Juno (Movie Review by Nicola-Jane Ford)
Juno
Available in DVD and Blu-Ray Disc
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Who would’ve thought a movie on teenage pregnancy could be so good? Yeah, the subject is somewhat controversial but realistically speaking, it’s also fairly common in today’s society. Anyway, that aside, Juno is a really great film that promises superb entertainment.
The last thing 16 year old Juno (Ellen Page) expected to find herself was pregnant, the father-to-be being her endearing (yet somewhat nerdy) longtime friend slash admirer, Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera). But when numerous pregnancy kits confirm her worst fears, she makes a plan. After eventually deciding against an abortion, Juno finds adoptive parents for her unborn child through the local Pennysaver and works on a closed adoption. The Lorings (played by Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman) appear to be the perfect couple. But as Juno’s respective relationships with Mark and Vanessa evolve, things start to unravel. The movie follows Juno through her pregnancy and portrays a bittersweet side to teenage pregnancy.
There are many reasons why this movie so memorable. To start with, Ellen Page gives a truly authentic performance as Juno and definitely deserves all the acclaim she’s received for this role. She portrays a unique character that the viewer grows very fond of, even though at times she can be a little ‘rough around the edges’. The supporting cast is quite brilliant too. Peter Cera’s Bleeker is reminiscent of his character in Arrested Development. Allison Janney (of West Wing fame) plays Juno’s stepmother and brings to the movie a wonderfully solid yet quirky character. In addition to the list of impressive actors is the clever and fast-paced dialogue. (And by ‘clever and fast-paced’ I don’t mean Dawson’s Creek-esque pretention.)
Also worth a mention is Juno’s fab soundtrack. Music plays an important role in the movie, and the soundtrack is the perfect complement. It includes music from The Kinks, Mott the Hoople, The Velvet Underground and Sonic Youth. Check out iTunes for more on that!
There’s been a lot of hype surrounding Juno, and as you probably know, it’s won quite a few awards already, including an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. Sometimes movies which do well at the awards ceremonies aren’t as good as you’d expect. But fear not, this isn’t one of those flicks. Catch it as soon as you can.
Nicola-Jane Ford is a 30-year old ‘chick’ who is the proud guardian of a fabulous cat and many pairs of equally fabulous shoes. She lives in (gorgeous) Cape Town and supports her love of red wine by working as a copywriter. She is the Assistant Reviews Editor here at All Things Girl
