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• a cinderalla girl? posted on 20 August 2009

  She has been catapulted from 13 to 30, with magic dust involved, courtesy the 13-year-old Matt, but nothing is made of that except as an unexplained device. New York City, especially Central Park, but also every other slice of the place incorporated into the movie, seems hope-filled and easily livable, and save for Lucy there's no villain in Jenna's adult life, and even Lucy is not cast as monstrous, only as a nasty 13-year-old grown 17 years more devious. Chris, the one-time boy object of Jenna's yearning, is now a porky cab driver, and you have seen enough films to know that Matt will play a major role in Jenna's future. You don't know quite what might impede this before it is finally achieved, though I'm here to whisper in your ear, so to speak, that the device is not unique. In fact, not only is this a variation on the theme of Tom Hanks' "Big," though nowhere near as fine, it is also a strictly by-the-book version of this subset of the Cinderella story.

• "Big" gets a sex change; Garner shines posted on 20 August 2009

  13 GOING ON 30 (2004) *** Jennifer Garner, Mark Ruffalo, Judy Greer, Andy Serkis, Kathy Baker, Christa B. Allen. 'Big' gets a sex change is essentially the gist of this appealingly funny high concept comedy with Garner as a 13 year old who gets her wish to be 30 on her birthday but is blindsided by just how much she has changed to her true self as a high level editor for a glossy NYC based fashion magazine. Ruffalo is at his most affable as her former childhood friend that she is clearly meant to spend the rest of her life with and Greer is suitably bitchy as her so-called best friend. Garner gives a charming performance with awkward élan and giddy go-natured sweetness that belies the all-too familiar formulaic genre that has a few good laughs despite its trappings.(Dir: Gary Winick)

• Not what I expected posted on 08 June 2009

  I love Jennifer Garner. I might love her more than her own parents do. Get between me and Alias, and you'll have a real problem on your hands, man. Sometimes, when I'm not watching Alias, I pretend she's starring in whatever crappy TV programme I have on. Sometimes I imagine Garner and Buffy the Vampire Slayer together (fighting, of course).But enough about me. Let's talk about how bloody crap 13 Going On 30 is. I mean, it'd have to be really bad for me – a borderline Garner stalker – to speak ill of, wouldn't it? Yet here I am, telling you 13 Going on 30 is bloody crap. And here's something even worse: Garner is really bad in it. But she still looks really nice, and that's the only thing that kept me from slitting my throat there and then.The films starts way back in the mid 80's, where little Jenna Rink (played by a very punchable, annoying actress) is celebrating her 13th birthday. Jenna desperately wants to be part of an underage gang of sluts named 'Six Chicks', and she'd do just about anything to accomplish this pointless yet oh so important feat. This would include giving the middle finger to her FAT best friend Matt (hmmm) who'd spent weeks creating a very special, personalised birthday gift for the ungrateful, whiny little bitch Jenna. After a predictable incident involving the six-chicks doing what they do best, Jenna loudly declares her hatred towards Matt- declares that she wishes to be 30- and after some magical dust (bought from a shop?!) she wakes up the next morning as Garner.I know you're all thinking about the excellent Tom Hanks flick Big right now, this doesn't have nearly as much going for it as it would need to deserve the comparison. In Big, Hanks wished and woke up as an adult, only no time passed between those two events. In this, Jenna wishes and wakes up as an adult, but it's 17 years later. And that means that, in addition to the regular fish-out-of-water stuff, we also have to deal with various – but frustratingly inconsistent – time and setting adjustments. Jenna isn't at all freaked out by a cordless phone but just about craps herself over a cell. She has no problems using a computer, holding her liquor, or dealing with other things she would know nothing of.In Big, it wasn't really a stretch to believe Hanks got a job test-marketing toys. In this, Jenna re-designs an entire fashion magazine from the ground up, amidst sabotage attempts, no less. And if you can swallow that bullshit, there's a lot more of it to gobble up. Like when Jenna realizes what has happened and runs, inexplicably, into the arms of the adult Matt-a guy she hated more than anything else in the world during her last breast-less moments. Like Jenna befriending her nauseatingly convenient 13-year-old neighbor. Like those horrifying "Thriller" dance sequences (which make you crave death). Like Matt being a hip photographer instead of fat loser.And then there's Jenny/Jenna, whose performance is so forced, over-the-top and, at times, wincingly awful, there isn't a sane person alive who won't be saying, "So that's why Tom Hanks got an Oscar nomination for Big." You'd expect this kind of crap from the writing team that brought us What Women Want (turns out they want the same thing as Men – their money and time returned to them), but this also has the misfortune of being the film that could derail the previously promising career of Garner. Hopefully Electra gains better critical reviews then Daredevil, or I fear for her future film career.So then, how can I sum it up? If you are less then 13 you may enjoy it, I suppose. Well, probably not if I'm being brutally honest. The film is predictable, cheesy and very very boring. Go and do something more enjoyable instead, like watch Battlefield Earth (sorry Jen-x x x).Check out Haribokart.com for more of my reviews!

