Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo’s ‘13 Going on 30’ Reunion Justifies ‘The Adam Project’s’ Existence

Netflix’s The Adam Project sounds like the perfect vehicle for Ryan Reynolds: a time-traveler who meets his younger, 12-year-old self. Sounds like a blast, right? But in practice, Reynolds smart mouth shtick is just a tad too well-worn—not to mention, a tad more obnoxious coming from the mouth of a precocious child actor. But there is one undeniably positive element of The Adam Project, and that’s the fact that the movie reunited 13 Going on 30 co-stars Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo.

While The Adam Project is only fine, Gary Winick’s 2004 film 13 Going on 30—starring Garner as a 13-year-old girl who was magically transformed into a 30-year-old woman—remains one of the best romantic comedies of the 21st century. Personally, I remember being 13 years old watching Ruffalo tearfully tell Garner he always loved her—right before he leaves to walk down the aisle to marry someone else—and thinking it was the most heartbreakingly romantic thing I’d ever seen in my entire life.

Eighteen years later, that’s still true. In fact, 13 Going on 30 is still so beloved by so many, that all anyone could talk about to Garner and Ruffalo on The Adam Project press tour was the fact that Jenny and Matty had been reunited at last. And that’s just the way it should be, because listening to these two reminisce about the 13 Going on 30 experience, as well as wax poetic about working together again, absolutely justifies The Adam Project‘s existence.

Take, for example, the interview Garner and Ruffalo gave on camera round table chat for Entertainment Weekly about what it was like to reunite on the screen 18 years later. “It was so sweet,” said Ruffalo. “We had traveled such a long journey.”

Garner agreed, adding, “And there’s such a comfort of feeling really known underneath all of the trappings of life, but feeling actually really known.”

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Then, when Reynolds asked what it was like working together now, vs. then, Ruffalo replied, “Coming home from a long journey.”

“Are you being silly?” Garner asked with a laugh. “Because that’s a really nice thing to say!”

“No!” Ruffalo insisted. “We both started there! I mean [13 Going on 30] was the beginning for me.”

“For me too,” Garner replies warmly. “The whole process of making that movie—it felt like an independent. It was so little, but the process of making it, and rehearsing, and improvising and improving the scene, having the writer right there—that was really beautiful.”

OK, now tell me your heart is not absolutely melting after hearing that? And tell me you don’t want to run and rewatch 13 Going on 30—which is available to rent on most digital platforms for $3.99—immediately? Even Netflix is aware that people are more interested in the Matty and Jenna reunion than the actual Adam Project movie. Just look at this promo video the streaming service recently released, featuring Garner offering Ruffalo a packet of Razzles, the iconic candy they shared in the 2004 rom-com.

It’s not quite as heart-warming as the less-stilted, unscripted reminiscing that Ruffalo and Garner have been doing on their press tour, but Ruffalo does bring up a good point in the video: Ruffalo and Garner play a married couple in The Adam Project—although, sadly, they only have one scene together—so, basically, this is a 13 Going on 30 alternate future where Matty invents time travel, dies young, and Jenna is stuck raising a young version of Ryan Reynolds. Pour one out for Jenna for that one—it’s not quite the happily ever after this iconic couple deserves. But, hey, maybe now they can make a 13 Going on 30 sequel where their child magically turns into Ryan Reynolds.

Watch The Adam Project on Netflix