A Charmed Life At 13....
Watching Jennifer Garner treated
in such a bad plot is disappointing, but Garner shines in ways the trump the bland writing and so-so directing. 13 going on 30 is like eating puffy sweet cotton candy. It
sure is tasty, but leaves nothing in your stomach. I say this because the plot
for 13 going on 30 is so simple that the movie could have only have been 30 minutes long and said everything it does.
13 year old, Jenna Rink played with
pure heart by Christie B. Allen, wants to become a 30 year old after reading an article in Poise Magazine. That basically sums it up, but I will dig deeper for the stories sake.
She of course has the cute fat friend Matt played by chubby Sam Ball- who is into velour and Casio key boards, but
he is not enough to keep this six chick wannabe happy. The “Six Chicks”
of course are the super group of junior high school- The clicks among clicks. Poor
little Jenna Rink is just well thirteen and geeky. She stuffs her bra- and has
braces and can also do the choreographed dance to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”. She’s a normal kid growing in a world where she feels a little less than normal. During her 13th birthday party Jenna receives wishing dust and a quite cool doll house- from
“cute” fat buddy Matt. How he got magic dust and how it works is
totally left out of the script. I guess something for us to chew over later,
but really a sad plot hole the size of Kansas.
In what is a really nifty plot twist
the “wishing dust” works! And guess what Jenna Rink wished for- yes,
folks- to be thirty and flirty. She wakes up and is thirty, but she’s not
in her own bed or even house. The first few minutes of this realization have
to be some of the most memorable scenes the movie has to offer. Jennifer Garner
star shines greatly and this is no small feet- the physical comedy is offset by just a golly-gee whiz factor beyond comprehension. Jenna must learn to be thirty with the mind of a thirteen year-old. The movie snakes around really ridicules scenarios that put a shiny gloss on the fantasy life. I’m sure there has never come a time where Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” saved a
magazine party full of cynical New York hipsters. Watching Jennifer do the dance though gives the movie that bubbly frothy feeling of it being just such
a darn cute moment. Guess what?! Jenna
works for Poise Magazine and is a super rich Grinch- Bah-humbug! Which our thirteen
year old doesn’t remember nor likes about her old self. This realization
has a motive, but I just can’t put my finger on it or I just don’t car- I can’t decide and if the filmmaker
doesn’t care than why should I?
The movie is shot in a splendid manner-
it’s very light and soft. Colors of New
York are perky and bubbly- not to mention Jenna’s wardrobe.
Garner wears chop sticks with ease. We also find Gollum here minus the
CGI and played by Andy Serkis. With a creep factor far beyond what the script
allows. Playing the very spiteful friend is a very blonde Judy Greer, who here
just seems cranky and in need of some better hair management. Though as Lucy
you know Judy wanted to find the bitter nut job that lurked within. The movie
then plots around super cute moments where Jennifer gives the effort needed to fit the material. Jenna doesn’t know how to be a grown up, but she is able to run a magazine and keep up her huge New York apartment. Jennifer
plays this movie as a game and it really does end up working.
The movie then suffers with a romantic
story so transparent that we are left with a slightly sour taste in our mouths. Why
would a 30 year old man fall in love with a woman who has a thirteen year old brain- oh, yeah, because she is played by Jennifer
Garner. Mark Ruffalo is the nice guy with the nice smile- a grown up hotty Matt
(minus the fat beaver cheeks). Deep character plot not necessary and also not
needed. He’s cute and warm and talks with a husky “I’m Indie
Mark Ruffalo” tone. It all fits and works, but not on any level above family
sitcom. How does this movie work, you might wonder? Because of Jennifer and her presence and some cleaver cute inside jokes.
The movie flows lightly on its feet. The girl works for “Poise”
magazine and Jennifer Lopez does some of the best acting of her career. All in
all 13 going on 30 is fizzy sweet and well worth the price of admission. Leave
logic at the door and step into the best world possible- a story that actually makes you wish you were thirteen again.
