13 Going on 30

(Spoiler Alert!)

Since I'm very much spaced out due to the late hour, I wanted to deter writing this review until tomorrow. But I wanted to write things down before they start disappearing from my memory banks (my short term memory is so bad. I can't remember what I ate for breakfast!).

Fridays are the worst days in terms of work. Everyone is so lazy that productivity is so low. Moreover, the SO is not having a good time at work as well. It's the second Friday in a row that we could not go out on a Friday because he had to work overtime. Oh well, I shouldn't complain. These things happen. Good thing that my officemates invited me to go out with them. We watched 13 Going on 30.

That actually wasn't our first nor even second choice. During the day, we were arguing (it was just us girls) on what to watch. One half (including me) wanted to watch Feng Shui (no, I did not want to watch it because of Kris Aquino. But I've heard that it's good), while the other half wanted to watch The Terminal (saw it already. Nothing I would want to see again). When we got to the theater, only 13 Going on 30 has the available seats and the right time for us.

At the start of the movie, I knew I was going to enjoy the film. The opening credits rolled in with "Head Over Heels" playing in the background. I was bouncing on my seat. Fashion was definitely so 1987 and I could relate. There were the same music artists (Michael Jackon's Thriller, Madonna's Crazy for you, and so on and so forth), same hairstyles (big hair and side pony) and the same high school stereotypes.

For those still unfamiliar with the story (spoiler alert!), it was about a 13-year old girl who wanted to be 30 Flirty and Fabulous. Due to some wishing dust provided by her bestfriend, she woke up the next day in the body of her 30-year old self (played by the very sexy Jennifer Garner). Her adventures as a 13-year old girl trapped in the body of a 30-year old career woman were so hilarious. There was a dance number of Thriller that one should look forward to. AS we say in the office, "Winner!".

As the movie progresses, Jennifer Garner's character discovers how different she has become. She managed to achieve and gain all that she has wanted ever since she was 13, but at the expense of family, friends and even her own self. During this self-discovery, she managed to track down her bestfriend played by the very endearing Mark Ruffalo (why is he always the guy who gets left behind? Remember his character in "View from the Top". Gwyneth Paltrow leaves him but she goes back to him in the end. In both characters, he has such terrific families) and he helped her figure out what she had lost.

After a betrayal from her supposed-girl bestfriend, she rushes off to her bestfriend's wedding and they had this little confrontation/heart-to-heart talk a few minutes before the guy's altar date. That scene reduced me to blubbering tears. They both admitted that they love each other, with the guy loving her since they were kids. But in the end, the guy, being the gentleman and the sweetest guy that he is, chose his fiancee and went on with the wedding. But before that, he returned to her the dollhouse that he made for her on her 13th birthday. I was crying on my officemate's shoulder by that time.

Of course, such a sappy movie should have a happy ending. She managed to go back to her old 13-year old self and made the right choices.

The movie may carry a wrong message that you can always go back to undo things that you have done. However, taking it into the correct context, I think what it meant to say was that for us to be careful in making decisions and to think twice before we wish for something that we know is not good for us.

I could also relate to the movie's angst-y moments, especially the high school scenes. It made me go back to my high school days. Contrary to what people think, I did not really enjoy my high school life that much--except for the few friends that I had made. I was such a nerd and I'd rather spend my free time (lunch hour and dismissal) in the library. When I was in Grade School, I remembered finishing all the Nancy Drew books collection in the Learning Resource Center. Even the Indian/Hindu Comics, I did not ignore. I would stay there for hours reading through the whole series and familiarizing myself with the Hindu gods. And upon high school, I discovered a new set of books and tackled the library's more mature fiction. In our high school library, I met Sidney Sheldon and Robert Ludlum. In a little corner, I found out the library's fairy collection.

I was, you could say, not interested in boys then. All I wanted to do was read.

Anyway, I digress.

13 Going on 30 is a surprisingly good movie. I did not expect much from it at first. But I'm recommending the movie to anyone who would want to watch a nice romantic sappy movie. If you're not into that, you could watch it for Jennifer Gardner's colorful outfits. She's so darn sexy!