''13 Going on 30'' (released as ''Suddenly 30'' in some countries) is a 2004 American

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures. The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...

romantic comedy Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a sub-genre of comedy and Romance novel, romance fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount all obstacles. Ro ...

film written by Cathy Yuspa and Josh Goldsmith, directed by

Gary Winick Gary Scott Winick (March 31, 1961February 27, 2011) was an American filmmaker whose films as a director include ''Tadpole'' (2002) and ''13 Going on 30'' (2004), and who also produced such films as ''Pieces of April'' (2003) and ''November'' (2 ...

, starring

Jennifer Garner Jennifer Anne Garner (born April 17, 1972) is an American actress. Born in Houston, Texas and raised in Charleston, West Virginia, Garner studied theater at Denison University and began acting as an understudy for the Roundabout Theatre Company ...

and

Mark Ruffalo Mark Alan Ruffalo (; born November 22, 1967) is an American actor. He began acting in the late 1980s and first gained recognition for his work in Kenneth Lonergan's play ''This Is Our Youth'' (1996) and drama film ''You Can Count on Me'' (2000) ...

, and produced by

Susan Arnold Susan E. Arnold (born March 8, 1954) is an American business executive who formerly served as the chairman of The Walt Disney Company. Early life and education Arnold graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Arts degree, ...

and Donna Arkoff Roth. The film is about a 13-year-old girl in 1987 who awakens to find herself suddenly 30 years old and living in 2004 as a fashion editor. ''13 Going on 30'' received generally positive reviews from critics, with many praising Garner's performance and its nostalgic environment. It was also praised for its humorous plot and self-empowering message. The film was also a commercial success, earning $22 million in its first week and becoming one of the year's biggest-selling

DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for digital video disc or digital versatile disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any ki ...

rental titles. Its total box office profit was over $96 million. Additionally, the soundtrack charted inside the top 50 on the US ''Billboard'' 200 chart. Garner's acting earned her nominations from both the

MTV Movie Awards The MTV Movie & TV Awards is a film and television awards show previously presented annually on MTV. It began as the MTV Movie Awards in 1992, when its 1992 MTV Movie Awards, first edition was held, and adopted its current name in 2017, beginnin ...

and the

Teen Choice Awards The Teen Choice Awards were an annual awards show that aired on the Fox television network between 1999 and 2019. The awards, based on a popularity vote that could be overridden by the producerswho reserved the right to choose the winnerscovered ...

Plot

In 1987, nerdy 13-year-old Jenna Rink yearns to be popular. She persuades the Six Chicks, her school's ruling clique led by "Tom-Tom", to attend her birthday party by doing their homework for them. Jenna's best friend and next-door neighbor, Matty Flamhaff, secretly in love with her, gifts her a handmade dollhouse and sprinkles the roof with "magic wishing dust." The Six Chicks arrive with a group of boys, including Jenna's crush Chris Grandy. They trick Jenna into believing Chris is going to play "

seven minutes in heaven Seven minutes in heaven (or seven minutes in the closet) is a kissing party game mostly played at teenage parties. The game may also be played with a different duration. Game Two people are selected to go into a closet or other dark enclosed space ...

" with her while they leave with the completed homework. When Matty discovers her in the closet, a humiliated Jenna barricades herself and tearfully wishes to be "thirty and flirty and thriving" as the wishing dust falls on her. The next morning, Jenna awakens as an adult in a luxurious

Fifth Avenue Fifth Avenue is a major thoroughfare in the borough (New York City), borough of Manhattan in New York City. The avenue runs south from 143rd Street (Manhattan), West 143rd Street in Harlem to Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village. The se ...

apartment in 2004, dating a young man she does not recognize and with no memory of the intervening seventeen years. Upon further investigation, she learns that she now works as an editor for her favorite fashion magazine, ''Poise'', alongside her co-editor and best friend, Lucy Wyman. However, the magazine is falling behind its arch-rival ''Sparkle'', which her editor-in-chief, Richard Kneeland, believes is the work of a saboteur. A confused Jenna locates Matty, now a struggling photographer, in

Greenwich Village Greenwich Village, or simply the Village, is a neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 14th Street (Manhattan), 14th Street to the north, Broadway (Manhattan), Broadway to the east, Houston Street to the s ...

