This week's movie reviews include '13 Going On 30' and 'Man on Fire.'

'13 Going On 30'
Last year's dreary drama "Thirteen" painted a bleak portrait of adolescent angst in which a bunch of 13-year-old girls act like they are 30.

Director Gary Winick goes one better in "13 Going on 30" (Revolution), a bright and breezy romantic comedy-fantasy that leaves you clapping your hands rather than slitting your wrists.

The film gives the old be-careful-what-you-wish-for chestnut a fresh spin and wraps it in the infectious smile of Jennifer Garner, who makes the transition from TV action heroine to feature leading lady with luminous grace.

As the curtain rises in 1987, viewers are introduced to Jenna Rink (Christa B. Allen), a gawky social outcast desperately seeking acceptance by the in crowd at her school. When her best friend and not-so-secret admirer Matt (Sean Marquette) tries to console her by advising her to be "original," she responds, "I don't want to be original, I want to be cool."

During a humiliating 13th birthday party, Jenna is sprinkled with "wishing dust," and wakes up the next morning to find that her life has magically skipped ahead 17 years. Though in her head Jenna is still an awkward 13-year-old, her body has blossomed into the glamorous Garner's. In addition to her fetching new face and womanly curves, other post-pubescent perks include a ritzy Manhattan apartment, a hunky boyfriend and a high-powered advertising job at a hip women's magazine.

Once she recovers from the initial shock of her magical metamorphosis into maturity, Jenna quickly settles into her new skin. What's not to like? She gets to stay at posh parties past 11 p.m. without her parents' permission and her shoe collection would make Imelda Marcos green with envy.

However, Jenna discovers there is a downside to finally being cool and popular. As she tries to piece together the lost years of her life, Jenna learns that she has climbed to the top by stepping on other people. In addition to being ruthless and underhanded, she also learns that she has had affairs with married men.

In the hope of reconnecting with her recently removed childhood -- recent, at least, for her -- Jenna manages to track down Matt, who has shed his pariah pudginess, grown into the attractive Mark Ruffalo and is now a soon-to-be-married photographer living in Greenwich Village. He reacts to Jenna's far-fetched story with expected incredulity, informing her that they haven't spoken since her fateful birthday party when she banished him from her life. Yet while he feigns emotional detachment, it is obvious that he has never fully gotten over her.

As is usually the case in this type of wish-fulfillment fable, Jenna comes to regret her youthful yearnings, and winds up wishing that it's not too late for a second chance at first love.

Though occasionally slipping into caricature, Garner throws herself into the role, conveying an effervescent blend of adolescent anxiety and girly giggling.

"13 Going on 30" borrows much of its age-hopping conceit from several comedy antecedents -- "Big" (1988) and "Freaky Friday" (2003) being the most obvious. It also draws its theme of second chances from such films as "Mr. Destiny" (1990), "The Family Man" (2000) and even "It's a Wonderful Life" (1946).

While the comedy remains mostly fresh-scrubbed, the film is peppered with some tame sexual humor -- including a spoofy striptease by Jenna's boyfriend -- which, though some parents may find inappropriate, should be taken within the context of Jenna's sexual naivete. Many of the slightly off-color jokes are planted to highlight Jenna's innocence.

At its heart, "13 Going on 30" is a sweet, emotionally satisfying fairy tale, and its happily-ever-after ending reminds us of what is truly important in life.

Due to some mild sexual humor, a few crass expressions and brief drug references, the USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

Man on Fire
An ex-Special Forces operative turned professional bodyguard unleashes his fury on the Mexican crime ring responsible for kidnapping the little girl he has been hired to protect in the relentlessly dark and depraved thriller "Man on Fire" (Fox).

Released on the homicidal heels of "Kill Bill - Vol. 2" and "The Punisher," director Tony Scott's grim and grisly revenge tale mines the same virulent vein of vigilante vengeance, justifying its extreme violence by framing it within the context of righteous anger.

Denzel Washington stars as John Creasy, a boozing, suicidal soldier-of-fortune whose wanderings have led him to Mexico. Keeping his unexplained bitterness and remorse on a slow burn, Creasy has pretty much given up on life. With the help of an old war buddy, Rayburn (Christopher Walken), he is hired on the cheap as a bodyguard by a wealthy couple in Mexico City (Marc Anthony and Radha Mitchell) who worry that their school-age daughter, Pita (Dakota Fanning), will become another statistic in the rash of abductions plaguing the city.

A tediously long first act sets up the emotional pretext of the carnage that will follow. The brooding, barely sober Creasy initially resists Pita's playful spirit, but her precocious pint-sized pluckiness slowly wins him over. She gives him a reason to live again. He soon adds to his baby-sitting duties the role of swimming coach, homework tutor and -- given her parents' frequent travels abroad -- surrogate father.

It's not much of a spoiler to reveal that Pita is snatched -- in a slow-motion hail of bullets, no less -- cuing Washington to switch gears from stoic softie to avenging angel. Creasy embarks on a lone-wolf vendetta to punish those involved in the kidnapping, his rage fueled by the murderous mandate of Pita's mother to "kill them all" -- which is exactly what he does.

The remainder of the movie plays like a gory torture training video. In one scene after another, Creasy extracts information from various bottom-dwellers and dishes out cruel comeuppances using increasingly vile means, as he works his way up the chain of command to the enigmatic ringleader known only as "the Voice" (Gustavo Sanchez Parra).

Though suffused with Catholic imagery and scriptural references, the film's treatment of the characters' faith and moral musings remain woefully superficial. The crucifixes, votive candles and Madonnas that adorn almost every frame serve as little more than spiritual set-dressing. Early on, Creasy asks Rayburn, "Will God forgive us for what we've done?" The film would have been infinitely more interesting had it developed the story along this line of soul-searching, rather than kowtowing to moviegoers' blood lust.

The film closes with Creasy performing an act of selfless sacrifice, proving that no one, however saddled with sin, is irredeemable. His last-minute redemption saves this otherwise ugly affair from being unreservedly offensive -- though it still does not justify the two-hour bloodbath leading up to it.

Long, loud and lurid, this "Fire" offers little warmth and even less light.

Due to excessive graphic violence, a rationalization of vengeance, much rough and crude language and a suicide, the USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O -- morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

David DiCerto is on the staff of the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.