13
GOING ON 30 ($29) is genuinely charming, sweet and funny, not to
mention that Jennifer Garner is absolutely adorable. And in case you haven’t
guess it- let me just say that I really loved this movie. Sure, there will
be those that will want to draw comparisons between 13 GOING ON 30
and BIG, but for my money, this delightful romantic comedy stands
on its own two feet. While the script is certainly clever and funny, the
thing that really makes 13 GOING ON 30 a special movie is Jennifer
Garner enthusiastic performance. Garner really embodies the character’s
thirteen-year-old mindset, bringing a believable innocence and a genuinely
childlike sense of fun to her character. Garner also has good chemistry
with her leading man Mark Ruffalo, which makes the romantic aspects of the
story work as well as the comedy.
13
GOING ON 30 opens in 1987, where we are introduced to a thirteen year
old Jenna Rink (Christa B. Allen), who is at the awkward age and wants
nothing more out of life to be popular and fit in. After the embarrassment
of a failed birthday party, where she is used and discarded by the popular
girls at her school, Jenna wishes that she was Thirty, Flirty &
Thriving," just like the women she sees in Poise Magazine.
Well, low and behold, Jenna gets her wish- instantly waking up seventeen
years later to discover that she is thirty years old and would seem to be
everything she wanted. Of course, in her mind, she is still thirteen years
old, and has no clue as to who she is now, or how she got to be the editor
of the very magazine she loved so much at thirteen.
Being
somewhat lost in the adult world, Jenna decides to contact her childhood
best friend Matt Flamhaff (Ruffalo). However, when Jenna shows up on Matt’s
doorstep, he is completely surprised to her, since they drifted apart
immediately after her ill-fated thirteenth birthday party. This turns out
to be the first of many surprising discoveries that Jenna- "the
thirteen-year-old" makes about the life of Jenna- "the
thirty-year-old." In addition to its two leads, 13 GOING ON 30
features great comic supporting performances from Judy Greer and Andy
Serkis, who shine every time they are on screen. The cast of 13 GOING
ON 30 also includes Kathy Baker, Phil Reeves, Sean Marquette, Lynn
Collins and Renee Olstead.
Columbia
TriStar Home Entertainment has made 13 GOING ON 30 available on DVD
in a 1.85:1 widescreen presentation that has been enhanced for playback on
16:9 displays. Everything appears crisp, bright and colorful- making this
a terrific looking transfer of an appealingly photographed movie. The
image always appears very nicely defined, which allows one to appreciate
the movie’s very attractive production design and great costuming. While
colors tend to jump out at the viewer, they never seem to bleed or give
the appearance of fuzziness. Additionally, flesh tones are very appealing
and appear wholly natural. Blacks are rich, whites pure and the picture
boasts smooth contrast and a very nice dimensional quality. The film
elements used for the transfer appear virtually blemish free and display
almost no appreciable film grain. Digital are generally very well
contained.
13
GOING ON 30 comes with a rather nice Dolby Digital 5.1 channel
soundtrack, even if the film features pretty standard comedy mix.
Personally, I loved the film’s use of eighties music- especially the Poise
Magazine party sequence, which goes totally retro with everyone
dancing to Michael Jackson’s Thriller. Channel separation
is good across the front, especially for the film’s musical component.
As for the surround channels, they supply little more than ambient sounds
and some musical reinforcement. Voices have a warm, natural quality, plus
the film’s dialogue is always completely understandable. The bass
channel is perfectly respectable for a soundtrack that places virtually no
demands on it. A French 5.1 soundtrack has also been provided, as have
English and French subtitles.
Animation
and sound serve to enhance the DVD's cute interactive menus. Through the
menus, one has access to standard scene selection and set up features, as
well as a nice complement of extras. 13 GOING ON 30 features two
separate running audio commentary tracks, the first is with director Gary
Winick, while the second includes producers Gina Matthews, Donna
Arkoff-Roth and Susan Arnold. Both talks have their strong points; but
casual listeners will probably find the director’s comments more
accessible. Next, there are eighteen deleted scenes/scene extensions that
offer some fun material, although most of it obviously wound up on the
cutting room floor to keep the film’s pacing snappy.
Making
Of A Teen Dream is a pleasant eighteen-minute look
behind-the-scenes, with the usual complement of "happy talk"
interviews. I Was A Teenage Geek runs almost eight-minutes
and offers some real fun; with members of the cast remembering the nerds
they used to be- something that is documented with actual photographs. A Blooper
Reel, plus a couple of interactive games are also provided, as are
retro music videos for Pat Benetar's Love Is A Battlefield
and Rick Springfield's Jesse's Girl. A video gallery plus
trailers/previews for 13 GOING ON 30, SEINFELD, ANACONDAS,
HELLBOY, LITTLE BLACK BOOK, SECRET WINDOW, THE
FORGOTTEN and WHITE CHICKS close out the supplements.
13
GOING ON 30 is a genuinely delightful romantic comedy that benefits
greatly from Jennifer Garner’s infectious performance. The DVD looks
great and sounds just fine, plus it offers some enjoyable supplemental
content. If you are looking for a DVD to tickle your funny bone or are a
child of the 1980s, you will want to spend some time with Jennifer Garner
and 13 GOING ON 30. Recommended.