. He explains that in high school, she became the new head of the Six Chicks and subsequently stopped speaking to him; she also learns that Lucy is Tom-Tom. As she adjusts to her new adult life, Jenna gradually learns that the person she has become is nothing like her shy, sweet teenage self; the adult Jenna plagiarized ideas, became estranged from her parents, and had an affair with a co-worker's husband. After overhearing Lucy plotting to remove her from a presentation on a ''Poise'' rebrand, Jenna returns to her childhood home in

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

to reunite with her parents before reconciling with Matty and hiring him to help with her presentation. They gradually fall for each other, though Matty's fiancee Wendy is eager for him to move to

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

. Jenna's presentation proves successful, but Lucy lies to Matty and claims Jenna did not use his photos, having him sign them over to her instead. While looking for Matty to deliver the good news, Jenna finds Wendy, who reveals that their wedding is the next day. Moreover, she learns from Kneeland that Lucy became ''Sparkle''s new editor-in-chief by using Jenna's presentation. Outraged, she confronts Lucy, who scornfully reveals that Jenna is the one who sabotaged ''Poise'' in exchange for a position at ''Sparkle'', though Lucy took the job first. Jenna rushes to Matty's childhood home, where the wedding is about to take place, to explain what happened, though Matty says he already knew the truth. Jenna tries to convince Matty to give their relationship a chance, promising that she is not the awful person she appears to be. Matty acknowledges his feelings for her, but rejects her anyway, claiming that too many years have passed. He gives her the dollhouse, which he has kept despite their estrangement, and confesses that he has always loved her. Jenna goes next door to her childhood home and breaks down in tears while holding the dollhouse; a breeze swirls some remnants of the wishing dust around her. Jenna reawakens back in 1987 on her thirteenth birthday. When Matty finds her huddled alone in the closet, she happily embraces and kisses him. Jenna berates Lucy and her friends, destroys their completed homework, and ousts them from her house. With this second chance, Jenna lives the subsequent seventeen years differently, eventually going on to marry Matty. The newlywed couple then moves into a suburban house resembling the dollhouse Matty gave Jenna on her thirteenth birthday.

Cast

Production

In October 2002, director

was in negotiations to direct ''13 Going on 30''. It was also announced that Susan Arnold and Donna Arkoff Roth were producing the project with the writers' manager, Gina Matthews. Actress

was cast for the movie's lead role. In order to film the picture, Garner shot it while on break from filming her television series '' Alias''.

Gwyneth Paltrow Gwyneth Kate Paltrow ( ; born September 27, 1972) is an American actress and businesswoman. The daughter of filmmaker Bruce Paltrow and actress Blythe Danner, she established herself as a leading lady appearing in mainly mid-budget and perio ...

Hilary Swank Hilary Ann Swank (born July 30, 1974) is an American actress and film producer. She first became known in 1992 for her role on the television series '' Camp Wilder'' and made her film debut with a minor role in ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' (19 ...

, and

Renée Zellweger Renée Kathleen Zellweger ( ; born April 25, 1969) is an American actress. The recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Renée Zellweger, various accolades, including two Academy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, and four ...

were all considered for the lead role.

Judy Greer Judith Therese Evans (born July 20, 1975), known professionally as Judy Greer, is an American actress. She is primarily known as a character actress who has appeared in Judy Greer filmography, a wide variety of films. She rose to prominence for ...

was cast to play Lucy, Garner's best friend;

Kathy Baker Katherine Whitton Baker (born June 8, 1950) is an American actress. Baker began her career in theater and made her screen debut in the 1983 drama film '' The Right Stuff''. She received the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Support ...

and

Phil Reeves Phil Reeves (born January 12, 1953) is an American film and television actor and screenwriter. He is known for the roles of Charles Swedelson on the sitcom '' Girlfriends'', new Vice President Andrew Doyle in HBO's '' Veep'', as Chairman of the ...

were cast as Garner's mother and father, respectively. Later,

Andy Serkis Andrew Clement Serkis (born 20 April 1964) is an English actor and filmmaker. He is best known for his motion capture roles comprising motion capture acting, animation and voice work for computer-generated characters such as Gollum in ''The Lo ...

was selected to play Garner's boss; while Samuel Ball was announced as Garner's boyfriend. On May 13, 2003, it was reported that filming for the movie was underway in Los Angeles with

Revolution Studios Revolution Studios Distribution Company, LLC (operating as Revolution Studios) is an American independent motion picture and foreign sales company headed by Chief Executive Officer Scott Hemming, founded in 2000, and based in Los Angeles, Los Ang ...

