Eight years before joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe and becoming a franchise staple, one MCU star appeared in an iconic 2000s movie that just joined Netflix ahead of its planned reboot. May has only just begun, but the streamer has been packing its catalog with fresh streaming titles, and on that list of new arrivals is one of the most beloved rom-coms of the 2000s.
Are you feeling thirty, flirty, and thriving? If not, then a watch of 13 Going on 30 may change that. The beloved rom-com, starring Mark Ruffalo opposite Jennifer Garner, started streaming on Netflix on May 1st. The movie hit theaters in 2004, years before Ruffalo officially joined the MCU when he made his debut as Bruce Banner/The Hulk in The Avengers in 2012, replacing Edward Norton as the iconic giant, green-skinned humanoid. While The Hulk is now arguably Ruffalo’s most well-known role, 13 Going on 30 remains a fan-favorite. The film started streaming on Netflix just months after the streamer confirmed it’s currently developing a 13 Going on 30 reboot starring Emily Bader and Logan Lerman, with Garner serving as an executive producer.
Mark Ruffalo’s 13 Going on 30 Is a Quintessential, Feel-Good Romantic Comedy
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Following the golden age of romcoms in the ‘90s, the 2000s continued the momentum with a string of beloved films, and 13 Going on 30 was one of them. The movie stars Garner as 13-year-old Jenna Rink, who makes a magical wish on her 13th birthday to be “thirty, flirty, and thriving” to escape adolescent awkwardness. When her wish comes true and she suddenly wakes up as a successful 30-year-old magazine editor in 2004, having skipped 17 years, she must navigate adult life, reconnect with her estranged childhood best friend, Matty (Ruffalo), and face the major reality check that adulthood is complicated and requires kindness, not just popularity.
13 Going on 30 is a near-perfect comfort rom-com, and one that is exceptionally easy to rewatch. The movie perfectly captures the all-too relatable desire to skip the awkward stages of adolescence and skip right to adulthood, and what follows is a coming-of-age fantasy about valuing your true self and childhood innocence. The movie blends that nostalgia with plenty of heartfelt moments and iconic sequences, like that “Thriller” dance scene, and Garner and Ruffalo deliver standout performances in their respective roles and truly make a perfect pairing that you want to root for. In terms of overall consensus, 13 Going on 30 did pretty well and currently holds a 65% critic score and 71% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
What’s New on Netflix?
Netflix has launched a pretty strong start to May. In addition to 13 Going on 30, the streamer added other movies like The Breakfast Club, Burn After Reading, Eat Pray Love, and The Proposal on May 1st. The streamer has continued to roll out new titles in the days that have followed, recently debuting its new original Lord of the Flies adaptations, with even more awesome titles set to roll out throughout the month.
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