13
GOING ON 30 ($29) is genuinely charming, sweet and funny, not to
mention that Jennifer Garner is absolutely adorable. And in case you haven’t
guess it- let me just say that I really loved this movie. Sure, there will
be those that will want to draw comparisons between 13 GOING ON 30
and BIG, but for my money, this delightful romantic comedy stands
on its own two feet. While the script is certainly clever and funny, the
thing that really makes 13 GOING ON 30 a special movie is Jennifer
Garner enthusiastic performance. Garner really embodies the character’s
thirteen-year-old mindset, bringing a believable innocence and a genuinely
childlike sense of fun to her character. Garner also has good chemistry
with her leading man Mark Ruffalo, which makes the romantic aspects of the
story work as well as the comedy.
13
GOING ON 30 opens in 1987, where we are introduced to a thirteen year
old Jenna Rink (Christa B. Allen), who is at the awkward age and wants
nothing more out of life to be popular and fit in. After the embarrassment
of a failed birthday party, where she is used and discarded by the popular
girls at her school, Jenna wishes that she was Thirty, Flirty &
Thriving," just like the women she sees in Poise Magazine.
Well, low and behold, Jenna gets her wish- instantly waking up seventeen
years later to discover that she is thirty years old and would seem to be
everything she wanted. Of course, in her mind, she is still thirteen years
old, and has no clue as to who she is now, or how she got to be the editor
of the very magazine she loved so much at thirteen.
Being
somewhat lost in the adult world, Jenna decides to contact her childhood
best friend Matt Flamhaff (Ruffalo). However, when Jenna shows up on Matt’s
doorstep, he is completely surprised to her, since they drifted apart
immediately after her ill-fated thirteenth birthday party. This turns out
to be the first of many surprising discoveries that Jenna- "the
thirteen-year-old" makes about the life of Jenna- "the
thirty-year-old." In addition to its two leads, 13 GOING ON 30
features great comic supporting performances from Judy Greer and Andy
Serkis, who shine every time they are on screen. The cast of 13 GOING
ON 30 also includes Kathy Baker, Phil Reeves, Sean Marquette, Lynn
Collins and Renee Olstead.
Columbia
TriStar Home Entertainment has made 13 GOING ON 30 available on DVD
in a 1.85:1 widescreen presentation that has been enhanced for playback on
16:9 displays. Everything appears crisp, bright and colorful- making this
a terrific looking transfer of an appealingly photographed movie. The
image always appears very nicely defined, which allows one to appreciate
the movie’s very attractive production design and great costuming. While
colors tend to jump out at the viewer, they never seem to bleed or give
the appearance of fuzziness. Additionally, flesh tones are very appealing
and appear wholly natural. Blacks are rich, whites pure and the picture
boasts smooth contrast and a very nice dimensional quality. The film
elements used for the transfer appear virtually blemish free and display
almost no appreciable film grain. Digital are generally very well
contained.
13
GOING ON 30 comes with a rather nice Dolby Digital 5.1 channel
soundtrack, even if the film features pretty standard comedy mix.
Personally, I loved the film’s use of eighties music- especially the Poise
Magazine party sequence, which goes totally retro with everyone
dancing to Michael Jackson’s Thriller. Channel separation
is good across the front, especially for the film’s musical component.
As for the surround channels, they supply little more than ambient sounds
and some musical reinforcement. Voices have a warm, natural quality, plus
the film’s dialogue is always completely understandable. The bass
channel is perfectly respectable for a soundtrack that places virtually no
demands on it. A French 5.1 soundtrack has also been provided, as have
English and French subtitles.
Animation
and sound serve to enhance the DVD's cute interactive menus. Through the
menus, one has access to standard scene selection and set up features, as
well as a nice complement of extras. 13 GOING ON 30 features two
separate running audio commentary tracks, the first is with director Gary
Winick, while the second includes producers Gina Matthews, Donna
Arkoff-Roth and Susan Arnold. Both talks have their strong points; but
casual listeners will probably find the director’s comments more
accessible. Next, there are eighteen deleted scenes/scene extensions that
offer some fun material, although most of it obviously wound up on the
cutting room floor to keep the film’s pacing snappy.
Making
Of A Teen Dream is a pleasant eighteen-minute look
behind-the-scenes, with the usual complement of "happy talk"
interviews. I Was A Teenage Geek runs almost eight-minutes
and offers some real fun; with members of the cast remembering the nerds
they used to be- something that is documented with actual photographs. A Blooper
Reel, plus a couple of interactive games are also provided, as are
retro music videos for Pat Benetar's Love Is A Battlefield
and Rick Springfield's Jesse's Girl. A video gallery plus
trailers/previews for 13 GOING ON 30, SEINFELD, ANACONDAS,
HELLBOY, LITTLE BLACK BOOK, SECRET WINDOW, THE
FORGOTTEN and WHITE CHICKS close out the supplements.
13
GOING ON 30 is a genuinely delightful romantic comedy that benefits
greatly from Jennifer Garner’s infectious performance. The DVD looks
great and sounds just fine, plus it offers some enjoyable supplemental
content. If you are looking for a DVD to tickle your funny bone or are a
child of the 1980s, you will want to spend some time with Jennifer Garner
and 13 GOING ON 30. Recommended.
