Today’s quick review: Juno. Sixteen-year-old Juno MacGuff (Ellen Page) has her life turned upside-down when she becomes pregnant after a romantic encounter with her best friend, Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera). Deciding to give the baby to a loving family, Juno finds the perfect candidates in Vanessa (Jennifer Garner) and Mark (Jason Bateman) Loring, a well-off couple having trouble conceiving a child of their own.
Juno is a romantic comedy about a teenager trying to cope with her unplanned pregnancy. The movie steps into the life of Juno MacGuff as she uses her sharp wit, nonchalance, and the support of her friends and family to make the best of a difficult situation. Juno benefits from a well-picked cast, stylized presentation, and an insightful script that handles tricky themes with skill. However, its quirky tone and characters won’t appeal to everyone.
Juno’s best feature is its title character. She has her share of flaws, including an unruly streak and a tendency to take Paulie for granted, but her unique outlook on life and her ability to keep her cool under pressure make her a fascinating character to follow. The supporting characters strike a similar balance: just odd enough to be distinctive, but with faults and insecurities that make them believable.
Juno’s story isn’t exactly what its premise implies. The movie downplays the usual drama surrounding an unexpected pregnancy, in part due to Juno’s unflappable personality. Instead, it focuses on the secondary effects of her pregnancy: the changes to her social life, her relationship with Paulie, and her acquaintance with Vanessa and Mark. This lets the movie cover new ground, telling a story that is very specific to Juno and her personality.
The drawback to all of this is that it leaves Juno with an odd flavor that not everyone will appreciate. The movie relies on quirkiness and charm to make its stylization, character moments, and sarcastic sense of humor click. Without a willing audience, most of what the movie tries to do will fall flat. The right viewer will find that Juno resonates like few other movies, but the wrong one will find that it strikes out time after time.
Those who are into quirky, wry, and ultimately optimistic comedies should look no farther than Juno. The interactions of its characters and the way they are presented let it tell a unique story that touches on some of the unexpected aspects of pregnancy. But the same things that make it unique will make it a poor choice for some viewers. Steer clear if you aren’t interesting in the premise or if you prefer movies with a more focused story.
For another coming-of-age story about a precocious teenager, try Rushmore, Lady Bird, or Igby Goes Down. For a romantic comedy with Michael Cera and some of the same tone, try Paper Heart. For a bittersweet comedy with a similar perspective on life, try Little Miss Sunshine.
7.4 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 for multifaceted characters and a hit-or-miss style; your score will vary.