JUNO

RATING 4.5

(Director: Jason Reitman, PG-13, 92 min)

Juno (Ellen Page) decided it was time for her and her friend/boyfriend Bleeker (Michael Cera) to be sexually active and once was enough to get her pregnant. Her best friend Leah (Olivia Thirlby) is super supportive and together they find a solution to her "little problem" in a penny-saver ad.

Juno and Leah find a couple who desperately want to adopt a baby, Vanessa and Mark Loring (Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman). He’s cool and she really wants to be a mother. Juno makes this arrangement and then tells her parents (J.K. Simmons, Allison Janney). So now Juno is trying to cope with high school and growing enormously pregnant – which is not the best time to fall in love, but she’s getting good at multitasking.

You may not think teen pregnancy is a good choice to base a comedy on, but that’s what is so special about this movie. It takes very real situations and manages to find the humor - from the first, second and third pregnancy tests to the delivery room. It’s also tender, sweet, quirky, and did we mention hilarious. The soundtrack is as unique as the people.

Juno is glib and sarcastic and yeah, almost too cool, but that’s what is so terrific about her. She acts detached, but you get that there’s a real person under her tough exterior. And the movie never judges her for the decisions she makes. She’s surrounded by characters who surprise you.

There are a lot of TV actors on the big screen and they fill it with a realness - the chemistry between them gives every relationship genuine depth. You could make a case for a nomination for all the main characters; Ellen Page is one of the new young faces of Hollywood and she delivers one knockout performance after another – this is her best yet. Motherhood agrees with Jennifer Garner - she’s an ideal parent and warms your heart the more you get to know her, especially through Juno’s eyes. And a girl should only be so lucky to have J.K. for a dad; plus, Allison Janney is the best stepmom ever.

It’s hard to tell who deserves the most credit here – the writer for creating such wonderful dialog, the terrific actors made for these parts, or the director who choreographed it all and paced the film to perfection without a moment of wasted film. Juno you need to check this out.

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Movie Chick Cherryl:
"Juno has smart teenagers, smart parents, and comedy all in the same movie – it doesn’t happen often, so appreciate it while you’ve got the chance – 4.5"

Movie Chick Leigh Ann:
"Just like a pregnant teenager - this inspires whispering and pointing. Only difference is, this whisper says 'what a great movie' - 4.5"

Interview:
Jason Reitman - director