. It was filmed in

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

and

South Pasadena, California South Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 26,943, up from 25,619 at the 2020 census. It is located in the Western San Gabriel Valley. It is in area and lies betwe ...

. Interior shots were filmed in Los Angeles. The crew moved to New York City, where they shot exteriors for 17 days. Principal photography took place from May to November 2003. Written by Josh Goldsmith and Cathy Yuspa, the script was "polished" by

Niels Mueller Niels Mueller (born 1961) is an American film director, screenwriter, and film producer. His directorial debut film, '' The Assassination of Richard Nixon'', screened at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival. Biography Mueller was born and raised in Mi ...

(who lost an initial writing credit in a subsequent dispute arbitrated by the

Writers Guild of America The Writers Guild of America (WGA) is the name of two American labor unions representing writers in film, television, radio, and online media: * The Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) is headquartered in New York City and is affiliated wit ...

). Christa B. Allen, who portrayed 13-year-old Jenna, later "reprised" her role as a younger version of

by portraying the teenage version of Jenny Perotti in ''

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past ''Ghosts of Girlfriends Past'' is a 2009 American Fantasy film, fantasy romantic comedy film directed by Mark Waters. The script was written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore (screenwriter), Scott Moore, based on Charles Dickens' 1843 novella ''A Chr ...

''. In October 2016, it was announced ''13 Going on 30'' was going to be adapted for Broadway with an estimated debut in late 2017, but plans did not move forward.

Music

Soundtrack

The soundtrack to ''13 Going on 30'' was released on April 20, 2004, from

Hollywood Records Hollywood Records is an American record label owned by the Disney Music Group which focuses on pop, rock, alternative, hip hop and country genres, also specializing in recordings for a more mature audience not suitable for the flagship Wal ...

. The album mostly contains music from the 1980s with a range of hits from famous recording artists such as

Talking Heads Talking Heads were an American Rock music, rock band formed in New York City in 1975.Talking Heads

Billy Joel William Martin Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Piano Man" after his Signature song, signature 1973 song Piano Man (song), of the same name, Joel has ha ...

Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone ( ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Referred to as the "Queen of Pop", she has been recognized for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, ...

Pat Benatar Patricia Mae Giraldo (née Andrzejewski; formerly and still professionally Benatar ; born January 10, 1953) is an American singer and songwriter. In the United States, she has two multi-platinum albums, five platinum albums, and 15 US ''Billboa ...

and

Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer, actress, film producer, model, and philanthropist. Commonly referred to as "Honorific nicknames in popular music, the Voice", she is List of awards and no ...

. There is also a handful of songs performed by contemporary artists, such as

Lillix Lillix () was a pop rock band from Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada, formed in 1997 when the early members were in high school. The band was originally an all-girl group under the name Tigerlily composed of guitarist Tasha-Ray Evin, keyboard ...

and

Liz Phair Elizabeth Clark Phair (born April 17, 1967) is an American rock singer-songwriter and musician. Born in New Haven, Connecticut, Phair was raised primarily in the Chicago area. After graduating from Oberlin College in 1990, she attempted to sta ...

. # " Head Over Heels" –

The Go-Go's The Go-Go's are an American all-female Rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1978. Except for short periods when other musicians joined briefly, the band has had a relatively stable lineup consisting of Charlotte Caffey on lead guitar ...

# "

Jessie's Girl "Jessie's Girl" is a song written and performed by Australian singer Rick Springfield. It was released on the album '' Working Class Dog'', which was released in February 1981. The song is about unrequited love of a young man for his best friend ...

