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13 GOING ON 30 by Tom McCurrie
I'll be up front here, "13 Going On 30" is nothing more than a rip-off of "Big" (1988). Similarities abound: both plots are about 13 year-old kids who want to be adults and get their wish big time (while still keeping their child's eye perspective); both have characters who make it at their adult jobs by using that child's eye perspective to win over the boss; both even have characters who get their jollies riding in a limo with their heads sticking out of the sunroof. But if "13 Going On 30" is a rip-off, at least it's an entertaining one, and in this especially weak movie season, that's enough reason to rejoice.
(Warning: Spoilers Ahead!)
Written by Josh Goldsmith and Cathy Yuspa ("What Women Want") and directed by Gary Winick ("Tadpole"), "13 Going on 30" does put some fresh paint on the "Big" premise. There are the superficial differences, of course: the transformation happens with Wishing Dust instead of a Wish Machine, the "adult" kid works at a Fashion Magazine instead of a Toy Company, and of course, the kid is a girl instead of a boy (Duh!). But the most notable departure from "Big" has our heroine Jennifer Garner not only turning thirty overnight, but jumping forward in time seventeen years (from 1987 to 2004), in essence putting a time-travel spin on Hanks' movie. This clever twist makes Jennifer an even bigger fish-out-of-water: not only is she out of touch with her own body, she's out of touch with the entire culture. And because she's such an outsider, she's extremely sympathetic. This is nowhere more evident than when she wins over a skeptical party with her goofy take on Michael Jackson's "Thriller," a hilarious, show-stopping sequence that tops Tom Hanks and Robert Loggia's piano dance in "Big."
(One note, however: in 1987, teens wouldn't be grooving to "Thriller" and Rick Springfield -- that's so Early 80s! They'd be digging Wang Chung, Crowded House and The Bangles instead.)
The script takes a novel approach to other time-worn devices as well, making them more engaging to the audience. The main tension in "13" is whether or not Jennifer will be able to win over childhood friend Mark Ruffalo before he gets married to another woman. Gee, how many times have we seen the "Stop the Wedding" plot this week? But the writers throw in a refreshingly realistic twist at the end that saves the narrative day. Jennifer fails to win Mark over, even though he admits he loves her. Unfortunately, to Mark too much time has passed -- they've both moved on with their lives, they've both gone their separate ways for so long that it's impossible to reunite at the last minute. This is an incredibly brave (and true) ending for a romantic comedy, and should be applauded by lovers of good screenwriting everywhere. (And don't worry, folks, Jennifer and Mark get together anyway when she goes back in time and wins her man over as a kid.)
Another plus is Jennifer's inner complexity, something that Tom Hanks' character lacked in "Big." So innocent, gentle and trustworthy at 13, Jennifer finds out her adult self has become a lying, treacherous, cold-hearted sleaze, even going so far as to slip her magazine's stories to a rival publication to boost her career. All because as a teenager she chose the path of superficial popularity over staying true to herself and the real love of her life, Mark Ruffalo. Jennifer had to become a bad person to be "cool," and now she doesn't like herself. In effect, Jennifer is both protagonist and antagonist, and the former has to defeat the latter to find happiness. This is more depth than you usually get in a romantic comedy, and "13" is all the richer for it. We all have to get out of our own way sometimes, so Jennifer struggling to do so hits home, giving the movie a strong emotional punch.
Still, despite the script's strengths, "13" really works because of Jennifer Garner's warm, infectiously endearing performance. Though she plays her "kid" more broadly than Hanks', Jennifer expertly limns the most important quality of innocence -- an in-the-moment exuberance that bespeaks a lack of self-consciousness. We fall for her because she reminds us of what little innocence we have left ourselves, and any remaining plot problems become secondary. If only Mark Ruffalo were as engaging. He's too low-key, too lackluster as the love interest, sucking the romance of energy -- and believability. It gets increasingly difficult to understand her attraction to him. Luckily, Jennifer's charisma overcomes all obstacles -- if this movie doesn't make her a star, she's obviously hexed.
"13 Going On 30" is certainly nothing new, but when nothing new is done right, it can make for a pretty good time at the movies.
Responses, comments and general two-cents worth can be E-mailed to [email protected].
(Note: For all those who missed my past reviews, they're now archived on Hollywoodlitsales.com. Just click the link on the main page and it'll take you to the Inner Sanctum. Love them or Hate them at your leisure!)
A graduate of USC's School of Cinema-Television, Tom McCurrie has worked as a development executive and a story analyst. He is currently a screenwriter living in Los Angeles.
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