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Parents' Guide to

13 Going on 30

By Nell Minow, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Touching, hilarious Jennifer Garner romcom.

Movie PG-13 2004 98 minutes
13 Going on 30 Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 12+

Based on 21 parent reviews

Writers_Block1
Writers_Block1 Parent of 18+-year-old
March 22, 2019
age 13+

Classic cute :)

Ah, were to start? While the beginning may be best, I wouldn't want to give away any spoilers! Positive elements include standing up to peer pressure, taking a stand against bullies, adultery is condemned, redemptive elements of forgiveness, relationships are valued, and a good work ethic is exemplified. Now for the negatives... There is some cussing, but not much, and a few light profanities. There is a scene where a man is naked except for a towel around his waist. Only nudity shown is his torso. A similar situation happens a little later as the same guy tries to preform a strip tease which is strongly rebuked. Both scenes are easy to skip through without detracting from the movie. There are some subtle jokes about drugs and alcohol. Towards the end of the movie the MC asks another character if he's gay, to which he repeats the question sarcastically, and laughs. Because of some of the content I wouldn't recommend the movie for younger children, but teens and upwards would get a kick out of the sweet romance. Otherwise, this is a great family movie for those of y'all who have older kids.
luizcarvalho1@gmail.com
[email protected] Parent of 10-year-old
June 21, 2015
age 12+

Fun with good message

Our eleven year old girl really enjoyed. The movie is funny and offers positive messages to kids. Particularly, the main character reflects about her life and values at 30 and then decides to correct past mistakes and find a new path in life.
See all 21 parent reviews

What's the Story?

A girl who suffers total humiliation at her 13th birthday party wishes she could be 30. The next morning, she's all grown up (and played by Jennifer Garner), living in a swanky Manhattan apartment with a gorgeous face and figure. That part is pretty exciting. But the guy in the shower who seems to know her pretty well is pretty scary. And she can't find her parents. Jenna races out of the building, and a woman who seems to know her tells her to get into a limo and is talking a mile a minute about some job she seems to have as editor of Poise magazine. Jenna will eventually realize that this is what she wished for, but she'll also figure out that it wasn't really what she wanted. She tracks down her very best childhood friend, Matt (Mark Ruffalo), who's now a photographer. When he tells her he hasn't seen her since high school, she begins to understand that in order to become what she wished for, she's lost some of the things that mattered most.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (21 ):
Kids say (77 ):

This romcom offers some bright moments and nicely understated humor, despite all the expected collisions between the lives of the 13- and 30-year-old characters/instincts. Jenna raises her hand to be called on in a meeting, for instance, and responds "ew, gross!" to her boyfriend's advances. Ruffalo, as always, adds class and sweetness to the boyfriend role and has impressive delicacy in providing romantic interest for someone who is, after all, emotionally just 13 years old.

But what makes 13 Going on 30 work is Garner, who's enormously touching and hilarious as the 13-year-old living in the body and life of a 30-year-old. Playing a child in an adult body gives her license to show every emotion without any pretense of sophistication. She's wonderfully open and vulnerable, but she handles it lightly and with a lot of charm. And she captures it all perfectly, from Jenna's panic at not understanding what's going on to her rapture as she selects clothes and makeup for her grown-up self as though dressing a Barbie. Garner even gets the walk of a 13-year-old just right, from the shoulders, not the hips. And the look on her face as she does the dance to "Thriller" is so winning you won't just smile with her; you might just start to dance along a little.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how the reality of being a grown-up is different than it appears to a child. What was the biggest surprise for Jenna in 13 Going on 30? How are mature topics like drinking and sex addressed?

  • How does the story show the importance of compassion and integrity? Why are those important character strengths?

  • Talk about the way middle-schoolers treat one another -- and how to make sure that you don't grow up with the kind of regrets that Jenna does. Is/was there a popular clique in your school?

  • Can you think of other movies that have a similar plot device?

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