" –

Rick Springfield Richard Lewis Springthorpe (born 23 August 1949), known professionally as Rick Springfield, is an Australian-American musician and actor. He was a member of the pop rock group Zoot from 1969 to 1971, then started his solo career with his debut ...

# " What the World Needs Now Is Love" —

Jackie DeShannon Jackie DeShannon (born Sharon Lee Myers; August 21, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter and radio broadcaster who has had many hit song credits beginning in the 1960s, as both a singer and composer. She was one of the first female singer-son ...

# "

Burning Down the House "Burning Down the House" is a song by American rock band Talking Heads, released in July 1983 as the first single from their fifth studio album ''Speaking in Tongues''. Inspiration and composition "Burning Down the House" is a new wave, funk ...

" –

Talking Heads Talking Heads were an American Rock music, rock band formed in New York City in 1975.Talking Heads

# "

Mad About You ''Mad About You'' is an American television sitcom starring Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt as a married couple in New York City as they navigate life together. In later seasons, the couple has a daughter. It initially aired on NBC from September 2 ...

" –

Belinda Carlisle Belinda Jo Carlisle ( ; born August 17, 1958) is an American singer and songwriter. She gained fame as the lead vocalist of the Go-Go's, one of the most successful all-female rock bands of all time, and went on to have a prolific career as a sol ...

# "

I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me) "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" is a song recorded by American singer Whitney Houston, the leading single from her second studio album, '' Whitney''. The song was aimed to bring Houston a more accessible pop sound after having hits ...

" –

# " What I Like About You" –

# "

Heaven Is a Place on Earth "Heaven Is a Place on Earth" is a single by American singer Belinda Carlisle from her second studio album, '' Heaven on Earth'' (1987). Written by Rick Nowels and Ellen Shipley, the song was released as the lead single from the album on Septem ...

" —

# "

Ice Ice Baby "Ice Ice Baby" is the debut single by American rapper Vanilla Ice. It samples the bassline of the song "Under Pressure" by British rock band Queen and British singer David Bowie, who did not receive songwriting credit or royalties until after i ...

" –

Vanilla Ice Robert Matthew Van Winkle (born October 31, 1967), known professionally as Vanilla Ice, is an American rapper, actor, and television host. Born in Dallas, raised in Miami, he was the first solo white rapper to achieve commercial success foll ...

# " Crazy for You" –

# "

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

" –

# " Why Can't I?" –

# "

Nothing Compares 2 U "Nothing Compares 2 U" is a song written by the American musician Prince for his band the Family. It first appeared on their only album, '' The Family'' (1985). Its lyrics express the feelings of longing expressed by an abandoned lover. The I ...

" —

Sinéad O'Connor Shuhada' Sadaqat (born Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor; , ; 8 December 1966 – 26 July 2023) was an Irish singer, songwriter, record producer and activist. Her debut studio album, ''The Lion and the Cobra'', was released in 1987 and achieve ...

# "

Tainted Love "Tainted Love" is a song composed by Ed Cobb, formerly of American group the Four Preps, which was originally recorded by Gloria Jones in 1964. In 1981, the song attained worldwide fame after being covered and reworked by British synth-pop du ...

" –

Soft Cell Soft Cell are an English synth-pop duo who came to prominence in the early 1980s. The duo consists of vocalist Marc Almond and instrumentalist David Ball (electronic musician), David Ball. The band are primarily known for their 1981 hit versio ...

# "

Love Is a Battlefield "Love Is a Battlefield" is a song by American singer Pat Benatar, released on September 12, 1983, as a single from Benatar's live album '' Live from Earth'' (1983), though the song itself was a studio recording. It was written by Holly Knight an ...

" –

# "Will I Ever Make It Home" –

Ingram Hill Ingram Hill is an American rock band from Memphis, Tennessee. As of , they have released five studio albums and two EPs. History Ingram Hill was formed in 2000 by Justin Moore (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Phil Bogard (lead guitar), Shea Sow ...

Other songs featured in the film

* "

Thriller Thriller may refer to: * Thriller (genre), a broad genre of literature, film and television ** Thriller film, a film genre under the general thriller genre Comics * ''Thriller'' (DC Comics), a comic book series published 1983–84 by DC Comics i ...

