13 Going On 30 Plot

13 Going On 30 (a.k.a. Suddenly 30 in Australia) is a 2004 movie starring Jennifer Garner about a young girl named Jenna Rink who, on her 13th birthday in 1987- wishes to be a 30-year-old adult, because she is ignored by the cool girls in school and mostly unnoticed by the cute boy she likes. When she awakes the next morning, her wish has come true: she finds herself seventeen years in the future, gorgeous and successful with a great job, a fabulous Fifth Avenue apartment, and a handsome boyfriend, but no idea how she achieved it all. She soon discovers that her former best friend, Matt (Mark Ruffalo), is engaged to be married, and that they are no longer in contact, having to deal with adult problems instead of the simpler problems of teenagers.

The movie opened on April 23, 2004 with an initial box office take of $22 million USD in its first weekend. It went on to face considerable competition from super-hit teen comedy Mean Girls and subsequently ended with nearly $60 million at the domestic box office. To most this was a mild, but not total disappointment; but analysts had expected the picture to have a bigger appeal; in the end the marketing of the somewhat grown up nostalgiafest as a teen comedy was blamed. The same picture became one of the five biggest DVD rentals of the year, with over $57 million in rentals alone according to the Internet Movie Database. It also sold well in that format.

The picture was seen by many as a big step into its lead actress' career as a bona fide movie star; critics raved at their surprise that Miss Garner had comic capibility - and audiences talked of her performance above anything else.

Garner was nominated for multiple awards in her role as Jenna Rink, and won over many critics with her performance. Garner filmed the picture while on break from filming her TV series Alias.

Overseas, the movie impressed analysts by surpassing Mean Girls in many territories, and being critically acclaimed, while helping Garner build a bigger media profile as an international draw. The picture grossed just shy of $100m worldwide at $96.5m.

Renée Zellweger was originally considered for the part played by Garner. Actors Christa B. Allen, Renee Olstead, Judy Greer, Andy Serkis, and Kathy Baker also appear in the film.