Juno, not like the city in Alaska, but Zeus’ wife

My thoughts on Juno, a movie you should see, but I'll let you decide that -- here's what I think:

In the times of CGI, enormous Hollywood budgets, and big name stars hogging up the silver screen, it’s very seldom to come by a film, which is genuinely humorous whilst simultaneously touching and all the while with a petite budget and budding actors. It’s an unfortunate truth, but a truth, which is utterly negated by Jason Reitman’s sophomore film, Juno.

            It’s a story that many are familiar with. Young teenager gets pregnant, looks for solutions, tells parents, finds a solution, throw in some character development and a dramatic plot and out pops a baby and a life lesson. But Juno offers more than that – way more as a film that ventures down a beaten path, but only on its own terms. Juno MacGuff (Ellen Page) is your pregnant teenager, but her tongue and cheek attitude married with her quirky actions throw her into a tale of becoming-a-lady-fast/coming-of-age teen comedy. Juno is well-equipped with spunk, wit, a hamburger phone (you have to see it to enjoy its true essence), and an arsenal of quips. When asked how she wants to hand the baby over for adoption, she states: “Can’t I jus kick this old school, you know, I stick the baby in a basket send it your way … like, Moses in the reeds?” Or better yet, “You should go to China. I hear they give out babies like free iPods – you know, like they shoot them out of those t-shirt guns at sporting events.” Juno makes fun of situations, which are evidently beyond her maturity level, with her apt drollery as a means to cope with her overwhelming circumstances.

            The baby’s father, Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera), is an awkward, timid and unlikely candidate to be a teenage father due to his sensitive, smart and genuinely caring ways as a guy that wouldn’t-pick-a-flower-because-he-thought-he’d-hurt-it-guy. Bleeker, whom also has an inordinate affinity for orange tic-tac’s, is a down-to-earth teenager with authentic feelings for Juno and is willing to help/support her throughout the pregnancy. But Juno takes her own route.

            Since babies have fingernails, which is made apparent to Juno by teen activist, Su-Chin (Valerie Tian) Juno quickly opts out of the “abortion option.” Instead, she flips through the Pennysaver to find Mr. and Mrs. Perfect. Enter Mark (Jason Bateman) and Vanessa (Jennifer Garner), the latter being an overzealous, maternal-aspiring woman and the former being a commercial composer/closet rock star. As their true goals simultaneously begin to put their futures in perspective, Mark gets cold feet, and Vanessa gets overwhelmingly fervent creating a divide that leads to a subsequent divorce between the two. All of this, of course, is witnessed by Juno – bringing her to a bleak view of relationships and marriage on the whole.

            Through her own semi-non-existent relationship with Bleeker but more so through Mark and Vanessa’s, Juno sets aside the witty banter and shows her true emotions in a situation which she can’t fully comprehend. It leads to Juno’s emotional message showcasing its raw, heart-touching core when Juno asks her father if two people can actually stay happy together forever. He replies: “The best thing you can do is find a person who loves you for exactly what you are: good mood bad mood, ugly, pretty, what-have-you – the right person is still going to think the sun shines out of your ass – that’s the kinda person worth staying with.” It’s a trite question, but a genuine and frank answer, leading to an ideal analogy for Juno in its entirety.

            Juno is a fresh, character-driven flick riding on a clichéd storyline. It’s humourous, but in a witty and smart way – not-rolling-on-the-ground-losing-control-of-your-urethral-sphincter-kinda-way. Its quirkiness, reminiscent of Little Miss Sunshine and Napoleon Dynamite, adds to its charming qualities, but it’s its touching, uncontrived message that leaves you questioning the basics of the circle of life.