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Movie Review | 'Juno'

Seeking Mr. and Mrs. Right for a Baby on the Way

By A.O. Scott

• Dec. 5, 2007

Juno MacGuff, the title character of Jason Reitman’s new film, is 16 and pregnant, but “Juno” could not be further from the kind of hand-wringing, moralizing melodrama that such a condition might suggest. Juno, played by the poised, frighteningly talented Ellen Page , is too odd and too smart to be either a case study or the object of leering disapproval. She assesses her problem, and weighs her response to it, with disconcerting sang-froid.

It’s not that Juno treats her pregnancy as a joke, but rather that in the sardonic spirit of the screenwriter, Diablo Cody, she can’t help finding humor in it. Tiny of frame and huge of belly, Juno utters wisecracks as if they were breathing exercises, referring to herself as “the cautionary whale.”

At first her sarcasm is bracing and also a bit jarring — “Hello, I’d like to procure a hasty abortion,” she says when she calls a women’s health clinic — but as “Juno” follows her from pregnancy test to delivery room (and hastily retreats from the prospect of abortion), it takes on surprising delicacy and emotional depth. The snappy one-liners are a brilliant distraction, Ms. Cody’s way of clearing your throat for the lump you’re likely to find there in the movie’s last scenes.

The first time I saw “Juno,” I was shocked to find myself tearing up at the end, since I’d spent the first 15 minutes or so gnashing my teeth and checking my watch. The passive-aggressive pseudo-folk songs, the self-consciously clever dialogue, the generic, instantly mockable suburban setting — if you can find Sundance on a map, you’ll swear you’ve been here before.

But “Juno” (which played at the Telluride and Toronto film festivals, not the one in Park City, Utah) respects the idiosyncrasies of its characters rather than exaggerating them or holding them up for ridicule. And like Juno herself, the film outgrows its own mannerisms and defenses, evolving from a coy, knowing farce into a heartfelt, serious comedy.

A good deal of the credit for this goes to Ms. Page, a 20-year-old Canadian who is able to seem, in the space of a single scene, mature beyond her years and disarmingly childlike. The naïveté that peeks through her flippant, wised-up facade is essential, since part of the movie’s point is that Juno is not quite as smart or as capable as she thinks she is.

It’s not simply that she has impulsive, unprotected sex with her friend Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera), or that she decides, against the advice of parents and friends, to have the baby and give it up for adoption. These, indeed, are choices she is prepared to defend and to live with. Rather, Juno’s immaturity resides in her familiar adolescent assumption that she understands the world better than her elders do, and that she can finesse the unintended consequences of her decisions.

The grown-ups, at first, seem like familiar caricatures of adolescent-centered cinema: square, sad and clueless. But Juno’s father (J. K. Simmons) and step-mother (Allison Janney) turn out to be complicated, intelligent people, too, and not just because they are played by two of the best character actors around. Ms. Cody’s script and Mr. Reitman’s understated, observant direction allow the personalities of the characters to emerge slowly, and to change in credible and unpredictable ways.

This is especially true of Mark (Jason Bateman) and Vanessa (Jennifer Garner), the baby’s potential adoptive parents. The audience’s initial impression of them, like Juno’s, is of stereotypically smug yuppies trapped in rickety conventions of heterosexual domesticity. Vanessa is uptight and materialistic, while Mark tends the guttering flame of his youthful hipness, watching cult horror movies and trading alternative-rock mix CDs with Juno.

Juno is, on the surface at least, a familiar type, surrounding herself with and expressing herself by means of kitschy consumer detritus (she calls the clinic on a hamburger phone) and pop cultural ephemera. She could be the hero of a Judd Apatow comedy (like, say, Mr. Cera, the boneless wonder of “Superbad” and a purely delightful presence here). Except, of course, that she’s female. Ms. Cody, Mr. Reitman and Ms. Page have conspired, intentionally or not, to produce a feminist, girl-powered rejoinder and complement to “Knocked Up.” Despite what most products of the Hollywood comedy boys’ club would have you believe, it is possible to possess both a uterus and a sense of humor.

