Juno

By Matthew Rodgers

Juno is 2008’s little film that could, this years Little Miss Sunshine (yawn at that over-egged comparison) and also already a contender for film of the year. Nominated for Best Picture and Best Director for Jason Reitman (Thank You For Smoking), and currently tipping over the $100m mark Stateside, judging the film without the mountains of hype is as difficult a task as dealing with being pregnant at sixteen.

Diablo Cody’s debut script (also nommed) focuses on the titular Juno (Ellen Page – Hard Candy), a smart-mouthed teenager completely devoid of stereotype but seeped in the flaws associated with growing up. When the deflowering of her best friend and soul mate Bleeker (Michael Cera – Superbad, Arrested Development) leaves her “with child”, its time for her to grow up and out as she decides to find parents for the unborn baby.

For all that’s brilliant about Juno it will be forever defined for the career making turn of Ellen Page. Every superlative will have been thrown at her performance once the reviews are correlated so add these to that impressive collection; it is a stunningly naturalistic performance that avoids any clichés associated with teen pregnancy, Page makes Juno both extremely mature and emotionally scared without heightening any of her characteristics beyond those that make her unique (sarcastic sass), it’s a character that’s easy to fall in love with.

She’s not on her own though because J.K.Simmons (Spider-Man) and Alison Janney (To Die For) are superb as her understanding parents, the scene in which Juno breaks the news to them is one of underplayed brilliance. Michael Cera continues to do fantastic work, employing his now trademark terminal awkwardness to embody the sensitive Bleeker and provide a foil to Page’s more colourful moments. As the prospective parents another Development alumni Jason Bateman turns in an impressive performance as the father-to-be who is even less prepared than the youngster, and as his wife Jennifer Garner excels as the initially frosty Vanessa in a role that almost steals the show in the final reel as she is allowed as much cathartic pay-off as any of the characters.

Emotionally resonant to a broader demographic than most movies, although adults may find some of the teen speak a little grating, and with a real Capraesque life affirming message, Juno is a voice that’s worth listening to with a soundtrack to match.