13 Going On 30 (2004)
Yeah, yeah, I know what you're thinking. I liked this movie the first time I saw it, when it was called Big. Sorta the same premise, I'll agree with you there, but with a few differences.
First of all, while there are unseen mystical forces pulling the strings of fate, it's not an overnight growing up thing. Young Jenna makes a wish at her 13th birthday party thanks to some wishing dust from Young Matty. Her wish? To be thirty, flirty & thriving.
When the wish is granted, she regains her senses as Jennifer Garner (I can think of a ton worse things to wake up to being). Well, not literally Jennifer Garner, the actress, just Older Jenna, now Editor of her favorite fashion magazine as a child. She's in a bewildered state, because she doesn't remember the past 17 years. She has no idea what kind of person she's become during the passing of time.
When she goes to see her best friend Matty (Mark Ruffalo), he tells her they haven't seen each other since high school. Jenna can't imagine growing up without her best friend, yet it happened apparently. She turned into a bitch sometime around, oh I dunno, her 13th birthday, casting aside Matty as her best friend to be a popular girl. Tsk, tsk, tsk. When will girls learn that the sweetest guy they ever knew in their youth is the best guy around, bar none?
(I'm just a little angry 'cause I was That Guy, goddammit)
I was prepared to dismiss this movie without even seeing it, but then Fate intervened in the form of wishing dust. No, just kidding. I just opened up a copy to play instore, before our DVD player at work decided to commit technical suicide. From what I saw with no sound, it looked like a super-sweet movie that I'd enjoy. & Garner just loses herself in her character, relishing her lost childhood.
Plus, there's a fantastic little cliched dance number in a club. I never knew Ruffalo had such good moves, busting out some prime Thriller moves with Garner. He's no Christopher Walken (sorry, I just saw the "Weapon of Choice" video tonight, damn that Walken, he's so smooth), but he can bust a move with the best of them.
The lovely Judy Greer is also in the flick, & I have a feeling she's going to turn out to be a career character actor like Buscemi. Who's Judy Greer you might be asking yourself? Well, last movie I saw her in was The Village as the girl who professes her love for Joaquin Phoenix. She's been in probably dozens of movies, but no one knows her name. Like Bruce McGill. Yup, do a search.
That was ricockulously off topic, my bad, once again. Super-enjoyable movie, made even more lovely by seeing how much fun the actors had in their roles. Damn you if you don't enjoy this movie, because it probably means you've never done anything that you wish like hell you could take back or change. DAMMMMMNNNNNN youuuuuuuuu! Sorry, lashing out in a review, not too cool. 4 outta 5.
Roger Ebert's review of 13 Going On 30 (2004)