Juno

When I first heard about this little film I wasn't particularly interested. Being a high school teacher, I wasn't impressed with the idea of seeing a movie concerning a teenage mother. Believe me, I know enough of them already! However, on a lark, I decided to finally watch the film--almost two years after it debuted. And, in hindsight, I should have just gone and seen the film when it came out, as unlike my ASSUMPTION, it was not really a glorification of teen pregnancy but a very complex film--a film with a lot of different messages and possible interpretations. This is definitely NOT a by-the-numbers (formulaic) film--there is a lot that is original and new. And, if you were worried that the film would be pro-teen pregnancy or abortion or whatever and it might offend you, don't think that way....the film is great for anyone, conservative or liberal alike. And, it might just be an excellent film for you to see with your teens. Excellent, simple and very effective.

I could say a lot more about the film, but considering the huge number of reviews already and the film came out some time back, I'll be brief and stop here.

I was expecting a really honest movie where the humor would come from the funny ways we deal with bad situations. Instead I felt like I was watching the Gilmore Girls. For most of the movie (and it got better in this respect toward the end) Juno's character was devoted to witty commentary, replete with randomly inserted Spanish words ("silencio, old man!") and hipster slang ("rad","boss"), rather than showing any kind of emotional insight. I kept thinking: "Someone needs to tell this girl that she is not Janeane Garofalo." Michael Cera was good as always, but he could have been used a lot more before the latter parts of the movie, particularly in some way that would indicate he was fazed in the slightest by fathering a child. Meanwhile, if anything saved the film it was Jason Bateman's performance. Dead on.

Bottom line: This looked like a film that would be funny because we could all imagine we'd act the same way in a bad situation. Instead, the lines were too pretentiously witty and the characters, particularly Juno, too emotionally numb to strike a chord.

Full disclosure, I would probably see Ellen Page and Jason Bateman in anything, I love them both so much. Page is of course in the starring role here, and delivers an outstanding performance as the quirky Juno, a high school who finds herself pregnant after spontaneous sex with her nerdy friend (Michael Cera). The film is very well made, with clever dialog and composed of countless little moments that are amusing, despite dealing with a serious subject. Juno resolves to give the baby up for adoption to a yuppie couple played by Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner, but things get complicated with Bateman's character begins getting close to her because of their interests in rock music and slasher films, kindling long-standing desires on his part to do more in life before becoming a father.

This is a very well-cast movie from top to bottom. J.K. Simmons plays Juno's father who is generally kind and supportive, but expresses his disappointment by saying "I thought you were the kind of girl who knew when to say when". Page's facial reaction, followed by her response, "I don't really know what kind of girl I am" is priceless, and just one of many great scenes for her. Allison Janney plays her step-mom, and has a powerful moment telling off the ultrasound technician while sticking up for Juno, and then later quipping "doctors are sadists who like to play God and watch lesser people scream". Cera plays awkward teenage dorkiness naturally, and Olivia Thirlby turns in a solid performance as Juno's friend.

This is a 'teenage film' that is smart, and has so many positive messages; it's accepting of unorthodox kids and difficult situations, which everyone deals with as Juno does, with humor and head up high. It's an empowering film, and a love story. The scene of Cera and Page strumming guitars and singing 'Anyone Else But You' (by The Moldy Peaches) is a sweet ending and caps off a nice alternative/indie soundtrack. Page really established herself with this film, and is well worthy of the Academy Award nomination she received.

The thing that separates "Juno" from so many other films about teen pregnancy is that, in this case, the 16-year-old who finds herself in that predicament refuses to become a victim of her circumstances. From the moment she confirms the unwelcome news, Juno studies her options - abortion, raising the child as a single teen parent, adoption - then takes matters into her own hands. Like the Roman goddess who is her namesake, Juno is a bright, often sharp-tongued individual who prides herself on her observant cynicism and her way with a sarcastic quip. However, she's not above appealing to the adults in her life when the problems of the world get to be too much for her (though, in some cases, the grownups are coping with more serious issues than she is). Yet, Juno makes certain that it is she and she alone who will have the final say when it comes to determining the course of her own future and that of her child.

"Juno" is that rare low-budget, independent feature that finds unexpected success in the mainstream by striking a chord of recognition in audiences across the demographic spectrum. First-time screenwriter Diablo Cody hits pay dirt with a clear-eyed, largely unsentimental script that is not afraid to go off in unexpected and interesting directions and that avoids patronizing its Middle American characters. Juno's father and stepmother manage to take the news in stride, while the yuppie couple Juno alights on to be the child's adoptive parents are given a depth and complexity far beyond what a lesser writer might have afforded them. Director Jason Reitman keeps the quirkiness to a minimum and allows the scenes to play out in a naturalistic, unhurried way. Confident in the strength and appeal of his material, he lets the gentle human comedy speak for itself.

In a star-making turn, young Ellen Page takes a daring approach to her character, often bringing Juno right to the brink of un-likability, then pulling back at just the crucial moment, making us see how utterly likable she truly is. As the child's father, Michael Cera is virtually the same lovably passive nerd we found so endearing in "Superbad," while J.K. Simmons and especially Allison Janney give rich shadings to Juno's supportive parents. Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner also make their mark as the couple who post their picture in the "baby wanted" section of the local throwaway.

"Juno" faces the downside of any independent film that unexpectedly finds itself ripped from the confines of the art houses and suddenly duking it out at the multiplexes with all those high-budget, high-octane, testosterone-laden blockbusters - namely the risk of over-inflated expectations. Thus, my advice is to look beyond all the hype and box office records and simply let "Juno" sneak up on and take a hold of you in its own quiet, inimitable fashion. I think it works best that way.

Anybody who gets to see the promos or the DVD covers would have enough clue about what the movie is about.Well I can tell you this,its not only the story which was brilliant - Its the wonderfully written screenplay,great acting by the casts,captivating photography with great locations and of course Ellen Page's incredible acting which has made a mark. There is generally a specific group of audience who could appreciate a certain movie,but when it gets to Juno...anybody above the "PG13" audience will definitely love it.The movie is about emotions,friends,innocence,parenthood,commitment and of course the fun in living it up! I enjoyed watching the movie over a Sunday afternoon at home,I just fell in love with it :)