“Juno” also shares with “Knocked Up” an underlying theme, a message that is not anti-abortion but rather pro-adulthood. It follows its heroine — and by the end she has earned that title — on a twisty path toward responsibility and greater self-understanding.

This is the course followed by most coming-of-age stories, though not many are so daring in their treatment of teenage pregnancy, which this film flirts with presenting not just as bearable but attractive. Kids, please! Heed the cautionary whale. But in the meantime, have a good time at “Juno.” Bring your parents, too.

“Juno” is, somewhat remarkably, rated PG-13 (Parents strongly cautioned). It has sexual situations, obviously, but no nudity or violence and not much swearing.

Opens today in New York and Los Angeles.

Directed by Jason Reitman; written by Diablo Cody; director of photography, Eric Steelberg; edited by Dana E. Glauberman; music by Mateo Messina; production designer, Steve Saklad; produced by Lianne Halfon, John Malkovich, Mason Novick and Russell Smith; released by Fox Searchlight Pictures. Running time: 1 hour 31 minutes.

WITH: Ellen Page (Juno MacGuff), Michael Cera (Paulie Bleeker), Jennifer Garner (Vanessa Loring), Jason Bateman (Mark Loring), Allison Janney (Bren MacGuff), J. K. Simmons (Mac MacGuff) and Olivia Thirlby (Leah).

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Common sense media reviewers.

Brilliant teen-pregnancy comedy, but iffy for kids.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Teens engage in premarital sex and don't appear to

Despite her jaded exterior, Juno is intelligent, r

Nothing but verbal sparring.

Plenty of talk -- this is, after all, a movie abou

Language is colorful (lots of variations on the wo

Juno drinks from a bottle of Sunny D (label clearl

Discussion of both drinking and taking drugs, but

Parents need to know that Juno is a well-written, warmhearted comedy that tackles a serious subject: teen pregnancy. It has real bite, as well as frank sex talk and some swearing, which makes it iffy for younger viewers. But there's plenty here to appeal to older teens -- not the least of which is Superbad…

Positive Messages

Teens engage in premarital sex and don't appear to treat their virginity very seriously. Serious issues like abortion are treated with irreverence. But little of it feels disrespectful; rather, it appears to reflect a general sense of hyperawareness among today's teens.

Positive Role Models

Despite her jaded exterior, Juno is intelligent, resilient, and resourceful and ultimately acts out of concern and love. Her parents are supportive, even though they're also disappointed.

Violence & Scariness

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Plenty of talk -- this is, after all, a movie about a teenager who gets pregnant -- but little is seen onscreen. There are flashes of a 16-year-old's bare legs and hints that she and her partner have removed their underwear, but there's no real nudity (though the boy takes his shirt off, the girl keeps hers on). Words like "humping" are bandied about to discuss hookups, some of which are described as "magnificent." A young couple kisses tenderly.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Language is colorful (lots of variations on the words "s--t," as well as uses of "a--hole," "bastard," and "dick")creative ("f--ketty"), and frequent. Juno flashes the finger once.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Juno drinks from a bottle of Sunny D (label clearly visible); mentions of Smirnoff Ice, Boons, Adderall, Sonic Youth, Pellegrino, and Vitamin water. Much swooning over guitar brands like Les Paul and Fender.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Discussion of both drinking and taking drugs, but no glimpses of actual use of either. Juno mentions selling her Adderall (an ADD drug).

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Juno is a well-written, warmhearted comedy that tackles a serious subject: teen pregnancy. It has real bite, as well as frank sex talk and some swearing, which makes it iffy for younger viewers. But there's plenty here to appeal to older teens -- not the least of which is Superbad 's Michael Cera , who co-stars. Unlike a lot of teen-centric Hollywood fare, the film doesn't condescend. Even its treatment of teen pregnancy, which may appear cavalier at first, comes across as sensitive and mature in the end. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

• Parents say (24)
• Kids say (129)

Based on 24 parent reviews

mixed feelings

What a piece of trash, what's the story.

