Film On Friday; 13 Going On 30
A ha! When I sat down to do this post on Thursday night I gave the princess the choice of her many girlie films; "Which one did you like best?" I asked.
Naturally she chose the film that she watched during the party last night; the film that I never got a chance to see because I was elbow deep in nail varnish. Happy Birthday, Princess.
I asked her to pick her second favourite film and she was also confident in her choice of this; 13 going on 30.
Very apt, since she is now 13 and very often acts like my mother, so going on 30 then.
We watched this film as part of our marathon choosing session last weekend and I have to say I really enjoyed it. I missed it when it was first out in 2004 (busy with children) and have never caught it since.
It stars Jennifer Garner as a 13 year old who, on her birthday, makes a wish to be an adult. Of course she wakes up in a new body but, unlike in Tom Hank's wonderful picture Big, in a new life as well. In fact she is the older Jenna, living the life that all her choices since age 13 have led her to. A sports star boyfriend, a job at a failing magazine, a lifestyle of sophistication and adultness. The Young Jenna has to adjust to life as an adult over night. Jenna is shocked to meet her boy-friend from when she was 13 to find out that her life is not the one she wanted at 13.
It handles the shock of finding oneself as an adult very well. I particularly love how Jenna reacts to her boyfriend and kissing, with the same prudishness that her 13 year old self would have, especially the striptease scene. Watching it with the Princess she was cringing at the same time and for the same reasons!
Mark Ruffalo plays a cuddly lead man, the young boyfriend grown up into talented and poor photographer who is due to marry somebody else. He's not a classically handsome man, but he is charming and cute in a 'teddy bear with a bent ear' sort of way.
Although in a lot of ways this film is a lot like Big, dealing as it does with a child in an adult world. it isn't a copy or a remake; the differences are good differences. Jenna wakes in her future life, rather than having to find a role in the grown up universe they find themselves in; she has the chance of happiness when she returns as well, because the return to childhood is also a return through time, rather than a return to a place. She has a better chance of happiness because her 'love' is not an adult waiting for her to grow up (and how weird would the age difference seem by the time Josh grows up?) but is the same age as her and grows (or returns) to the same age as her.
I enjoyed a lot of the film because the childhood moments that Jenna 'references' in her adult life are ones that I remember, too; at a particularly useless party the best way to get it started is to put on (and dance to) Michael Jackson's Thriller. The music is classic 80's and other elements remind me of my teenage years.
It was a really enjoyable romantic comedy, and one that both I and the Princess (now aged 13) enjoyed immensely.
Naturally she chose the film that she watched during the party last night; the film that I never got a chance to see because I was elbow deep in nail varnish. Happy Birthday, Princess.
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| Opening her presents on Thursday!!!! |
I asked her to pick her second favourite film and she was also confident in her choice of this; 13 going on 30.
Very apt, since she is now 13 and very often acts like my mother, so going on 30 then.
We watched this film as part of our marathon choosing session last weekend and I have to say I really enjoyed it. I missed it when it was first out in 2004 (busy with children) and have never caught it since.
It stars Jennifer Garner as a 13 year old who, on her birthday, makes a wish to be an adult. Of course she wakes up in a new body but, unlike in Tom Hank's wonderful picture Big, in a new life as well. In fact she is the older Jenna, living the life that all her choices since age 13 have led her to. A sports star boyfriend, a job at a failing magazine, a lifestyle of sophistication and adultness. The Young Jenna has to adjust to life as an adult over night. Jenna is shocked to meet her boy-friend from when she was 13 to find out that her life is not the one she wanted at 13.
It handles the shock of finding oneself as an adult very well. I particularly love how Jenna reacts to her boyfriend and kissing, with the same prudishness that her 13 year old self would have, especially the striptease scene. Watching it with the Princess she was cringing at the same time and for the same reasons!
Mark Ruffalo plays a cuddly lead man, the young boyfriend grown up into talented and poor photographer who is due to marry somebody else. He's not a classically handsome man, but he is charming and cute in a 'teddy bear with a bent ear' sort of way.
Although in a lot of ways this film is a lot like Big, dealing as it does with a child in an adult world. it isn't a copy or a remake; the differences are good differences. Jenna wakes in her future life, rather than having to find a role in the grown up universe they find themselves in; she has the chance of happiness when she returns as well, because the return to childhood is also a return through time, rather than a return to a place. She has a better chance of happiness because her 'love' is not an adult waiting for her to grow up (and how weird would the age difference seem by the time Josh grows up?) but is the same age as her and grows (or returns) to the same age as her.
I enjoyed a lot of the film because the childhood moments that Jenna 'references' in her adult life are ones that I remember, too; at a particularly useless party the best way to get it started is to put on (and dance to) Michael Jackson's Thriller. The music is classic 80's and other elements remind me of my teenage years.
It was a really enjoyable romantic comedy, and one that both I and the Princess (now aged 13) enjoyed immensely.
Happy birthday to the princess, she turned in to a teenager on the same day as Daniel stopped being one, sob sob. I hope she had a wonderful day and a brilliant party. I've never seen this film but Big is one of my favourite films so I'm sure it's one I'd enjoy, I shall definitely watch out for it.
ReplyDeleteI think you're about the same age as I am, so it was fun seeing the things she had in childhood and took with her into the part of her adult life she experienced! Mostly the music and fashions!!! And at least you still have a teenager in the house; my 'children' are no more; I only have teenagers!
DeleteHappy Birthday to your daughter! The film sounds like a good one, glad you all had fun! xx
ReplyDelete