" –

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Michael Jackson, one of the most culturally significan ...

* "

Everybody Have Fun Tonight "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" is a song by the English New wave music, new wave band Wang Chung (band), Wang Chung, released as a Single (music), single from their fourth studio album ''Mosaic (Wang Chung album), Mosaic'' in 1986. Collaboratively ...

" – Wang Chung * "Good Day" –

Luce Luce may refer to: People * Luce (name), as a given name and a surname * Luce (singer) Places * Luče, a town in Slovenia * Luce, Minnesota, an unincorporated community * Luce Bay, a large Bay in Wigtownshire in southern Scotland * Luce ...

The songs " Breathe" by

Michelle Branch Michelle Jacquet Branch (born July 2, 1983) is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. She won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals with Santana for their 2002 single, " The Game of Love". As a solo recording artist, Bran ...

and "

Iris Iris most often refers to: *Iris (anatomy), part of the eye * Iris (color), an ambiguous color term *Iris (mythology), a Greek goddess * ''Iris'' (plant), a genus of flowering plants * Iris (given name), a feminine given name, and a list of peopl ...

" by the

Goo Goo Dolls The Goo Goo Dolls are an American rock band based in Buffalo, New York, composed of lead vocalist and guitarist John Rzeznik, bassist and vocalist Robby Takac, as well as several rotating members since its formation in 1986. After starting ...

were featured in promotional trailers, but were not featured in the movie or on the soundtrack.

Original score

# "Prologue" (4:19) # "Jenna Dream House" (1:13) # "Transformation" (0:31) # "Wake Up" (2:03) # "Naked Guy" (0:36) # "Off to Work" (0:29) # "Poise" (0:43) # "Paper Throw" (0:28) # "Can I Go?" (1:05) # "Matt's Apt" (0:46) # "Fluffy Pillow" (0:49) # "Au Revoir" (0:44) # "Good Luck with Fractions" (0:35) # "Mean Messages" (0:25) # "Eavesdropping" (0:46) # "Yearbook Idea" (1:14) # "Elevator" (0:25) # "Swings" (01:49) # "Assemble the Proposal" (0:39) # "Hang in There" (0:38) # "Angry Lucy" (0:15) # "Presentation" (2:30) # "Sneaking" (0:59) # "Rain Montage" (1:08) # "Getting Married Tomorrow" (0:29) # "Sparkle Bus Overlay" (0:39) # "Dream House Revisited" (1:28) # "30 to 13" (0:38) # "Crazy for You Overlay" (1:09)

Reception

Box office

The film opened on April 23, 2004, with an initial box office take of $22 million in its first weekend, debuting at number two, almost tied with

Denzel Washington Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. (born December 28, 1954) is an American actor, producer, and director. Known for his dramatic roles Denzel Washington on screen and stage, on stage and screen, Washington has received List of awards and nominations ...

's thriller '' Man on Fire''. In its second week, it dropped to number three, earning $9 million. In its third week, it fell to number five, earning $5.5 million. In its fourth week, it took sixth place with an estimated $4.2 million. In its fifth week, it fell to number seven, with an estimated $2.5 million. In its sixth week, the film fell to number 9, earning $1 million. It ended with $57 million at the domestic box office, and a total worldwide gross of $96,455,697.

Critical response

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review aggregator, review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee ...

, ''13 Going on 30'' has an approval rating of 65% based on reviews from 179 critics, with an average rating of 6.20/10. The site's critics consensus reads, "Although the plot leaves a lot to be desired, ''13 Going on 30'' will tug at your inner teenager's heartstrings thanks in large part to a dazzling performance from Jennifer Garner." On

Metacritic Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...

, the film has a score of 57% based on reviews from 35 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. Audiences surveyed by

CinemaScore CinemaScore is an American market research firm based in Las Vegas. It surveys film audiences to rate their viewing experiences with letter grades, reports the results, and forecasts box office receipts from the data. Background Ed Mintz, who ...

gave the film a grade A−, on a scale of A to F.

Owen Gleiberman Owen Gleiberman (born February 24, 1959) is an American film critic who has been chief film critic for '' Variety'' magazine since May 2016, a title he shares with . Previously, Gleiberman wrote for ''Entertainment Weekly'' from 1990 until 2014. ...

of ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...