JUNO's 16-year-old protagonist, Juno MacGuff ( Elliot Page ), is a handful: She's mouthy and opinionated, disdains authority, thinks she knows everything, pops ADD drug Adderall, and has casual sex. And if she has to take on pregnancy to complete her journey into adulthood, then so be it. After a tryst with best friend Paulie ( Michael Cera ) gets her knocked up, Juno weighs her options and decides to have the baby -- not so she can keep it, but so she can make another couple happy. Picking the right candidates doesn't take too long; she finds Yuppie pair Mark and Vanessa Loring's ( Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner ) ad in the PennySaver. After one visit, she's convinced they're the perfect grown-ups. But while Juno wrestles with how she truly feels about the experience and -- equally importantly -- about Paulie, it's clear that the adults she thinks have it all figured out may be just as lost as she is.

Is It Any Good?

Credit Page for her pitch-perfect performance as a maverick teen who's so unlike many of her peers and yet very much like them, too. Sixteen-year-old Juno is a mouthy handful, yet she's also smart and soulful, warm and witty, and she actively searches for answers -- which makes her a refreshing character amid many other movies' disinterested, disaffected teens. She's cut from Gilmore Girls cloth, older than her years but still unsure of her direction. The beauty of the movie is how relationships that initially seem clear-cut -- Juno and her parents, Juno and Vanessa, Juno and Mark, Mark and Vanessa and, finally, Juno and Paulie -- grow more complex and, as a result, more fascinating. For all her bravado, it's soon apparent that Juno really is still a kid when she tells her father, "I don't really know what kind of girl I am." She's been so distant and sardonic -- she says things like "I'm a legend. They call me the cautionary whale" -- that when she breaks down, it's all the more moving.

The rest of the cast is also strong. Jason Bateman is stupendous, and in fact, everyone appears to be on their best game. Screenwriter Diablo Cody's dialogue snaps and scores; her people sound and feel real but are infinitely more interesting than we are. The only quibble, and it's a small one, may be that Juno sometimes feels self-consciously cool. But if that's all there is to offend, then may moviegoers have more "offensive" films like this in their future.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about teen sex and pregnancy. Can you think of other movies and TV shows that have tackled these subjects? How does this film approach the topics differently?

Does Juno's journey seem realistic? What about how she handles her situation? Do you think things would be likely to work out similarly in real life?

What are your family's beliefs about teen sex ? Are teens and parents in agreement or not?

Movie Details

• In theaters : December 5, 2007
• On DVD or streaming : April 15, 2008
• Cast : Elliot Page , Jason Bateman , Michael Cera
• Director : Jason Reitman
• Inclusion Information : Non-Binary actors, Queer actors, Transgender actors
• Studio : Fox Searchlight
• Genre : Comedy
• Run time : 92 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG-13
• MPAA explanation : mature thematic material, sexual content and language.
• Last updated : March 19, 2024

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‘juno’: film review.

Detonates wisecracks every step of the way, yet never completely disguises the fact that this is a comedy from a couple of moralists determined to portray the great human values in love and friendship.

By Kirk Honeycutt

Kirk Honeycutt

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Actually, all performances are sharp, which shows what can happen when actors get to play characters and deliver lines that bristle with originality. Cody certainly knows how to write scenes that move off center as she creates a world of teens, high school and suburban families that looks typical yet is anything but.

Juno MacGuff (Page) is a supersmart, cool 16-year-old (named after Zeus’ wife), whose single experimentation with sex with her best male friend, Paulie (a touching Michael Cera), results in pregnancy. After visiting an abortion clinic “to procure a hasty abortion,” she thinks better of the idea and falls back on Plan B.

