I had the pleasure of seeing one of the SPOILER ALERT! top 5 best movies of 2007 last night. Juno! It was freakin’ hilarious and far better than I had even expected; and let’s be honest, my expectations were pretty high.
Juno, named after the beautiful wife of Zeus and NOT the town in Alaska, is a far cry from the most popular girl in school. She’s not a nerd, but more of a freak/geek hybrid in my opinion. However, her choice in men (boys) is quite peculiar. Played by Ellen Page (X-Men 3, Hard Candy) Juno brings a zest to the screen that is hard to describe. She’s almost like a less beautiful, more cut throat Veronica Mars with all of her witty banter and pointed comebacks. She is feisty to the core.
Juno and her best friend Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera from Super Bad) are bored one day and they decide to do the deed. Bleeker is a nerd, a hard core mama’s boy, but he’s always true to himself and that makes him endearing. But, their “sexual activity” leads to pregnancy and that’s where the story picks up…
Juno, being a sixteen year old student, decides to give the baby up for adoption to a nice family that she finds in the Penny Saver Coupon Clipper. That couple is played by Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner. Bateman’s character is likeable and he plays off of Ellen Page really well, but he never seems to give himself over to the role completely. Jennifer Garner was the only part of the film that I didn’t like. She comes off as cold and stuck-up even during parts of the film that she is supposed to be winning over the audience. Maybe I will just never be able to see her in any role besides Sydney Bristow.
There were funnier movies this year, including Knocked-Up, if you are rating on a laughs-per-minute ratio. However, none of the comedies, including Super Bad, had as much heart to go behind the jokes.
I don’t want to ruin any of the jokes here and so I am refraining from giving you direct quote. Just know that every word that comes out of Page’s mouth is funny. Sometimes the sarcasm is coming so fast that you have to spend a second reliving the scene to get everything put down that she slings.
The movie’s dialogue is very hip. Of course, on that same note, the dialogue is very square too. For example, Bleeker tells Juno at one point that he’s cheesed off. I can’t think of a worse word to describe being angry than cheesed. Of course that’s what makes you love Bleeker.
J.K. Simmons plays Juno’s father. From his role in the Spider-Man trilogy to playing Deputy Chief Brenda Lee Johnson’s boss on The Closer, he is always a riot on screen. It’s no different here. He and his wife played by Allison Janney do their best to accept the way things are and to help Juno through the pregnancy.
If you were a fan of last year’s Little Miss Sunshine, then Juno is one that you should add to your list. During this holiday season, with huge studio hits coming out like I Am Legend, Sweeny Todd, and Charlie Wilson’s War, please don’t forget to take some time and see the little movie that could.
MOVIE GRADE: A
Juno, named after the beautiful wife of Zeus and NOT the town in Alaska, is a far cry from the most popular girl in school. She’s not a nerd, but more of a freak/geek hybrid in my opinion. However, her choice in men (boys) is quite peculiar. Played by Ellen Page (X-Men 3, Hard Candy) Juno brings a zest to the screen that is hard to describe. She’s almost like a less beautiful, more cut throat Veronica Mars with all of her witty banter and pointed comebacks. She is feisty to the core.
Juno and her best friend Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera from Super Bad) are bored one day and they decide to do the deed. Bleeker is a nerd, a hard core mama’s boy, but he’s always true to himself and that makes him endearing. But, their “sexual activity” leads to pregnancy and that’s where the story picks up…
Juno, being a sixteen year old student, decides to give the baby up for adoption to a nice family that she finds in the Penny Saver Coupon Clipper. That couple is played by Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner. Bateman’s character is likeable and he plays off of Ellen Page really well, but he never seems to give himself over to the role completely. Jennifer Garner was the only part of the film that I didn’t like. She comes off as cold and stuck-up even during parts of the film that she is supposed to be winning over the audience. Maybe I will just never be able to see her in any role besides Sydney Bristow.
There were funnier movies this year, including Knocked-Up, if you are rating on a laughs-per-minute ratio. However, none of the comedies, including Super Bad, had as much heart to go behind the jokes.
I don’t want to ruin any of the jokes here and so I am refraining from giving you direct quote. Just know that every word that comes out of Page’s mouth is funny. Sometimes the sarcasm is coming so fast that you have to spend a second reliving the scene to get everything put down that she slings.
The movie’s dialogue is very hip. Of course, on that same note, the dialogue is very square too. For example, Bleeker tells Juno at one point that he’s cheesed off. I can’t think of a worse word to describe being angry than cheesed. Of course that’s what makes you love Bleeker.
J.K. Simmons plays Juno’s father. From his role in the Spider-Man trilogy to playing Deputy Chief Brenda Lee Johnson’s boss on The Closer, he is always a riot on screen. It’s no different here. He and his wife played by Allison Janney do their best to accept the way things are and to help Juno through the pregnancy.
If you were a fan of last year’s Little Miss Sunshine, then Juno is one that you should add to your list. During this holiday season, with huge studio hits coming out like I Am Legend, Sweeny Todd, and Charlie Wilson’s War, please don’t forget to take some time and see the little movie that could.
MOVIE GRADE: A
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