the audience applauded

Overrated and overhyped

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

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 finger 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 :)

13 Going on 30 PosterJenna (Christa B. Allen) is 13 and bummed out about not being one of the "popular crowd". On her birthday, her pal next door, Matt (Sean Marquette), gives her some wishing dust that works a little better than Jenna imagined. She wakes up the next day still feeling 13, but Jenna (Jennifer Garner) is now 30 and everybody else is 17 years older as well - this takes some getting used to.Jenna discovers she's working as a fashion editor with one of the former cool girls, Lucy (Judy Greer), and that she she's grown up into somebody she's not exactly proud of. Jenna turns to her old friend Matt (Mark Ruffalo) for help - he's not exactly thrilled to see her again. Jenna may be a "thirty, flirty, and thriving" girl, but she's miserable until she gets some valuable advice from Mom (Kathy Baker) who tells her that a mistake just gives you a chance to learn how to make things right. Will a second chance allow Jenna be the person she was meant to be? We feel a message coming on.There are some similarities between the beginning of this storyline and Big (or the multitude of other movies where one person wakes up in a strange body - even if it's their own at a different age), but this story heads down its own path. Besides, everything old is new again (including the soundtrack full of 80's tunes). Speaking of great songs from the past, it's a case of unfortunate timing to spotlight a Michael Jackson song - but "Thriller" makes a great party-picker-up, and the dance number still works.This movie is not all jokes, messages, and fabulous shoes - these characters have real moments when they show their flaws, share their joys, and pay for their choices. But mostly, they entertain by centering on the childlike innocence of Jennifer Garner. She proves that she can handle more than just action. There are a couple of times that her reactions come across as stiff or forced (it could be that's just her character), but most of the time she's charming and bubbly and basically gives a winning performance. Her co-star Mark Ruffalo is romantic and adorable (and the boyfriend Samuel Ball is not bad either - thanks to him there's a whole new way to appreciate Ice Ice Baby).What we learn from this movie - no matter what age you are, it's still true that: Slumber parties with your girlfriends are a blast, Photographs of your friends always win over phony models, Pancakes are a comfort food When you're feeling blue, and it's always nice to run home to Mom and cuddle in bed with her (non in the Deliverance sense).

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...

I felt like I have seen the plot of 13 Going on 30 a trillion times before, so I was able to predict the outcome of the movie only two minutes in. It's not bad in any way, but it's nothing that great either. Only the always watchable Jennifer Garner makes this movie worth watching. The movie offers up a stale script, but Garner is able to infuse her charm to make this rom-com merely watchable. This is a great date movie for sure. It's funny at times and it kind of made me wish I grew up in the 80's.Gary Winick's film is about a 13-year-old girl named Jenna Rink who wishes she was 30. Now she has received her wish and now her 30-year-old body must cooperate with her 13-year-old mind. As a magazine editor, they may be hard to do. When she discovers her best friend, Matt living nearby, she discovers that perhaps an old friend may be the flame of her life.This film is well-acted and the acting saves the day. Jennifer Garner is the right person to work in a rom-com and she does an excellent job. She's cheerful, quirky, and a blast to watch. I must also mention Mark Ruffalo. He is nearly as good as Garner and they work very well with each other. It's also nice to see Andy Serkis in a role where he doesn't need CGI. He was a hoot to watch.Overall, 13 Going on 30 is pleasurable enough to watch, stale script and all. In the kind of genre with this kind of plot, there have been better movies like 1988's Tom Hanks film, Big. I was entertained and thanks to the likable leads, the film sort of works. Not great, but not awful. I rate this film 7/10.