She decides to have the baby and place it with a family through private adoption. She finds the perfect couple in the local Penny Saver, right next to exotic pet adoptions. These are Vanessa (Jennifer Grant) and Mark (Jason Bateman). All this legwork comes before reporting her situation and solution, at the urging of best friend Leah (Olivia Thirlby), to her parents.

The thing about Juno is that she is much older than her years and must see to everyone, especially her baby’s new parents. She develops a rapport with Mark through music — he turns out to be a composer of commercial jingles — and horror flicks. “You have the best taste in slasher movies!” she enthuses.

But all is not right in the couple’s relationship. This makes her despair, not only for her baby but for herself in the future. Do all relationships — her mother essentially abandoned her — fizzle and die? She takes another look at Paulie, the boy she left behind who has come to love her.

The dialogue, especially coming from the teens, has a hip eloquence, coining phrases and juxtaposing arresting though sometimes corny images that startle the ear. Juno’s fetus is described as a “sea monkey.” She doesn’t just need to piss but to “pee like Seabiscuit.” She declares everyone at school sees her teen pregnancy as “a cautionary whale.”

This may sound rather coy, but Cody’s dialogue has a definite rhythm and Reitman directs his actors to deliver the words in the rapid-fire precision of a ’30s screwball comedy. Indeed all scenes develop a rhythm and inner logic that bring the movie to often startling revelations and insights.

Thirlby and Cera are refreshing in their roles as kids with smarts. When Juno tells Paulie he can be cool without really trying, he admits, in one of the movie’s best lines, that he actually tries very hard.

The Canadian production presents a slightly idealized, maybe a bit stylized suburbia, in which this odd yet endearing triumph of comic smartness can take place.

(This review was written for the 2007 Toronto film festival screening of Juno .)

Fox Searchlight Mandate Pictures/Mr. Mudd Credits: Director: Jason Reitman Writer: Diablo Cody Producers: Lianne Halfon, John Malkovich, Russell Smith, Mason Novick Executive producers: Joe Drake, Nathan Kahane, Daniel Dubiecki Director of photography: Eric Steelberg Production designer: Steven Saklad Costume designer: Monique Prudhomme Music: Mateo Messina Songs by: Kimya Dawson Editor: Dana Glauberman Cast: Juno: Ellen Page Paulie: Michael Cera Mark: Jason Bateman Vanessa: Jennifer Garner Leah: Olivia Thirlby Dad: J.K. Simmons Bren: Allison Janney Running time — 95 minutes MPAA rating: PG-13

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A naked Nicole Kidman was once famously described as "pure theatrical Viagra"; in this thoroughly delightful teen comedy, the fully clothed Ellen Page is pure cinematic Prozac. With its smart dialogue by newcomer Diablo Cody and a miraculously effective and evocative lo-fi soundtrack, the film has the ephemeral charm of a great pop song.

Page plays Juno MacGuff, a hyper-articulate 16-year-old who has cultivated sarky irony to insulate her against the pain and awfulness of being a teenager. In a spirit of experiment she has had sex for the first time with Paulie (Michael Cera), with whom she was once in a band. Paulie was also surrendering his virginity, or as Juno puts it, "going live". As ill fortune would have it, Juno gets pregnant the first time out, and is catapulted in a world of genuine grown-up experience to match and exceed her super-cool mannerisms. Unable to express his deeply hurt and confused feelings, Paulie shrugs and lets Juno do what she wants, and she decides to keep the baby and find a couple for adoption. This turns out to be the uptight yuppies Mark (Jason Bateman) and Vanessa (Jennifer Garner). Mark is a cool composer with a guitar collection, secretly unreconciled to fatherhood; inevitably he begins a dangerous flirtation with Juno, whose baby threatens to destroy the marriage it was intended to complete, and to undermine Juno's own future in ways she had not begun to imagine.

It may be that like Judd Apatow's comedy Knocked Up, Juno will be criticised for neglecting to endorse abortion, or to reflect that this is the option that is the most tenable in real life. In this paper, Hadley Freeman recently wrote an insightful article, noting that Juno is not the product of an anti-abortion culture, but one which has taken abortion for granted. Absolutely right. But this needn't mean abortion rights are being slighted; it would be a relief to see a culture in which, say, evolution was taken for granted.