• female version of "BIG" posted on 08 February 2009

  *spoilers*actually there isn't any real need for spoilers here, it's obvious what this story is about. anyway it tries to be a female version of BIG that is about a whiney and spoiled 13 year old who i don't understand how mattie can even stand. this is a very corny movie. it tries every possible way to be cute but instead just seems forced and sickening. i mean i love michael jackson but hello how can anyone remember the steps after 17 years? Jennifer Garner here is not at her best. Unlike Tom Hanks who's so believable as a kid. Jennifer Garner here comes out as a 30 year old trying unsuccessfully to be a 13 year old. there are times here in the movie that she seems to be mentally challenged. the only saving grace of this movie is the quiet presence of mark ruffalo. which is the main reason why jennifer went back to the past and tried to save her relationship with him.

• Garner is a star posted on 31 July 2009

  Jennifer Garner is a great actress and she proves it in this starring vehicle. We immediately like her and her character. That is the reason why I give this movie a positive review. On the negative side, most of the film's best jokes were spoiled in the film's coming attractions. The rest of the movie is surprisingly dark in tone. Garner's character is supposed to be an unlikable career woman, but we can't really believe that for a minute.
  I wish the film were funnier and didn't get bogged down in a subplot about a rivalry at a magazine that doesn't go anywhere. Mark Ruffalo is okay as Garner's love interest and the two have a genuine chemistry. The other characters are not very interesting, particularly Garner's obnoxious best friend. I never believed these two would speak to each other, much less be best friends. This is one of those movies where the star does more to help the movie than the other way around. I give this a 6/10.

• 13 Going On Terrible posted on 31 July 2009

  I wanted so badly to enjoy this film. The plot of it is all too predictable. You know exactly how it is going to end, after the third scene.Jennifer Garner does give an awesome performance of playing someone who has journeyed into adulthood from age 13. I thought she was very beleivable in this part. The movie however was not as good. First, of all HOLLYWOOD magic plays a huge part in this movie. O.k. you can kinda let go of the fact that no such dust can transform you. This movie was like Big, but not as good.I may be a little harsh on this movie, because I expected more. Jennifer Garner has proved herself as an actor now. After this movie she should be doing a lot more diverse roles, now that she has broken free of Alias and DareDevil.I gave this movie a 7 out of 10

• Jennifer Garner Is Absolutely Stellar With A Beautiful Smile posted on 23 July 2009

  I am a huge fan of Jennifer Garner and 'Alias'. My friends and I saw it like the day after it came out. It was really weird to see her smile continuously throughout the entire movie. Nice though. She really shines in this movie. She is really born to play a 13-year-old. This is basically a very well-rounded movie. JG really shows how nieve 13-year-olds actually are. Through her character, JG really shows how the smallest decisions can effect your entire life. The crowd you hang out with could effect how you treat people later on in your life, even at 30 :)! Jennifer Garner is a wonderful actress and this movie is very family oriented, but is also really cool for teens and adults. I completely recommend this movie to everyone. p.s: WATCH 'ALIAS'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

• Cute and funny posted on 13 July 2009

  I initially resisted seeing this movie when it was out in theatres for some reason I can't remember. What motivated me to buy this at Walmart yesterday was Mark Ruffalo (sp?). Sigh.Anyway, I brought it home and my 9 year old watched it twice in a row. I watched it last night, and again this morning and now my 13 year old, my 9 year old and I are all watching it again.I am 37 and it makes me crack up. Totally laugh out loud funny.Andy Serkis (aka Gollum from Lord of the Rings) is a hoot.I know this is not very insightful, but if you are around my age with kids you might find this to be a family favorite.

