Juno Movie Review

Juno: Witty, comical, sincere, and profound…..this little indie flick brings a lot to the table. The movie opens with 16 year old Juno MacGuff (Ellen Page) discovering she is pregnant. The father of the child is the corky, yet cool Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera – cast perfectly). Juno’s first thought is to have an abortion. However, after a trip to the clinic she decides to go through with the pregnancy and look into giving the child up for adoption. She finds what appears to be the perfect couple in the “wanted” section of the local paper. What follows is a “peeling away” of all the characters involved in Juno’s decision. The film's success or failure rests on the shoulders of Ellen Page. She was not just good, but I would go as far as saying that she gave the best performance that I have seen this year! She is funny and candid throughout. More impressive however, is how she slowly shows us Juno’s vulnerability and at the same time her immense maturity. This is a case of the right actor being cast for the role and that can actually be said for the whole cast of Juno. Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman are perfect as the couple looking for a baby to love. Juno’s parents (played by Allison Janney & J.K. Simmons) fit perfectly into the quirky “Juno world” and at the same time bring seriousness to the subject matter. I did feel the first 15 minutes of the movie tried a little too hard. I thought the witty dialogue being flung around was over-the-top. Fortunately, the script (written by newcomer – Diablo Cody) did settle down to give us one of the better stories of the year. Juno blends clever humor and thoughtfulness with a subject matter that is normally difficult to discuss……the outcome is one of 2007’s best films!
* * * * or Grade: A-

If this movie had parents they would be: Little Miss Sunshine & Rushmore

With a runtime of 92 minutes
This film is rated PG-13