Juno is a fiction with irresistible charm and wit and Page carries everything before her, creating a character with a powerful sense of right and wrong, an overwhelming belief in monogamy, and a nascent talent for leadership.

The film owes its power to Ellen Page's lovely performance and to Cody's funny script, which treats the subject of status with shrewdness and compassion. If women all too often find status only in the dangerous and expendable commodity of sexual attractiveness, then in getting pregnant, Juno would seem to have catastrophically abandoned this one tiny prerogative, and looked stupid into the bargain. Yet she finds that, as a pregnant woman, she is the centre of attention, and in offering her child for adoption, she has dizzying power over rich adults. It is a power that gives her insight and clarity, and humbles her elders. Like I said: this film is a happy pill.

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Juno Reviews

Fifteen years after its release, Juno still holds up as one of the funniest movies released in the early 2000s even as it plays differently in 2022.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/5 | Dec 5, 2022

The Oscar-winning screenplay by Diablo Cody ricochets with askew dialogue but under the cleverness is a very human story of growing up

Full Review | Mar 20, 2022

The stripper-turned-screenwriter Diablo Cody can be credited with much of the film's enduring genius.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/5 | Jun 25, 2021

Just like the much-lauded [Little Miss Sunshine] from the previous year, the background (and surface) of this film is deeply reactionary. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Nov 2, 2020

I'm sitting here the next morning at my computer writing a review and I can't stop laughing and crying and remembering scenes.

Full Review | Original Score: 4.0/4.0 | Sep 13, 2020

Tremendous credit must be given to fledging screenwriter Cody...

Full Review | May 26, 2020

A smart and very funny indie comedy that features a razor-sharp screenplay and an outstanding cast.

Full Review | Original Score: A | Oct 29, 2019

As directed by Jason Reitman, the movie builds from sitcom setups to wistful payoffs.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/4 | Oct 25, 2019

Whereas most people have seen charm and wit, I saw self conscious quirkiness and an excessive smugness that I found off-putting.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Jul 6, 2019

One of my all time favorite films. Diablo Cody's writing is brilliant along with all the performances

Full Review | Original Score: 10/10 | Jun 17, 2019

Ellen Page is so wonderful and full of heart as Juno and the emotional journey she goes on is powerful.

Full Review | Original Score: 10/10 | Feb 28, 2019

A smart yet sensitive film, more a coming-of-age drama with believable American youngsters rather than TV-perfect Beverly Hills types...

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Jan 29, 2019

Just a lovely, lovely film which asks for nothing.

Full Review | Aug 23, 2018

A bouncing baby that seems destined to grow into a classic.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Oct 14, 2012

Full Review | Original Score: B+ | Feb 18, 2012

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Nov 18, 2011

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Nov 17, 2011

Sadly, while Juno may be able to carry a big bun in her oven, this film can't quite bear the heavy burden of expectation so well.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jul 14, 2011

Indie film has the same success rate as Hollywood spectacle and for the same reason--reliance on well worn stereotypes and cliché--but it's the good stuff that comes along that makes all the dreck worth sitting through. Juno is the good stuff.

Full Review | Original Score: 8/10 | Mar 29, 2011

Director Jason Reitman carefully weaves the films eccentricities along with its progressive tone to create an amusing and informative - if not flawed - comedy.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Jul 6, 2010

The Movie Review: 'Juno'

And Juno , directed by Jason Reitman, is simply too good a movie to be watched on anything other than its own terms. Fierce without being cruel, sweet without becoming saccharine, and never short of hilarious, it's not only the best comedy of the year, but one of the best films, period.

The title character (played by Ellen Page) is a sharp, sardonic high-school junior who, after a somewhat offhand carnal encounter with her best friend, Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera), finds herself unexpectedly pregnant. Her girlfriend Leah (Olivia Thirlby) suggests it may be a false alarm--"It's probably just a food baby. Did you have a big lunch?"--but a series of over-the-counter pregnancy tests confirms the fetal reality.

