B+


Hmm, okay, I have seen it at last (screw German distributors for releasing it so late). After all the hype and at the same time all the backlash, I'd say that both are unjustified. The movie isn't a masterpiece of independent comedy (well if you wanan consider it an indie in first place) as some make it out to be. Then again, I haven't been a huge fan of many recent indie comedies anyway and at least I liked Juno a bit better than the overrated Little Miss Sunshine. Only Sideways in recent years was truly great and well-deserving of its Best Picture nomination. Outr of the five BP nominees, I'd say that Juno ranks #4 on my list, but I actually liked the first four a lot anyway. The only one I really wasn't a fan of was Michael Clayton.

I think Juno works best when it doesn't try hard to be a comedy. As a matter of fact, I think that a lot of the comedy in this movie just doesn't work. The screenplay is definitely not as good as it is hailed to be (Lars and the Real Girl is vastly superior). It simply tries to hard to be pop culture-referential, trying to make references to comics, movies, music and whatnot and it tries to hard to be funny and to imitate teenage life. Its best moments, however, are the more quiet ones, mostly in the second half of the film. I loved all the scenes between Ellen Page and Jason Bateman as well as between Page and Michael Cera. I must say that after this and Superbad I like Cera quite a lot. I thought that despite their characters being so different, Page and Cera had excellent chemistry in this, some of the best I've seen last year and I was frankly grinning when they finally got together at the end of the film.

Speaking of the film's end: the final 30 minutes is by far the most satisfying part of the movie. This is where the screnplay hits all the right notes and makes all the right decisions. It doesn't try to be hip and funny, but is much rather heartfelt and emotional then. In other words: Juno is a better romance/drama than it is a comedy. For a great teenage comedy (and certainly a funnier one) check out Superbad. I loved the scenes with Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman. I was actually surprised by Garner here who delivers a very convincing performance. Not that I ever doubted her acting skills, but it was not such a usual role for her and I thought she pulled it off well playing a woman whose desperate wish is just to become a mother at last. The relationship problems between her and Bateman's Mark also felt very real.

Ellen Page....I don't think I need to say much about her. She's the reason why even the most cringeworthy one-liners, come across not half as bad. She's a natural force here, driving the entire thing. Not to diminish the contribution of the other cast members, but it is her movie afterall and she does the job very well. I'm glad that Cotillard has won the Oscar as she was actually the best of the nominees, but Page was very good too, certainly beating Blanchett and Christie, IMO. Alison Janney and J.K. Simmons did good jobs in their short roles as well. Overall, I left the movie satisfied and maybe just a very little bit disappointed that it wasn't as funny as I hoped for. In the first half, the movie tries to find to itself and it finally manages that by the end of its first hour. From that point on, all goes on superbly. It is what happens prior to that that is flawed and could have been done better. Therefore, the screenplay is a mixed bag. Brilliant when it just lets the things flow and awkward when it tries hard to be innovative and funny. The cast ensemble makes up for some of the script's shortcomings and Reitman certainly knows how to direct his films (I liked Thank You for Smoking a lot too and that obviously wasn't a fluke).

your review reads like an A- over a B+ film. Glad you liked Page and Garner the two rocked the movie.

?????

That made no sense.

They're essentially the SAME grade. But you just WANT it to be an A

I'm pretty much in agreement with Dr. Lecter's review. I loved it when it was being sincere, but it kind of got on my nerves when it was trying to be something of a quirky comedy. Overall, though, it's a solid movie, and my grade also came in at a B+.

I found it quite funny, but it was also a meaningful film

One of the surprises of 2007

A

Finally saw this tonight.

Really enjoyed it, though...I think my expectations were a little too high. I was thinking I'd give Juno an A- or A. Ellen Page was great, and for once, and this will probably be a one time only thing, I liked Jennifer Garner in a movie.

B+

Finally got around to watching this last night after overlooking it for so long. For some reason i was expecting not to enjoy it very much, but i was pleasantly surprised. It actually felt quite sincere, Ellen Page has receieved enough credit by now so i want to highlight Allison Janney who's performance I particularly enjoyed. The soundtrack is also strong and well suited.

Overall i guess it'd be a surprise B+ for Juno and her wisecracks.

I watched this movie twice after seeing it in theatres,
and now i fucking hate it.

The second time i found everything about it irritating.

I think the fact i saw it doubled with Cloverfield in cinemas meant i was totally zoned or some shit, because literally the only points i like about this movie are Allison Janney and Jennifer Garner.

The rest is just irritating trite.

Juno

Critics were saying that Juno finally portrays girls how they actually are in the real world; intelligent. I disagree. If Juno was so intelligent she wouldn't have gotten knocked up with no plan or means of support and at such a young age. The character of Juno was very poorly written by the writer of Jennifer's Body (you must remember that classic), I don't care how many awards its screenplay won. Young girls just do not speak like that, and they are certainly not so quickwitted - Juno didn't stumble or pause once (you know, it's almost as if she had her lines memorised), so to the people that say it was a realistic portrayal of a teenager, that's complete and utter bullshit. Ellen Page is incredibly unlikeable too and the real stars of this film were J.K. Simmons, Allison Janney and, believe it or not, Michael Cera. Juno's parents were funny and supportive, and Cera was innocently cool.

Jason Bateman started out good, but his character ended on a bad note, and his acting got stale after the first two meetings. Manifer Garner was bad as usual. As for whether the film was pro-choice or pro-life, I couldn't give a shit, but it's probably more pro-life because not in any scene did Juno seriously contemplate giving up the baby - yeah sure she went to an abortion clinic, but her reasons for leaving were that the receptionist was uncouth? Come on. She was never seriously considering abortion. It was quite the pro-life film. Due to Page's [pretty much] appearing in every scene, this limits my liking of the movie.

C+

Intelligent people, or at least people who try to do the right thing, can screw up. If she didn't screw up then there would be no movie.

I don't see it that way. She didn't simply fail a mid-term or choose the wrong partner, she had sex as a minor and got pregnant, the given the opportunity she DIDN'T have an abortion....sorry, but that's not an intelligent person. Big words and quick wit is not enough to show a character as intelligent.

It's a character decision essential to the film, but fine, you're in the right for judging her.

The decision/mistake is fine, but then Diablo shouldn't have tried to paint her as some super witty intellect - there's a disconnect in the character's conception. Oh, and the references to music and horror movie directors were a really pathetic attempt at trying make Juno seem intelligent and all-knowing.

I get it, Gopher, you adore everything about the film.

No. This movie is still great.

I like the movie. I don't adore it. I wanted to comment on how her decision to sleep with Michael Cera and keep the baby is the basis for Juno's coming of age story in the film. That a teenager who may sound really smart as you say can still fail to understand certain aspects of life. I think Cody points the criticism to Juno as well.

On another note, I never really understood the inane obsession everyone had with the dialogue. This movie has a pretty good backbone to it that was completely absent from Jennifer's Body and Young Adult.

The movie is "fine," or at least it gets better as it goes along. The beginning is pretty insufferable, though, and Diablo Cody's career so far has straddled the line between having some fun, interesting things to say and being an unduly self-satisfied hack with an off-putting disdain for small-town America and its inhabitants.

The movie is fucking amazing.

Yeah it holds up well. I don't get the backlash.