Juno (2007)

	Directed by: Jason Reitman	COUNTRY USA/Canada/Hungary GENRE Drama/Comedy NORWEGIAN TITLE Juno RUNNING TIME 96 minutes
	Produced by: Lianne Halfon John Malkovich Mason Novick Russell Smith
	Written by: Diablo Cody

Cast includes:
CHARACTER	ACTOR/ACTRESS	RATING
Juno	Ellen Page
Paulie Bleeker	Michael Cera	½
Vanessa Loring	Jennifer Garner
Mark Loring	Jason Bateman
Bren MacGuff	Allison Janney
Mac MacGuff	J. K. Simmons
Leah	Olivia Thirlby	½
Lab Partner	Steven Christopher Parker

Review

Juno. Delicate, boyish, precocious, tender, weird, immature Juno. And pregnant Juno, not to forget. The premise is not unfamiliar: Teenage girl has sex with teenage boy and becomes pregnant. The process that follows such an inherently natural event is a circus – both here and I would believe in any Western society in this 21st century. Juno is a valid and timely implicit social satire from the brand new filmmaking team of Jason Reitman (director) and Diablo Cody (screenwriter). The suburban high-school life depicted here certainly is far from Jean M. Auel territory, but what Juno and Ayla have in common is their level-headed, problem-solving nature. Juno is a confident girl – almost annoyingly so – which gives her the independence to challenge some worked-in mechanisms of both the youth culture and the adult world she's a part of.

Juno is a refreshing film – more in tone and angle than in subject matter. Dealing with teens and teenage sex ostensibly "from the inside", it comes off as more level-headed and insightful than most of its sub-genre counterparts – and without sacrificing humour or authenticity. Sure, these kids seem a bit too intelligent and have a bit too many intellectual punchlines up their sleeves, but this trait is balanced by the seriously talented Michael Cera in a wonderfully subdued role.

The performances are fine all around, from J. K. Simmons' chummy dad, to Allison Janney's zealous mom (a type of mom I've seen more than a handful of), and Jennifer Garner's tormentingly baby-desperate Vanessa. Ellen Page – whom I hailed for her talent, though not for her focus in Hard Candy – is more in her right element here, bouncing off supporters and obstacles alike like a carefree pinball, and exuding quite a bit of charm in the process. Her interplay with Jason Bateman is crucial for the film's effect, and the two manage to convey the ambivalence in their relation.

It's uplifting to see a film about teenagers that feels like it was made from the kids' point of view and aimed at anyone who might be interested, yet still doesn't go over the top or becomes tacky. Juno cannot quite refrain from a certain showy, poppy air, but in some ways this is a relief. Jason Reitman (son of the skilful Ivan) demonstrates that he both understands the people he's depicting and has a refreshingly uncorrupted point of view – much like John Hughes in his early years.