Juno's initial thoughts turn to abortion, but a visit to a clinic where the receptionist asks her to catalogue "every score and every sore" soon has her checking ads in the Pennysaver for couples seeking to adopt. And so, with the support of her dad (J. K. Simmons) and stepmom (Allison Janney), she tracks down a well-off suburban couple, the Lorings, eager for her baby.

Seasons change, and so does the size of Juno's belly. She gets to know the Lorings better: sweet but maternally desperate Vanessa (Jennifer Garner) and--especially--wry, boyish Mark (Jason Bateman). Mark is a former would-be rock musician-turned-composer of what he describes as "more commercial stuff"--"Like what?" Juno asks. "Commercials," he explains--and Juno takes to hanging out with him while his wife is away at work, bonding over her precocious appreciation of Iggy Pop and Dario Argento.

Just as the story appears to be headed toward a distasteful liaison, though, it veers in a more humane direction, one that allows for irresponsibility and disappointment without venturing into Social Services territory. Indeed, one of the great pleasures of Juno is that it is able to distinguish between a bad situation (being 16 years old and pregnant) and truly unhappy circumstances: Juno's parents are disappointed but not disapproving; the Lorings, while not quite as they first appear, never slip into callous caricature; and Paulie Bleeker is everything, I imagine, you would want in the teenage father of your unintended child. Juno herself, moreover, wastes no time on self-pity: Even her moment of greatest despair is an unselfish one, occasioned not by her own predicament but by the worry that it may be impossible for any two people to beat the odds and remain in love.

This generosity of spirit is Juno 's most pleasant surprise. Early on, the film seems as though it may amount to little more than a series of ironic jibes, especially during the somewhat off-key scene in which a drug-store cashier (Rainn Wilson of The Office ) sells Juno a series of dubious quips ("fertile Myrtle," "your Eggo is preggo") along with her pregnancy tests. But it soon settles into a rhythm in which even the sharpest jokes--say, Paulie applying Speed Stick to his inner thighs in preparation for a jog while the Kinks' "A Well-Respected Man" plays in the background--are pitched in an endearing key.

The obvious comparison is with Judd Apatow's recent oeuvre, and plenty of people are already describing the movie as Knocked Up from a girl's perspective. But even though Juno 's accidental parents are about a decade younger than Apatow's, a better description might be Knocked Up from an adult perspective. Juno recognizes that some overgrown boys never really do make their peace with maturity, and may, in fact, actively choose to go the other way. There are no convenient shifts of character or improbable attractions required to reach its happy ending: It's all right there from the beginning, waiting to unfold.

Given the performers involved, it's hardly a surprise that the cast is uniformly terrific. Simmons and Janney deliver their customary excellence as Juno's parents, with the latter given the opportunity to display a little protective ferocity on her stepdaughter's behalf. Bateman is effortlessly persuasive as the perhaps-a-little-too-hip adoptive dad, and Garner does an exceptional job of humanizing the at-first inhumanly rigid would-be mom. Michael Cera continues to get more mileage out of a pause or awkward glance than any other actor of his, or perhaps any, generation. (But take note, fellow Arrested Development fanatics: He and Bateman don't share any scenes.) And Page, who starred in Hard Candy before this, is a true find--smart, poised, in control of every scene without ever dominating one. Director Reitman demonstrates again (as he did with the underrated Thank You for Smoking ) that the surest way to dispel any thoughts of nepotism (his father is Ivan ) is to firmly establish your own excellence. As for Diablo Cody, her script is a gem. Come to whatever conclusions you wish about her vivid persona--but see the movie first.

This post originally appeared at TNR.com.

I Just Rewatched Juno — Here's How It Holds Up In A Post- Roe World

Some critics have deemed the film anti-choice, but it's a bit more nuanced than that.

