 Movie
Reviews
with Evelyn Gough
Suddenly 30
Directed by Gary Winick
 Do my hands look big on these? Jennifer Garner in a scene from Suddenly 30.
Hands up all the guys out there who would like to wake up inside the body of Jennifer Garner? I don't know about you but personally I wouldn't mind waking up one morning to find out I'd turned into Miss JG. And that's just what happens to young Jenna Rink (Shana Dowdeswell) after she makes a wish on her 13th birthday. Yep, one minute she's a geeky teenager padding out her bra with tissues and yearning to be one of the popular girls and the next she's 30, gorgeous and fighting off a naked man in her own to-die-for apartment. Life's definitely looking up.
Or is it? Sure she's now an editor of her favourite magazine Poise but why hasn't she got any real friends? And why isn't she speaking to her mum (Kathy Baker) and dad (Phil Reeves)? And her boyfriend may look hot and have a great ass but he's as thick as a brick.
Everyone around her thinks she's 30 but a panicking Jenna knows she's really only 13 and what she needs is a friend. And her best friend used to be her pudgy next door neighbour Matty (Jack Salvatore Jr).
Surprise! Matty's no longer plump, he's transformed into a total spunk (Mark Ruffalo) and he's now a full-time photographer living (very conveniently) in the village. But unfortunately for Jenna he doesn't want to have anything to do with her. Turns out her 13th birthday was the last time she ever spoke to him and basically Matt thinks Jenna has become a total bitch.
Jenna's horrified. Just what type of a person has she grown up to be?
Obviously if you're the sort of sceptical film goer who sits in the audience saying "yeah, right" all the time then this movie is not for you. To enjoy Suddenly 30 you must be prepared to suspend disbelief. It certainly doesn't bog itself down trying to explain any time-travel plot line. Not that the concept is exactly revolutionary. Anybody out there remember Big?
Suddenly 30 is no laugh-out-loud comedy but it is extremely enjoyable thanks to an inspired performance by Jennifer Garner who has acting 13 down to a tee. And there is a very believable chemistry between her and Mark Ruffalo. And maybe in some strange dimension everyone knows all the moves to Michael Jackson's Thriller video.
If you're looking for some lightweight entertaining fun and want to play 'Spot the English dude who played Gollum in LOTR' then I'll recommend you see Suddenly 30.
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