Movie Review: 13 Going on 30

Oh, yes. Another chick flick. My taste in films has gotten cheesier and cheesier, to the point that I am actually enjoying films like Cheaper by the Dozen and Freaky Friday. I saw 13 going on 30. It wasn't quite like Big with Tom Hanks, but it was nice just the same.

The ending wasn't too great -- I may be more lax on my "no chick flick" policy, but I can never be cool with a movie that ends with a wedding. I mean, if the story line flows with fluidity to a wedding, it's fine, but I hate seeing a movie where I feel as though the producers felt a pressure to produce an ultra-happy ending, a la wedding.

I mean, if Casablanca ended with a wedding, it wouldn't have made sense. Same with this film. They had a great thing going, but it had to end with a wedding, as though they were indicating that the ultimate happy ending for a woman is to marry her childhood sweetheart.

The main character as a 13 year old, was an avid reader of Poise magazine (a woman's magazine). When she flips into the 30 year old's body, she becomes an editor at said Poise magazine. It's her ultimate dream job. And yet, in the ending, there is no mention of her working at Poise -- just a brief scene of her wedding with her childhood sweetheart hubby, followed quickly by a scene that shows them moving into their new pink home.

Does anyone else see what's wrong with that picture? A girl has a chance to do over her life, and all she wants to do is to marry her childhood friend and move into a pink house with no mention of a career ever? What messages does that send to young girls with impressionable minds? I'm guessing that a high percentage of the viewers of this film are young gals with aforementioned impressionable minds.

If I had a daughter, I would allow her to watch this film, but only if I follow it up with a discussion about what capitalism and propaganda are, and how she needs to learn to think for herself and not get spoonfed information.