• It's BIG meets BLAST FROM THE PAST. posted on 07 May 2009

  Or you can think of it has Peggy Sue Got Married in reverse. A funny lighthearted tale that can remind you be careful what you wish for. It starts out in 1987, on her 13th birthday Jenna Rink(Christa B.Allen) is embarressd by some popular kids, Her friend Matt gives her some wishing dust. And she wishes to be thirty, flirty, and thriving. The next day it's 2004, and Jenna is thirty years old(Jennifer Garner), and she must do some catching up, because she is the editor of a magazine company named Poise. She also meets up with her now grown up old friend Matt(Mark Ruffalo). Jenna is pretty much a teenager trapped in a grown womens body. It was pretty entertaining, I think Tom Hanks performance in Big was a little better, not that Jennifer Garner is a bad actress. It is just that she just went for giggles and being cute. Tom Hanks in Big was going for laughs, but I think he tried to be believable in his role, has a kid trapped in a mans body. But none the less still a cute movie. In my opinion, Christa B.Allen who plays young Jenna, looks more like Hilary Swank, then Jennifer Garner. But Hilary is just as pretty as Jennifer.

• Finding your soul mate amidst Razzles, Piña Coladas, and magic... posted on 07 March 2009

  In the early 1980s, a 13-year-old girl in suburban New Jersey dreams herself into the year 2004, where she's a 30-year-old fashion magazine manager in New York City--only, her fantasy is tempered by the realization she hasn't grown up to be a very nice person...and she let the love of her life slip through her hands. In less capable hands, this romantic comedy might have been nothing more than a distaff variation on Penny Marshall's "Big" (it even substitutes "Big"'s keyboard sequence with a "Thriller" line-dance), however director Gary Winick is very nimble and quick, skimming over the silly details and getting right to the heart of the piece. The story (as it is) doesn't bare close scrutiny (why, for example, does the magazine's fierce competitor need a make-over when it's supposedly outselling everything else?), but the sparkling cast easily sells this material, possibly even to cynics. This scenario is strictly a retro redux, but when true love conquers all, who's to complain? **1/2 from ****

• Don't we ever wonder what if.... posted on 06 November 2009

  I love this movie. Don't we wonder where we would be if we had made a different choice by marrying that "special person" vs who we are with presently? It doesn't mean that you necessarily made a bad choice with who you are with presently, but what road your life might have taken if you did. Would it have been for the better or the worse? If we could turn back time, would we? Would we risk what we have or would it be worth it? I might have to think about it if it was Mark Ruffalo..he sure is easy on the eyes. What I found so great is that inner child in both of them, still remained. He still was wears his heart and she does not too. She didn't see her heart till later, till her heart was touched by her actions and by Matt's heart. I think there are times that we wish we still had the innocence of a pure heart as we did when we were young and naive. Great flick!!

• A sweet chick-flick girlfriends can enjoy together posted on 06 January 2009

  This movie can be described as a chick-flick basically because it is. A girl wishes she was an adult on her birthday and when it comes true, she gets the chance to see what her life will turn out like. As the movie progresses, she learns even though she gets everything she ever wanted, she doesn't like who she becomes. She then goes about trying to change the mistakes in her life she doesn't even remember making. The film is filled with laughs and cute moments of love. Jennifer Garner gives and A+ performance as an adult looking at the world through a child's eyes.I'd recommend this movies for a girls-night-out.7/10

• Great movie! =D posted on 24 May 2009

  I remember how much I insisted my mother to rent this movie. I wanted to watch it in the movie theater, but we were so busy that that was impossible. So, one day after school she brought me there and I picked this movie. I think I chose the perfect moment to watch it: a week before my 13th birthday! The situations that Jenna lives are so real that any girl of this planet can feel identified with them. Besides, I think Jennifer Garner was the perfect actress to play this role, cause she had the perfect combination of charisma and sensibility to make this character real. The same happens with Mark Ruffalo, it's impossible to feel anything but love for him! And the both have this great chemistry on screen that makes all the romance believable.This movie made me laugh out loud, made me cry and made me feel in such a nice way that I cannot do something else but recommend it! Trust me, you won't be disappointed at the end of the film because I can assure you that you'll wish (depending on your age) to turn back time and have thirteen again or to make the clock go faster and become thirty, flirty and thriving!