'' gave the film a highly positive review with a grade of "A−", writing, "''13 Going on 30'' is the rare commercial comedy that leaves you entranced by what can happen only in the movies." Gleiberman also praised Garner's performance, writing: "She cuts out all traces of adult consciousness, of irony and flirtation and manipulation, reducing herself to a keen, goggle-eyed earnestness that's utterly beguiling."

Mick LaSalle Mick LaSalle (born May 7, 1959) is an American film critic and the author of two books on pre-Code Hollywood. Up to March 2008, he had written more than 1,550 reviews for the ''San Francisco Chronicle'' and he has been podcasting them since Sep ...

of the ''

San Francisco Chronicle The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and M. H. de Young, Michael H. ...

'' wrote: "The possibilities of Jenna's confusion are exploited for full comic effect. Garner, who turns out to be a charming, abandoned comedian, makes Jenna's incredulousness and innocence very funny and occasionally even touching." Joe Leydon of ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' also praised her performance, writing "Garner throws herself so fully and effectively into the role that in a few key scenes, she vividly conveys Jenna's high spirits and giddy pleasure through the graceful curling of her toes." Leydon praised director Gary Winick for "bringing a fresh spin to most of the script's cliches and emphasizing nuggets of emotional truth provided by Goldsmith and Yuspa."

Wesley Morris Wesley Morris (born December 19, 1975) is an American film critic and podcast host. He is currently critic-at-large for ''The New York Times'', as well as co-host, with J Wortham, of the ''New York Times'' podcast '' Still Processing.'' Previou ...

of ''

The Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe,'' also known locally as ''the Globe'', is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes. ''The Boston Globe'' is the oldest and largest daily new ...

'' wrote that "The film is tailor-made for women who openly lust for dream houses, dream jobs, and dream hubbies." He also wrote that "the best stuff involves the childhood preamble. (The young actors playing Jenna, Matt, and Lucy are terrific.) Those moments feel painfully, comically true." Claudia Puig of ''

USA Today ''USA Today'' (often stylized in all caps) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth in 1980 and launched on September 14, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headq ...

'' gave the film 3 out of 4 stars, commenting, "This romantic comedy is intended as a cautionary fairy tale. The silly humor works with the film's gentle message of self-empowerment and avoids sappiness in a tender interlude where the adult Jenna returns to her childhood home. Amusing, charming, and pleasantly nostalgic, ''13 Going on 30'' should fall easily onto moviegoers' wish lists." Mick Martin and Marsha Porter's 2005 DVD and Video Guide called it a "shameless rip-off of the

Tom Hanks Thomas Jeffrey Hanks (born July 9, 1956) is an American actor and filmmaker. Known for both his comedic and dramatic roles, he is one of the most popular and recognizable film stars worldwide, and is regarded as an American cultural icon. Ha ...

' classic ''

Big Big or BIG may refer to: * Big, of great size or degree Film and television * Big (film), ''Big'' (film), a 1988 fantasy-comedy film starring Tom Hanks * ''Big'', a 2023 Taiwanese children's film starring Van Fan and Chie Tanaka * ''Big!'', a ...

''", adding that it was "weak, but predictable and is sparked by the excellent performance of Jennifer Garner".

Elvis Mitchell Elvis Mitchell (born December 6, 1958) is an American film critic, host of the public radio show ''The Treatment'', and visiting lecturer at Harvard University. He has served as a film critic for the ''Fort Worth Star-Telegram'', the ''LA Weekly ...

of ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' wrote: "The performances give the film more flavor and life than the situation does; it often feels like pre-chewed Bubble Yum. The message of the plot is that a lack of sophistication is the key to success, even in a fashion magazine that attracts readers through sexy exhibitionism. 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."

Roger Ebert Roger Joseph Ebert ( ; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American Film criticism, film critic, film historian, journalist, essayist, screenwriter and author. He wrote for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. Eber ...

of the ''

Chicago Sun-Times The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily nonprofit newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has long held the second largest circulation among Chicago newspaper ...

