13 Going On 30 (2004)

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Alone in the closet, Jenna makes an earnest wish. If only she could be all grown up, she’d have the life she’s always wanted.

Miraculously, her wish comes true.

The next day, when Jenna emerges from the closet, it’s 2004 and she’s 30 years old. What’s more, she is a gorgeous successful woman (Jennifer Garner) with a great job and a fabulous Fifth Avenue apartment. She is finally cool and popular.

The only hitch? She has absolutely no idea how she got there.

Initially frightened but gradually enchanted by her new life, Jenna soon realizes there’s something missing — Matt. When she looks him up, she is horrified to discover that she and Matt (Mark Ruffalo) are no longer in contact and he is engaged to be married.

Jenna learns

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Related Movies: remake of Big (1988) Mazaa Mazaa (2005) [remake]

Behind the Scenes: Read more about the production About The Production Second Chances

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External Reviews

The movie would have shown some daring savvy if it had played more with the role-playing aspect of fashion spreads. Instead it is content to eat its retro snack cake and have it, too. "Let them eat Twinkies," the movie suggests, instead of getting into dicier issues.

A few minutes into 13 Going on 30, I knew I was in capable hands. Ultimately, the movie may not be as good, uplifting, or perceptive as Big, but it's one of the better teen girl-themed films of the year, and can be enjoyed by viewers of either gender in any age group. 

--James Berardinelli (ReelViews)

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Early on, "13 Going on 30" raises hopes that its message will be "It's great to be different." So why does it dash those hopes so cruelly?

--Stephanie Zacharek (Salon)

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Jennifer Garner is indeed a charmer, but she's the victim of a charmless treatment in "13 Going on 30," another one of those body switch movies (think "Big," "Vice Versa," "Freaky Friday," etc.) in which a child magically occupies an adult body. 

--Roger Ebert (Chicago Sun-Times)

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Garner and Ruffalo make for an appealing little diversion that shows their true star quality. B

--Craig Younkin (Lee's Movie Info)

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Effortless and adorable, 30 is a lovable New York romance with the right amount of whimsy and magic. It made me smile through and through, even as obvious plot questions picked at my brain and unrealistic problems stacked up like cars on the interstate during rush hour. 30 might not stay with me longer than a week or two, but it certainly was fun while it lasted. 

--Sean O'Connell (FilmCritic.com)

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Garner's performance effectively keeps things interesting, even when the film is going through the motions as the conclusion draws near. And though 13 Going on 30 doesn't quite come close to Big, it is a worthy addition to the genre. 

--David Nusair (Reel Film Reviews)

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Um, yeah...More like 13 Going on Boring. 

--B. Alan Orange (MovieWeb)

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So engaging and ultimately so sweet, that it’s difficult not to get swept up in the fun and sentimentality. 74/100

--Brian Webster (Apollo Guide)

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I suppose there are worse ways to spend an evening than watching Jennifer Garner grabbing her boobies for 95 minutes. I didn't expect much going into this generic-looking film and didn't get much in return, but was somewhat entertained by it all, despiteits safe and regurgitated themes. 6/10

--'JoBlo' (JoBlo.com)

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Cast

Jennifer Garner Catch Me If You Can, Pearl Harbor, Daredevil Mark Ruffalo Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Collateral, Windtalkers Judy Greer The Village, Three Kings, Adaptation. Andy Serkis The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Kathy Baker Edward Scissorhands, The Cider House Rules, Cold Mountain Kiersten Warren Bicentennial Man, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, Duets Phil Reeves About Schmidt, Election, Guess Who [more]

Though the basic premise of "13 Going on 30" could hardly be more familiar - it's "Big" for girls - it's a surprisingly charming and fresh comedy that only becomes painfully saccharine in its last 20 minutes.  --Jonathan Foreman (New York Post) Jennifer Garner gives a wonderful and playful performance, and, even though the show is hers, it's stolen sometimes from Andy Serkis. But moviegoers might feel robbed from the un-original and predictable story...  --Brian Gallagher (MovieWeb) 13 Going On 30 is a completely unoriginal story given a fresh, airy make-over that moves along at a pleasant clip because of the winning, likable performances of Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo. 6/10 --W. Andrew Powell (The Gate.ca) “13” is relentlessly sweet, beautifully acted, and is warmly aware of the passionate pre-teen spirit. If you don’t dig too deeply into the proceedings, there’s a terrific little film in there amidst all the hackneyed tripe. B+ --Brian Orndorf (FilmJerk.com) The predictable message of the power of true love is then presented with the usual twists and turns of this simple story. But the moral message is a positive one as it takes on the implied messages of popular culture.  --Denny Wayman and Hal Conklin (Cinema in Focus)