13 Going on 30 (2004)

I love this movie so much

Great Film overall

Absolutely Brilliant!

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

13 Going on 30 is those body swap movies popular in the late 1980s such as Big and Vice Versa.In 1987, Jenna Rink a gawky girl yearns to be popular. After an embarrassing incident with the 'it' girls at her birthday party she locks herself in a closet and wishes she was 30.Jenna finds herself 17 years later in 2004, now played by Jennifer Garner, fashion magazine executive but with the mind of a teenager who has to stumble through this new grown up world she finds herself in.Jenna hooks up with old school friend Matt (Mark Ruffalo) who is a promising but struggling photographer. Matt was a geek back in the day but despite being her best friend then, he is cold and distant now as Jenna herself became an 'it' girl and then a tough as boots executive.The new Jenna has ideas to reboot the struggling magazine and wants Matt to do the photo-shoot but her ideas are stolen by a rival magazine and a close friend is doing the dirty on her.The film is about second chances and finding your true self rather than trying to be like other more popular people. Garner does her best with the role, playing the right amount of a gawky teenager in a woman's body without overdoing it, but really it is hard to believe Garner was once an awkward looking girl.Mark Ruffalo and Andy Serkis look a tad uncomfortable being in a romantic comedy. Serkis at least puts his all in as the magazine editor, Ruffalo looks he is solely in this film because his agent told him that it would be a good move for his career.

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...

13 going on 30 is something which every teenager is like, the way how Jenna rink going in future and realize that she achieved all things which she dream , and became a editor of successful magazine, but she is in mess when realize that her loved one's including her childhood best friend's Matt Flammer is no more in relation, and also detached with her mom and dad are not connected anymore and feel herself lonely and cheated by her friend tom , but she tried hard to make things better but all is not gone well in time and Matt is marry with other girl .The best part of film is the character of Jenna Rick played by Jennifer Garner and charter of Matt played by Mark Ruffalo who just put more depth in the role and make it's worth watching , Jennifer Garner natural charm and Mark Ruffalo stability , deepness and seriousness in her character makes the scene more beautiful to watch .

Jennifer Garner, Mark Ruffalo and Judy Greer star in this 2004 comedy. Garner plays Jenna, a young woman who discovers that her wish of being 30 years old has come true. She has everything she could want, but is confused and tries to rediscover herself. She also tries to reconnect with her best friend, Matt (Ruffalo) who is a photographer. Greer plays Lucy, her conniving friend whom she works with for a fashion magazine. This is a pretty good film, Jennifer is great in it and she & Mark have good chemistry. There's some humorous and a bit of heartfelt moments plus classic 80's songs like Michael Jackson's "Thriller" and Pat Benatar's "Love is a Battlefield." I recommend this.