Juno

Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Allison Janney, JK Simmons, Olivia Thirlby

Dir. Jason Reitman
Scr. Diablo Cody

Juno is a damn fine film. You’ll laugh – both giggles and big belly laughs. You might even cry. You’ll feel warm fuzzies, and you’ll care what happens to the characters. This little movie will do perhaps the best thing a movie can do – it’ll make you feel good.

This film tells the story of 16-year-old Juno MacGuff, a quirky, smart, funny teenager who finds herself in a pickle – she’s pregnant and knows that she’s not ready for motherhood. After chickening out at the abortion clinic, Juno decides to have the baby and goes about trying to find the perfect adoptive parents. Enter Vanessa and Alan Loring, who live in a perfect house in a perfectly planned community and are desperate to be a perfect mum and dad. But all, as always, is not as it seems. Juno is mostly a movie about figuring out what is important in life; whether it be parenthood, following your dreams, or finding love.

The performances in this film, without exception, are absolutely brilliant. Much has been said about young Ellen Page, who plays Juno. She’s already won a bunch of awards for this role and is also up for the Oscar for Best Actress. And while there are a few performances I can think of which may prevent her from winning the big one (most especially Marion Cotillard’s wonderful Edith Piaf), there is no doubt that Page gives a flawless performance as Juno. This movie works, in the main, because the lead is a character who is quirky without being a freak, smart without being intimidating, funny without being too mean. And much of the credit for creating such an approachable main character has to go to Page. Juno is awfully mature for a 16-year-old, but this doesn’t seem out of place or odd – Page gives Juno a mature edge, while retaining those sometime teenage traits of fear, wonder, cattiness and confusion.

Just as fantastic in Juno is the stellar supporting cast. In my opinion, Allison Janney is one of the funniest actresses working today and, as Juno step-mother Bren, she is simply wonderful in this film. Equally great is JK Simmons as Juno’s father. Who wouldn’t want these parents? Sure, they’re mildly crazy, but their love and support for their wayward daughter never falters. It’s so nice to see parents on film who actually get on with their children because, shock horror, it does actually happen. Both Simmons and Janney have some wonderful dialogue and scenes – they’re a treat to watch. In the youngster stakes, there are a couple of great performances by Olivia Thirlby, as Juno’s best friend Leah – she’s a riot – and Michael Cera, as Juno’s sometime boyfriend and partner in baby-making Bleeker. Bleeker is a tad dorkish, there’s no question, but he’s not a social outcast or freak. Instead, he’s a slightly awkward but completely sincere and loveable teen – Cera absolutely nails every scene and you can’t help but love this goofy guy. Rounding off the cast is Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman as the seemingly perfect Vanessa and Mark, the couple Juno is pinning her hopes on to provide for her baby. Garner is surprisingly good in this role – I am not usually a fan, but here she is both steely and vulnerable in her desperation to be a mum. Bateman, whose long-lost career seems to be going from strength to strength, is fantastic – he completely nails the early mid-life crisis sufferer, Mark, a man who perhaps isn’t ready to settle down and give up on his late teen dreams of being a rock star. Here’s a guy most of us can relate to – the feeling of being trapped by a life that seems to be moving along without your permission is all too common. And, man, he’s definitely finally grown into his slightly goofy looks.

The dialogue in Juno is incredibly funny and undeniably memorable. The turn of phrase and expressions seem so original and fresh and had me laughing out loud. Below, instead of the usual single quote I provide, are a few – I just couldn’t decide on one. Like Clueless in the 90s, Juno will undoubtedly introduce (or reintroduce) a few choice phrases and words into the teenage lexicon. A couple of good ones: “honest to blog”, “wizard” (which I am assured is actually very old indeed), “they call me the cautionary whale”, “I'm forshizz up the spout”, and so on.

Juno is a teenage flick, with a twist. It doesn’t stick to the usual, tired teenage stereotypes and, instead, these teens are highly individual. It heartens me. Juno is funny and sweet – see it.

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Vanessa: Your parents are probably wondering where you are.
Juno: Nah... I mean, I'm already pregnant, so what other kind of shenanigans could I get into?

***
Juno: Ow, ow, fuckity-ow! Bren, when do I get that spinal tap thing?
Bren: It's called a spinal block. And you can't have it yet, honey. The doctor said you're not dilated enough.
Juno: You mean I have to wait for it to get worse? Why can't they just give it to me now?
Bren: Well, honey, doctors are sadists who like to play God and watch lesser people scream...

***
Mac: In my opinion, the best thing you can do is find a person who loves you for exactly what you are. Good mood, bad mood, ugly, pretty, handsome, what have you, the right person will still think the sun shines out your ass. That's the kind of person that's worth sticking with.