ruffalo?

It's key that Jennifer Garner is not at all afraid of looking silly and awkward here. It's key that she's a good enough actress that we come to care for her character. And it's important that Ruffalo is around to provide grounded support and that dang good romantic spark. Meanwhile, subtly duplicitous and a bit buggy-eyed, Judy Greer is pitch perfect as Jenna's current best friend. And, yes, I dare you high school graduates of the '80s to not get all nostalgic when the soundtrack kicks up. I can't believe I forgot how much I liked Billy Joel's "Vienna Waits for You." I've never really been a fan of Pat Benatar's "Love Is A Battlefield" but the movie's use of it as an anthem is pretty well done.

I've been digging Jennifer Garner since her superspy days in ALIAS, and when 13 GOING ON 30 came out, I figured this was just the stage to propel her to bigger and better things. But, for some reason, she's kept a low profile in the years following 2004, excepting all the trashy Bennifer media blitz (yet another reason to dislike Ben Affleck). Thankfully, her recent good turns in The Kingdom (Widescreen Edition) and Juno (Two-Disc Special Edition with Digital Copy) have gotten her back on track. But, while she's shown off her dramatic skills in these other roles, to me, she was still never better than when she was "thirty and flirty and thriving." A totally endearing performance. August 13, 2008

You know you like this movie.

I have to admit it, 13 Going on 30 won me over. I know it's just a twist and apparent rip-off of Penny Marshall's classic, Big but this film is sweet and funny thanks to Jennifer Garner. I also think Mark Ruffalo is one of the best new actors to emerge in the last few years, he is so real and vulnerable, I just adore him! This film is fun for the whole family, it's charming and entertaining. Enjoy! September 5, 2007

Bravo to 13 Going on 30 Excellent.

In an age where girls are being bombarded by the culture we live in, that deems a girls worth solely on her looks. This film goes beyond that and is a positive message for girls to be who they are, not what the world wants them to be . but shows that being nice and respecting yourself , family and others is the right place to be. that's what i got from it anyway. Great film, But i think the artwork for 13 going on30 is fun but lacking i prefer the special edition artwork better. Jennifer Garner is just wonderful in the role of Jenna Rink and Mark Ruffalo does a good job as Matt. If you like this film you ought to check out.( Just Like Heaven) it is also Excellent. This Film is PG-13 For some profanity, some sexual content. This film is not for young children as the case implies , but you can choose for yourself, that's a parent's job. Oh this film is in HD so the colors just pop out at you it's great. it works on regular tv but in HD it comes alive.

Highly Recommended Film.

P.S. What's funny about the clothes in this film are that Kids of the 80's like myself included wore alot of that stuff acid jean, the works, my sister had those belts it makes me laugh. Micheal Jackson was a big thing so was Madonna and Prince, Journey , The Cars, OMD, Depeche Mode, Human League , Huey Lewis And the News, Midnight Oil and The list goes on. April 29, 2007

Really good! Funny and meaningful...

At first, I was sceptical about this movie, because it started like a story about little kids
(13 year-olds). But then one of the girls (Jenna) suddenly became a grown-up 30 year old woman.
Then the movie became meaningful, because it depicts a job situation in a magazine,
so I could somewhat relate to it.
In her life as a grown-up, Jenna is a magazine editor in Poise magazine.
She struggles in this unfamiliar situation and still behaves like a little girl.
For example, in a bar she picks up a little boy instead of a man who is at her age.
She keeps wanting to play children's games...
But then she meets a former school boyfriend and things become more normal.
I really like this movie. It is funny, relaxing, it gives you the chance to have a look
at the business world in New York. It is something like the "Working girl" movie,
if you have seen it - it's about competition between companies, etc.
And the women are so beautiful. There is a blond magazine editor - so lovely,
I couldn't take my eyes off her.
Better yet, I listened to the movie by using headphones, so I could really
appreciate the strereo sound of the soundtrack songs.
All in all, watching this movie was time well spent for me.
P.S. There was a really pleasant dancing imitation of Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video.
March 10, 2007

Stick with "Big"

Thirteen-year-old Jenna somehow leaps forward in time to inhabit her own adult body (Jennifer Garner), thereby discovering that she has become a terrible human being who will betray anyone to win acceptance from the right clique. Trying to reestablish a relationship with the now-adult boy (Mark Ruffalo) who was her childhood best friend before she ditched him, she discovers the importance of friendship and loyalty.

This tired film revisits the body-switching theme that has been done so many times before in much better films. Garner overacts terribly at times, but she has some nice scenes with Ruffalo, who plays the only character that displays any intelligence. I never believed in the authenticity of its fashion magazine setting. Jenna's big idea for the magazine redesign, which receives so much applause, is unbelieveably bad. January 28, 2007

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