• A Warm Film With a Good Message posted on 22 May 2009

  Many television actors attempt to shift to the big screen and fail. That is not the case with television actress Jennifer Garner, who captivates us in "13 Going On 30." The premise of this film is a Hollywood staple, as thirteen-year-old Jenna is magically transformed into 30-year-old Jenna, leading to the comic gags of a child trapped in an adult's body. By the force of her sparkling personality, Jennifer Garner holds the screen for this heartwarming romantic story. On cable, this film was shown back-to-back with "Freaky Friday," another child-trapped-in-an-adult-body comedy. So, after viewing the two films, I felt a kind of psychic bipolar disorder from so many character transformations! Of the two films, the one I will remember most vividly is "13 Going on 30," due to Garner's performance. There was also a nice message implicit in the film, namely, that we're never content with our age. Jenna is miserable at 13, then spends her energies at age 30 trying to get back to her youthful innocence and integrity. The movie implies that, young or old, the perfect age is now--this moment--which cannot be measured in years.

• A jigsaw puzzle with every piece in-place posted on 16 May 2009

  Set your phone to silent, gather together some favourite snack-foods with a hot & some cold drinks, & settle-down to an evening of magic & romance. Jennifer is gorgeous as the overnight-adult & Judy is surprising believable as her back-stabbing friend. Some of you may know Judy as the invisible go-for in What Women Want.Jennifer & Judy are the two hot-shot fashion gurus of Poise magazine under threat in an all-out ratings war. Jennifer is a fish-out-of-water not having lived the previous 17 years & turns to her high-school boyfriend Mark Ruffalo who by now has turned photography from a hobby into his career. Unhappy with her 30s lifestyle Jennifer finds Mark is about to marry somebody else as she tries to save Poise & put-right events leading-up to where she is today. If you buy the DVD the documentaries will delight too; teen & 30 Judy actually look like mom & daughter.

• Not exactly what I expected posted on 05 October 2009

  SPOILERS THROUGHOUT: When I tuned into 13 going on 30, I didn't expected anything remarkable but I did kind of expect a sweet sunny freaky Friday type of movie. That's not what I got though.I didn't care for this and the main reason I am giving this a 5 is because of the great performances by Garner and Ruffalo. But this movie wasn't that fun. It sure wasn't in the league of a "Freaky Friday" or even a "Big." In fact parts of it were pretty much a downer.I didn't enjoy the way the movie went about it's premise. So Jenna Rink jumps into the future, discovers what a bad person she has grown up to be, and has the opportunity to change that. Fine. But a major part of the movie was the childhood friend who is now her coworker and enemy. So much of the movie is centered on the friend's attempts to hurt and destroy Jenna Rink, the movie loses it's focus and begins to play like a "good versus evil" type of picture, it really does. And the plot involving Ruffalo's Matt-it was interesting but after awhile I started feeling I was watching "My best friend's wedding." I couldn't believe the similarities.The central premise-going forward in time, having the ability to change your actions, correct your mistakes-is a fine and wonderful premise but I felt the approach the movie took to it, was a little lackluster and rather dismal. I didn't feel like I was watching a comedy. Garner seemed to cry a lot of the time, her "friend" keeps doing increasingly nasty things to her, and then there's the music which really irritated me, which is surprising considering I'm a major fan of 80's music. But there was TO MUCH music, it started overshadowing the dialog, and none of the chosen songs seemed particularly right anyway.The main positives were the performers chosen to inhabit these roles. Garner was a delight even in a movie I really didn't like, she brought to Jenna Rink a charm and sweetness and Mark Ruffalo is an incredibly gifted and talented man who was perfect for this role. He and Garner had a Sweet chemistry and both put in great performances as did the whole cast.Although I didn't expect this to be in the league of Freaky Friday I expected more. The warmth, sunniness, and overall charm that were evident in "Freaky Friday" and "Big" were missing and there were a lot of mean elements to it, that, without more positives to it, I felt were lacking. Not a terrible picture-far from it-but not what I expected. My vote's 5 of 10.

