A fresh and quirky comedy for teens and adults alike, “Juno” has an unusual backstory that is mirrored by the non-traditional story onscreen. The screenplay was written by Diablo Cody - a former professional stripper - and directed by Jason Reitman (son of Ivan Reitman, “Ghostbusters”), whose prior film, “Thank You for Smoking,” was a tongue-in-cheek expose’ of the cigarette industry.
Once you see the opening credits, which are hand-drawn with a live action Juno walking through, you know the movie will be a totally out of the ordinary take on the difficulties of teenage pregnancy. This filmmaking experiment works exceptionally well, creating an entertaining story with a substantive core that will resonate with audiences even after exiting the theater.
Juno (Ellen Page, “X-Men: The Last Stand”) is a teenage girl, a tomboy and an old soul who sees life with a greater depth than most adults do. This doesn’t put her above making mistakes, and the film starts with her trying and failing several home pregnancy tests while in the neighborhood convenience store. Having to tell her father (J.K. Simmons, “Spiderman 3”) and her stepmother (Allison Janney, TV’s “The West Wing”) of this unforeseen circumstance, she handles it with a surprising amount of grace.
The father of the baby is her friend, Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera, “Superbad”), who is a thin, delicate-looking track star at her high school who doesn’t know how to handle the issue. Juno decides giving the child up for adoption is the best route, and she meets the adoptive upper-middle class couple, Vanessa and Mark Loring (Jennifer Garner, “13 Going on 30”; Jason Bateman, “The Break-Up”) and keeps in close contact with them.
Page is remarkable as the teenage girl who has to handle the heavy burden she is given. She has a very matter-of-fact way of speaking, but underneath you can see the impact of what she’s facing through her facial expressions. She creates an unusual character that is unexpectedly easy to empathize with, and she deserves acclaim for her performance that sheds some real light on a situation affecting many young women but often kept out of the public’s eye.
Cera continues to be a wonderfully dry comedian with an uncanny ability to react to his fellow actors’ performances with an unusual sincerity. Perhaps greatest of all is the feisty dialogue that seems to have a mind of its own throughout the movie. With many pop-culture references, pointed zingers and a dry but graspable humor, the dialogue runs like a river, moving you from scene to scene.
The supporting characters all have opportunities to shine, and Garner has her strongest performance on the big screen as a woman who desperately wants a child of her own. Her interactions with Juno, her husband and the unborn child are scene-stealing, and her pairing with Bateman works because his character is so grounded and initially likeable.
“Juno” is never dull or preachy, and it will make you laugh aloud before it breaks your heart at the end. Perhaps the best film of the year, “Juno” will be enjoyed by audiences and critics alike.
Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material, sexual content and language.
