13: The Musical movie review

MOVIE TITLE: 13: The Musical

This musical film will be available on Netflix on August 12, 2022.

RATING: PG

LENGTH: 1 hour 31 minutes

MOVIE REVIEW MOM GRADE: B-

IN A NUTSHELL:

After his parents’ divorce, Evan Goldman moves to New York City to a small town in Indiana. As his 13th birthday nears, he must master the complex social circles of his new school and win friends by turning his Bar Mitzvah into the coolest party ever.

The movie is based on the popular Broadway musical that featured an all-kid cast for the first time ever. The play was based on the book by Dan Elish and directed by Tamra Davis.

THINGS I LIKED:

The adorable lead is Eli Golden who does a fantastic job.
Other talented cast members include Josh Peck, Debra Messing, Rhea Perlman, Gabriella Uhl, Jonathan Lengel, Liam Wignall, Frankie McNellis, Shechinah Mpumlwana, and more.
For young performers, there were some great dancers and singers.
Due to their youth, there is a lot of energy and enthusiasm in each scene.
A few times, I felt a vibe similar to Dear Evan Hansen. That’s a huge compliment.
There’s no big villain, but just Tweens trying to grow up and figure out who they are.
In order to help kids fall in love with the song, Netflix uploaded all of the musical numbers to its kid’s YouTube channel before the movie premiered.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

A few times, you can see that the audio and video don’t quite sync when people are singing.
I’ve been a fan of Debra Messing for many years, but I was really distracted every time she was on screen, trying to figure out what plastic surgery she did to her face. She’s always been beautiful and didn’t need to do anything to her face.
I didn’t feel the genuine emotional beats I was hoping for. Everything, including the emotion, looked very polished and rehearsed.
Some have complained that the movie is too sugary-sweet. While that may be true, is that such a bad thing in today’s angry, cynical world?
The big challenges for the kids are how to get that first kiss and who will attend the Bar Mitzvah party. In other words, the story is simple.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

No profanity
Some LGBTQ+ kids are represented.
It’s explained in the beginning that the boy’s father had an affair and now his parents are divorced.
If you’re not Jewish, talk to your kids about the Jewish faith and some of the customs and traditions you see in the movie.

THEMES:

Jealousy
Divorce
Friendship
Romance and getting that first kiss
Finding yourself
Forgiveness
Coming-of-age
Becoming a young man
Jewish culture and traditions

FUNNY LINES:

* “Yesterday, I finished YouTube.”- Patrice (Gabriella Uhl)

“I think she misinterpreted by flirting for food poisoning.” – Archie (Jonathan Lengel)
“How’s my breath?” – Brett (JD McCrary) “I’m getting notes of jalapeno and bowling shoes.” – Eddie (Ramon Reed)
“I don’t understand ties. It’s like your neck is a gift.” – Evan (Eli Golden)

INTERESTING LINES:

* “Do what’s right, not easy.” – Patrice (Gabriella Uhl)

“If you push away everyone who ever makes a mistake, all who would be left is yourself and that would be a bigger mistake.” – Ruth (Rhea Perlman)
“The weather is good at rock bottom.” – Jessica (Debra Messing)
“Don’t believe everything you think.” – Rabbi (Josh Peck)