13 Going on 30 (2004)

A Disappointing Continuation

All that we are seeing on the screen is happening with real people, real action sequences in the background, forcing the eye to watch as if we were there.

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

Which is the strongest part of this charming, funny and romantic fairy-tale.All the parts of the film that shouldn't work, work because of it's premise. The movie tells the story of a little 13 year old girl who wants to be an adult because her life is soooooooo much crap...at least she thinks that, everything's pretty normal actually, but from the perspective of this girl it's fully reasonable for us as audience to roll with this idea, otherwise it just would be a fairly weak motivation for our protagonist.And even when she's 30 she has no real problems, everything works pretty good, the only problem is, that she sees it with the same mindset, and that's why this movie is so great. It has almost something cynical, because we know that nothing she deals with is actually that big a deal, and that most people would want such a lifestyle.The reason we can fully appreciate this mindset is because of Jennifer Garner, who gives such a believable and most of all sincere performance. At no point in the movie it felt inappropriate, or took me out of the movie, when she does little girl things as an adult. There was never a moment where i thought to myself:"It feels weird and uncomfortable to see an adult do these innocent things..." which is a big compliment for her performance.For example: There is a scene in the movie which even the director didn't wanted to make, where she has a sleepover with some teenage girls, while she's an adult and they all talk about love, dress up and sing karaoke. Normally this would feel uncomfortable and girly, but even the director said that he thinks that it's one of the best scenes in the movie, and i agree.Also the other actors are very good in reacting to how she discovers the world. Andy Serkis as her boss is a delight and Mark Ruffalo is a fully believable friend who's conflicted with his love to her and his future wife. Everyone else is as good, and no one gets out of line.That the "original" timeline of the movie is set in the 80's is also a big part why i like this so much, all she does "today" is highly influenced by this time, and i'm a big fan of the style and music (and movies).Also all the innocent child-like things she does to help other people, or to safe the company (and stuff) also works surprisingly well for this kind of movie, it's not TOO Hollywood-ish, but certainly fantasy for sure.I mean she safes a party by starting to dance to Michael Jacksons "Thriller" and everyone joins her, and it's actually pretty charming instead of embarrassing, this is also due to the good direction.The last time i watched this film was in the year 2005 when it was on television, and i remember thinking it was very enjoyable. Now that i watched it again i can fully appreciate the view of a child on it's own future and how well it works.This movie is surprisingly charming, funny, and most of all sincere, a large part of this is due to the great direction and Jennifer Garners excellent performance...

A teen-aged girl who is part of the "out crowd" makes a wish that she is already 30-years-old and living a fabulous life; and with the help of some magic dust, it happens. She wakes up as an adult (played by Jennifer Garner) living in an expensive apartment in Manhattan, with a high-paying job in a magazine, and she has a boyfriend who is a famous, popular, hockey player. Oh, and she still has the mind of a 13-year-old! Garner slowly realizes that her dream life is not what she thought it would be — the cost of getting all these things she considers fabulous is that she became a "mean girl" and she alienated the boy who would grow up to be the man she still loves (played by Mark Ruffalo). As hard as Garner tries to make things right, what she has done in the past is done, and people have moved on and she'll have to suffer the consequences of her actions. But…there may yet be one small hope of altering her present life. Although the premise of "13 Going On 30" is far from original, Jennifer Garner's performance and chemistry with Ruffalo make this an enjoyable rom/com. We all know Garner is a natural at drama, but here she also shows how adept she is at comedy. My most memorable, movie moment of "13 Going On 30" is the scene when Garner and Ruffalo start doing the Michael Jackson "Thriller" dance!Mannysmemorablemoviemoments

What if you made a mistake that you wish you could take back and change? That question is explored in 13 Going on 30.The movie is about a young girl named Jenna who wishes she was 30 and it comes true. She wakes up in a New York City apartment and finds out that she works for a magazine company. When she visits her old friend, Matt, things have changed. He's engaged and hasn't seen her since high school. Jenna goes on a journey to figure out her life and who she truly. I won't elaborate anymore on the plot because I don't want to spoil anything.I praise the casting. Jennifer Garner was fabulous in the role, which added a lot of charm to the performance. It's the chick flick equivalent of Big with Tom Hanks. This fantasy movie is enjoyable throughout and put a huge smile on my face. I got the DVD as a present and I thank my mother for getting it for me because this was a great movie. If you have 90 minutes to spare and you like the movie Big, then this is for you!

This is the perfect late night film for when your partner is snoring and you want nothing more but to relax with a fantasy chick flick that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside and wanting your own magical love story. Well in this you find it and more. Jenna Rink wants nothing more than to be thirty, flirty and thriving, however when she gets her wish, with a little help from her best friend Matty, she discovers that the girls in the magazines are all they're cracked up to be... With a combination of wild dreams, fantasy, comedy and of course it's fairytale love story, this film is sure to make you feel girlie and all mushy without fail. I hope you love it as much as me :) x