Juno

Wow. I wish I could just say that and let you experience Juno for yourself. I don’t even know if I can accurately express my thoughts on this film. I’ll just say it has everything: a great story that knows when to wrap up, wonderful quirky characters who aren’t quirky for quirky sake, clever lines that are filled with creative slang and punchy sarcasm, dramatic moments that still move me think about them, an original soundtrack with music that your head unconsciously bops to, beautifully cinematic close-ups of hands, feet and stomachs, and a conclusion that makes you happy to be alive. I went in with great expectations and left with great satisfaction. Juno was a wonderful way to end a year of movie watching. I’m done till January.

The three individuals who deserve most of the credit for this unbelievably charming film are Jason Reitman, Diablo Cody and Ellen Page. Reitman directed Thank You For Smoking, my favourite movie last year, and now he does it again with Juno. This Canadain-born director knows how to film. Juno isn’t as slick as Thank You for Smoking, but it doesn’t have to be, it just needs to tell a compelling story and bring the audience in for the ride. Reitman masterfully directs this wonderful script from newcomer Diablo Cody. She’s gonna win an Oscar for this. Hands down. She previously wrote the critically acclaimed bestseller Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper, but this is her first movie script. Cody has not only created a brilliantly layered character in Juno with her quick sassy dialogue that smacks of insightful social commentary, but is able to surround her with an array off-kilter friends and family. Luckily, this complex character is skillfully portrayed by the amazing Ellen Page (Hard Candy, X-Men: The Last Stand). She’ll also get nominated for an Oscar. Her sheer spunkiness adds life and energy to this picture, but she is just as compelling when dealing with situations far beyond her maturity level. I haven’t seen her in Hard Candy, but I’ll be checking it out soon, solely based on Page’s performance in Juno.

While those three individuals may get all the accolades, there are many others who contribute to this wonderful production. Jennifer Garner is outstanding as Vanessa, a woman waiting in the wings for Juno’s baby. Garner flawlessly portrays the longing for a child. She tries hard to make everything perfect, but you can see the fear of rejection in the way she communicates. I never once, thought of her as Sydney Bristow of Alias, Garner completely captivated me. Jason Bateman gives a nuanced performance as Vanessa’s husband who is apprehensive about fatherhood and growing up. He even becomes a little creepy. JK Simmons and Allison Janney are amazingly supportive as Juno’s parents. Despite Simmons gruffness, one can still see the heart. Janney, fresh off her turn as the deeply religious mother in Hairspray, gets some of the best lines in the movie in regards to doctors and sonogram technicians. Of course, Michael Cera (Superbad, Arrested Development) is perfectly cast as the awkward father of Juno’s child. His statements about love and friendship are both honest and funny and almost makes you forget about his distractingly colorful running gear.

There aren’t that many films about teenage pregnancy. Juno refreshingly deals with this taboo subject with humour and maturity. This movie makes a point of dealing with teenage pregnancy from a social and emotional level. While I found myself laughing out loud through a lot of the film, it was the emotional moments that kept me grounded to the narrative. This story is sassy and sweet and keeps you invested in the characters; one of the final scenes at the track still makes me smile from ear to ear. I left Juno feeling like I was walking on air, I haven’t felt this kind of elation since leaving a screening of Stranger Than Fiction last year. There are no special effects, so big screen viewing is not mandatory, but if you want to leave a movie with a big, big smile, watch Juno.