De Repente 30

My fiancée and I sat down to watch this, not expecting much more than a cute romantic comedy, and Jennifer Garner playing herself(as seen in the blooper reels and behind the scenes interviews of Alias)... we were both very pleasantly surprised. The movie is genuinely entertaining and charming... Garner is sweet(and seeing her play this role has made us appreciate her performance on Alias all the more), as is the overall tone, and the movie is actually rather engaging. Admittedly, the script is formulaic to a degree, but if you look beyond that, you may very well like what you see. And the movie was effective and surprising to us both. The pacing was spot-on. It never dragged nor went by too fast, and the movie doesn't overstay its welcome. The humor was one of the best things about the movie; it's truly funny, it doesn't try too hard and it comes off as very real. It's reasonably inoffensive(apart from a few sexual innuendos), too. The cinematography and editing are both good, and tight enough, no real complaints there. The dialog is well-written and equally skillfully delivered. The acting is all great. The 80's feel and look were captured perfectly. The music, both selection and use, was also fitting and great. The message was really good, too, and it wasn't preachy, either. All in all, an entertaining and charming romantic comedy which will tug at your heartstrings if you only just let it. This gets a good treatment on DVD, as well... based on the Special Edition release(which I would say is worth owning for any fan of the movie), the menus and design are all good and there are several deleted and extended scenes, two music videos of 80's songs from the film, two games, a still gallery in video form, a blooper reel, two commentary tracks and two well-produced specials, one being a behind the scenes production. I recommend this, to any fan of the genre and/or Jennifer Garner. Oh, and children of the 80's as well. 7/10

Until I forced myself to sit down and watch this entire movie. Completely prepared to despise it after reading all the negative reviews; but am a big Ruffalo fan, and have always liked Jennifer Garner. After the first 20 minutes, my tv remote channel change button was almost completely pressed until Michael Jackson's huge "Thriller" party number commenced. Admittedly, I'm a big '80's fan; which of course factored into my thorough enjoyment of this flick! Madonna, Pat Benatar hits...awesome dude!! Honestly Ruffalo and Garner had great chemistry and gave sweet performances. Any movie that makes me laugh and cry is a keeper. No spoilers; but if you loved "Big" (who didn't...and yes a better movie), you will also love "13". You'll just need to give it a little time :)

Some actors are just born to play certain roles. Though I've never been the biggest Jennifer Garner fan over the years, she is beyond perfect for the role of Jenna Rink in 13 Going on 30. Conveying the perfect amount of innocence, charm, and earnestness, the joy of seeing Garner play a 13 year old trapped in the body and life of a 30 year old woman is unparalleled. I love the nostalgic feeling of the film, even though I didn't grow up when Jenna did, and the overwhelming feeling of 'needing to remember what used to be good'. Mark Ruffalo is an instantly likable and relatable love interest for Garner, and they have remarkable chemistry. We've seen this type of story before, but it's all in the execution, and they nailed it here.

8.7/10

Jennifer Garner plays Jenna, a 13-year-old girl who makes a wish to become older, and she finds herself thrust forward 17 years into the body of a gorgeous 30-year-old executive. Trying to discover what happened, she gets back in touch with her old high school friends, who've all lived 17 years of life, while she is still just a girl in the body of a woman.

The plot is obviously similar to the movie Big and all the critics have already bothered to point that out. While 13 Going on 30 isn't as good or engaging as Big, it's still a decent film with a nice message. The movie works a lot better than it should because of Jennifer Garner. She's funny and she has a great personality. It also helps that she's having fun in the role and it's so hard to actually hate her because she plays a very likable character. Mark Ruffalo gives an okay performance, he was a little dull though. I don't think comedy is his best genre. There are also some fun performances from Andy Serkis and Judy Greer.

The film was too cheesy and silly for me at times. For example, there was this one scene where Jennifer Garner is at a sleepover with all these little thirteen year old girls and she's telling them about her kissing experiences. After she does this, they all get up and start dancing. It was just so cheesy and annoying though girls will probably love that part. The movie is also pretty predictable. If you have seen the preview then you should know how things will end. The movie is pretty simple yet still entertaining. It's also a lot better than other similar films like Chasing Liberty and The Prince and Me. In the end, 13 Going on 30 is a decent, charming chick flick that should appeal to it's target audience. Rating 6/10

In "13 Going On 30" Garner is a 13 year old with a guy best friend and an impossible dream of becoming one of her school's "in" crowd. She pulls a "Rip Van Winkle" and suddenly finds herself 15 years older, with boobs, and the editor of a glitz and glam NYC femme fashion magazine. The rest is a fun frolic about coming to grips with what is important in life...what's steak and what's just so much sizzle. Garner and Ruffalo work well as the leads in this good old family values bop flick which keeps the momentum up 'til the very warm and fuzzy end. An unabashed chick flick, "13 Going On 30" should be an enjoyable watch for teen females and anyone in the mood for a romcom who can still remember what it's like to be 13 going on 30. (B-)