Stars: 5/5
If ever there was a fun, feel-good movie about the ups and downs of life, love and growing up, it’s “13 going on 30.” This 2004 romcom stars Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo as Jenna and Matt. The pair of best friends grew up together as next-door neighbors and had a bit of a falling out at Jenna’s 13th birthday party, on which she wished she was, “thirty, flirty and thriving.”
Be careful what you wish for.
Jenna gets her wish. She’s immediately transported in time to 30 years old, where she has everything she ever wanted or rather everything she thought she ever wanted. Turns out there were some discrepancies between the two.
Love is a battlefield.
Seriously. Maybe you’re not celebrating Valentine’s Day this year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t gather the girls for a Galentine’s karaoke slumber party to Pat Benatar’s “Love is a Battlefield” or pop some popcorn and have a Single’s Awareness Day movie marathon with “13 going on 30” to kick it off, of course.
Sometimes you just need some fresh air, a glass of water and a fluffy pillow.
Whenever you’re feeling overwhelmed, sometimes it’s good to take a step back to the basics.
Razzles are the worst possible Valentine’s Day candy.
Ever since I first saw “13 Going on 30,” I always wanted to try Razzles, the candy that Jenna and Matt eat. I remember once as a pre-teen in all of her glory at Justice, I found a pack of Razzles at the candy check-out counter and HAD to have them. They were disgusting.
A line dance is always a great way to get the party going.
Alexa, play “Thriller” by Michael Jackson.
You can be the pot and the kettle all by yourself.
Even though young Jenna throws this line at mean girl Tom-Tom, when Jenna at 30 goes on to redesign the magazine, she proves that even if no one else believes in you, you can still get the fire going all on your own.
The best way to eat a fruit roll-up is to wrap it around your finger.
Practical advice.
Being cool is overrated.
One of the biggest lessons Jenna learns is to just be yourself.  
Don’t be in a rush to grow up, and once you get there, don’t be afraid to embrace your inner kid.
Garner plays an amazing role. Her facial expressions and lines are so perfectly naïve and believable, but oddly enough, it is that fun-loving, childish perspective that ultimately changes Jenna’s world for the better.
Don’t regret making mistakes. They teach you how to get it right in the future.
Thanks for the advice, Mama Rink.
So, until next Valentine’s Day, arrivederci and au revoir.