13 The Musical (Where 13) is Jason Robert Brown’s latest film adaptation of a musical, the first being The last five years with Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan. It’s a completely different kind of musical comedy, which is not made for adults. The original Broadway cast starred Elizabeth Gillies (Victorious and Dynasty) and Ariana Grande, who will return to the musicals as Glinda in Nasty. Since the musical’s release in 2007, it’s been revamped for younger Gen Z, which is clearly the target audience.
13 The Musical Review
The film centers on Evan Goldman as he prepares for his bar mitzvah, which is a big deal for a young Jewish boy (trust me). However, her plans are disrupted by her parents’ divorce and the move from New York to Walkerton, Indiana. Now in a completely new state, he must try to make friends in order to throw the best bar mitzvah party ever.
As you can imagine, everything comes together at the end, all tied in a cute little bow. Eli Golden does a good job vocally in the role and his acting isn’t bad either, just a little over the top at times. It works with the material though, since middle school is a very over the top time for everyone. His best acting comes when he plays one of the adults in the movie.
The young tweens do a decent job with what they’re given, but they’re all more comfortable performing musical numbers than the usual acting scenes. They’re young, so that’s to be expected because it’s the first big project for most of them. The best-known of the young actors is JD McCrary, who voiced young Simba in Disney’s 2019 adaptation of The Lion King. He plays Brett, the cool kid at school who gets caught up in a love triangle with Kendra (Lindsey Blackwell) and Lucy (Frankie McNellis).
Also Read: Anything is Possible Review: Real Gen Z Rom-Com
The adults in 13 are the ones who bring star power to the film. Debra Messing and Peter Hermann play Evan’s parents, Jessica and Joel. Debra Messing gets the most screen time between the two since she’s the one who takes Evan to Indiana after the divorce. They move in with Evan’s grandmother, played by Rhea Perlman; I love seeing her back on screen, she’s always so funny with what she’s given. We also have Josh Peck in a small supporting role as a rabbi, who he does a good job with and does very well as the cool young rabbi.
Globally, 13 The Musical is not a bad movie; it is sometimes very stereotyped and generic. The musical numbers are the highlight of the film, especially the opening number (which will stick with you). It’s also nice to see a musical made just for kids, because they’re the ones who will appreciate the message the most. It’s a 90-minute watch, so if you have tweens at home, catch it on Netflix this weekend and have fun!
Follow us for more entertainment coverage on Facebook, TwitterInstagram and YouTube.