• What a refreshing and hilarious comedy! Excellent work by Jennifer Garner & Mark Ruffalo. posted on 05 August 2009

  I have always loved Jennifer Garner since her days in Felicity, but I was so impressed at how well she transitioned from her usual dramatic roles to a very entertaining comedic character. Not only was the movie hilarious, but Jennifer really took the viewer back to life as it was in the 80s and helped us to relive the angst of becoming a pre-teen. Mark Ruffalo was also great, and this was quite a change for him as well. I would definitely recommend seeing this movie. I didn't want it to end. :) The cell phone scene at the beginning was classic, and who doesn't remember that great "Thriller" video and Pat Benatar shimmying to "Love is a Battlefield"? Well Done!!!

• A Funny, Touching Romantic Comedy With Fantasy Elements posted on 05 April 2009

  2004's 13 Going on 30 is yet another teen film (or youth-oriented film) with a touch of magic a la Freaky Friday and if you like those films, this one is sure to delight you. Jennifer Gardner plays Jenna, an unpopular 13 yr old girl whose only best friend is a chubby school paper photographer Matt (M. Ruffalo). She wishes for her life to change for the better and she wakes up the next day to discover she's 30 years old and has missed the past 17 years of her life. Her former best friend Matt is now engaged to be married and an independent photographer. She is now a successful, wealthy photographer for a popular magazine. She has lost contact with her parents, missed Christmas with them, engaged in an affair with a married employee and has a hockey playing celebrity boyfriend. The movie resolves itself rather quickly and has something missing, I think. Even the theme of going back in time to right a wrong or past mistake or the theme of re-evaluating one's life is not as strong. It is mostly a comic film with a touch of magic and romance. Admittedly, it's funny. The scenes in which Jenna has to deal with being 30 when she's still only 13 are terrific. I.E.....she thinks a 13 yr old boy at a bar/restaurant is cute, she goes home with her boyfriend in hopes of playing a board game but is treated to a strip dance instead, she entertains her friends who are also 13. For some reason, 80's music is dominant in this film. It's not clear whether this movie is taking place in the 80's or whether Jenna and Mark were children of the 80's. They dance to Michael Jackson's "Thriller" and Jenna keeps insisting that "Love is a Battlefield". Highly enjoyable but it could have been better. For one thing, it could have been longer, there could have been more of a sense of conflict and or despair. It's clear that Mark and Jenna will end up together. Their romance is never that much in danger of being thwarted. The villain of the piece, Lucy, a co-worker, is at first a friend and then an enemy/rival which happens too quickly. Even with all these little squibbles, this is still a good film.

• Not exactly fab but not terrible... posted on 26 April 2009

  13 going on 30 is a comedy/romance story of a girl called Jenna, who, on her 13th birthday, wishes she could be 30 and when she wakes up the next day, she discovers she is (hence the title).Jenna (Jennifer Garner) finds out that in her new life, she has everything, a famous boyfriend, a beautiful face, a great figure and a kick-ass job. The only thing she is missing is her best friend, Matt (Mark Ruffalo).Although, that is not the only thing missing in her new life. She realises she isn't the nice person she was when she was 13.This film is pretty much average, as it has a good plot, but the script needs a few adjustments (though some of the lines make me want to burst out laughing!) and the ending drifts off a bit.13 going on 30 is a good film for a girlie night out. It wouldn't be a disaster to miss, but give it a try!

• I don't want to live anymore posted on 22 April 2009

  I'm beginning to see a pattern in the movies I give a 1 to. They are almost all movies that my wife made me watch. Maybe I should stop having faith in her taste in movies. Anyway, this is typical drivel aimed at pre-teen girls but done even more poorly than usual. Once again, the writer broke the cardinal rule of any movie. He/she made the main character unlikable. She starts off by being a complete b*tch to her friend at the beginning, and then finds out when she becomes 30, that she's basically a sh*tty person (having affairs, etc.). Why the F would we feel for this person? OK, let's say we can get past that. Jennifer Garner is about as far from attractive as you can get without having some sort of deformity. I don't know if it's her or the writer's fault, but her character goes well beyond my threshold for annoyance. Here's a tip for future filmmakers: 13 year olds are NOT entertaining, they're annoying. Far and away the most embarrassing moment in the movie came when they danced to "Thriller". Holy crap that was painful. It showed her practicing that dance at the beginning. That explains why she knows it, but an entire club full of people?!? Argh!!! The Macarena would be more believable! All of a sudden she's completely incompetent and has no clue how to do her job and no one notices? At least Tom Hanks' character on "Big" had a job that made sense to a child. These body-switching/child becoming adult overnight movies are really getting out of hand, and this is by far the worst one yet.