'' gave it 2 out of 4 and wrote: "You buy the magic because it comes with the territory. What I couldn't buy was the world of the magazine office, and the awkward scenes in which high-powered professionals don't seem to notice that they're dealing with a 13-year-old mind." Andrea Gronvall of the ''

Chicago Reader The ''Chicago Reader'', or ''Reader'' (stylized as ЯEADER), is an American alternative newspaper in Chicago, Illinois, noted for its literary style of journalism and coverage of the arts, particularly film and theater. The ''Reader'' has been ...

'' wrote that "The formula works, thanks in large part to star Jennifer Garner, who's so radiant theaters should be stocking sunblock. Underlying the shenanigans and the pop-psychology moral—self-love is a prerequisite for true love—there's a touching wistfulness about roads not taken." Jorge Morales of ''

The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture publication based in Greenwich Village, New York City, known for being the country's first Alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, ...

'' commented: "The thirty something in me was all, gag me with a spoon, but the kid in me was like, this film's rad to the max." Nell Minow of

Common Sense Media Common Sense Media (CSM) is an American nonprofit organization that reviews and provides ratings for media and technology with the goal of providing information on their suitability for children.

rated four stars out of five saying "Touching, hilarious Jennifer Garner rom-com."

Accolades

The film received several nominations at the

, including a nomination for Garner. The musical performance of Garner and Ruffalo was nominated for an

MTV Movie Award The MTV Movie & TV Awards is a film and television awards show previously presented annually on MTV. It began as the MTV Movie Awards in 1992, when its first edition was held, and adopted its current name in 2017, beginning with its 26th editi ...

Home media

The DVD was re-released in 2006 with the subtitle ''The Fun and Flirty Edition'' with special packaging and different special features. The

Blu-ray Blu-ray (Blu-ray Disc or BD) is a digital optical disc data storage format designed to supersede the DVD format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released worldwide on June 20, 2006, capable of storing several hours of high-defin ...

version of ''13 Going on 30'' was released on January 20, 2009.

Stage adaptation

On 28 September 2023, a UK stage adaptation of the film was announced. The show held several public workshop performances at

Battersea Arts Centre The Battersea Arts Centre ("BAC") is a performance space specialising in Theater, theatre productions. Located near Clapham Junction railway station in Battersea, in the London Borough of Wandsworth, it was formerly Battersea Town Hall. It is a ...

in London, ahead of a full production opening in the summer of 2025. The stage production is written by movie writers Josh Goldsmith and Cathy Yuspa and music is by composer/lyricists Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner. Casting for the workshops was announced on 12 October 2023, with

Lucie Jones Lucie Bethan Jones (born 20 March 1991) is a Welsh singer, musical theatre actress, and model. Jones first came to prominence while competing on series 6 of '' The X Factor UK'' in 2009, where she was the fifth contestant eliminated. She repr ...

playing Jenna Rink,

Jamie Muscato Jamie Muscato (born 12 April 1990) is an English actor and singer. Muscato is best known for his portrayal of Jason Dean (J.D.) in the original London run of '' Heathers: The Musical'' in 2018. He has starred in several other West End productio ...

playing Matt Flamhaff, and

Grace Mouat Grace Elizabeth Mouat (born 12 May 1996) is an English musical theatre actress and podcaster. She is best known as Dance Captain/Swing in the musical ''Six'', cover Juliet in ''& Juliet'', Ella in '' Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella'' ( Hope Mi ...

playing Lucy Wyman, with

Andy Fickman Andrew John Fickman (born December 25, 1970) is an American film director, filmmaker. His credits as a theater director include the premiere of the Reefer Madness (musical), ''Reefer Madness!'' musical, the first Los Angeles, California, Los Ang ...

set to direct. On 29 October 2024 it was announced that the stage adaptation would make its world premiere at the

Manchester Opera House The Opera House in Quay Street, Manchester, England, is a 1,920-seater commercial touring Theatre (structure), theatre that plays host to touring Musical theatre, musicals, ballet, concerts and a Christmas pantomime. It is a Grade II listed buil ...

from 21 September 2025 through 12 October 2025. The producers for the show include ROYO,

, Wendy Federman, and Phil Kenny.

References

External links

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