Let's go back in time to late 2007, when a fictional precocious pregnant teen named Juno won over the hearts of moviegoers everywhere. I was the exact target demographic for the Oscar-winning indie hit, as I'd just finished up my first semester of freshman year at a liberal arts school filled with Juno MacGuff-like hipsters when it hit the big screen.

Though I never quite had her signature tongue-in-cheek vocabulary or an unplanned teen pregnancy to contend with, I was curious to see how Juno holds up now that it's as old as the teen characters in the film, particularly with regards to how it handled abortion — especially in a post- Roe world , when safe and equitable abortion access is becoming increasingly unavailable to patients across the country.

A Quick Recap

Juno stars Elliot Page as the titular character who finds herself unexpectedly pregnant at 16 after one awkward sexual encounter with her crush, Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera). She opts to have an abortion at first, changing her mind when she crosses a fellow classmate protesting at the abortion clinic proclaiming that "All babies want to get borned!" The classmate also tells Juno that her baby has both a heartbeat and fingernails — despite knowing nothing about how far along Juno is in her pregnancy — prompting her to run out of the clinic before having the procedure done.

With the support of her best friend, Juno tells her dad and stepmom (J.K. Simmons and Allison Janney) that she's planning to give the baby up for adoption and has found the perfect couple, Mark and Vanessa (Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner — side note: I'd forgotten how stacked with talent this movie is).

Vanessa clearly longs for a baby, but Mark's apprehension becomes apparent pretty quickly. Without spoiling a movie 16 years after its release, the ending is unexpected, heartfelt, and more sugary than the massive jug of Sunny Delight Juno downs at the start of the movie to make herself pee for multiple pregnancy tests.

Cultural Touchpoints

Though teen pregnancy has been a topic in movies and TV shows for decades, it's worth mentioning the point in culture at which Juno was released in order to understand the framework set by the story. Juno came out six months after Knocked Up — which famously didn't even offer abortion as an option for the pregnant lead character — and on the heels of shows like The Secret Life of the American Teenager and 16 and Pregnant , which ranged from thinly veiled pro-life messaging (the former) and exploitative voyeurism (the latter).

Coincidentally, the moral panic of teen pregnancy hit a fever pitch the week of Juno's theatrical release. Days before the movie's premiere, Jamie Lynn Spears, then 16, announced she was pregnant with her first child, ushering a tabloid frenzy that dominated headlines for months. At the time, the teen pregnancy rate in the U.S. was also on the rise , making the film culturally relevant in more ways than one.

The Test of Time

If you can get past the fact that Juno is aggressively 2007 in its styling, quirky-by-design dialogue, and painfully twee soundtrack, what remains is a hilarious and heartfelt coming-of-age story worth revisiting in present-day times.

That said, there's plenty of cringe, including a xenophobic remark: Juno telling her prospective adoptive parents they "should've gone to China" because "they give away babies like free iPods." There's also some casual slut-shaming, such as when Juno's (mostly) well-meaning dad tells her he didn't think she was "that kind of girl." Her ultrasound technician also slut-shames her, but Juno's stepmom and best friend swiftly come to her defense.

The film also doesn't adequately address the predatory vibes given off by Mark, the prospective adoptive father, who hits on 16-year-old Juno pretty heavily every time he's not under the watchful eye of his wife. Mark is treated as the villain in the story, but not for hitting on a child — instead for being an unsupportive husband.

The Abortion Question

As for how the film handles abortion, it seems up for interpretation. One could argue that Juno exercised autonomy over her body by choosing to carry out her pregnancy and fulfill the dreams of someone longing for a child. You could also argue that she decided to go ahead with her pregnancy not of her own free will but out of fear after what her protesting classmate said to her at the clinic. Of course, Juno would be an entirely different film if she had gone through with an abortion.

All in all, it's an incredibly realistic portrayal of how a teenager might feel in the face of an unexpected pregnancy: overwhelmed and easily swayed by the messages they're receiving from those around them. The scene at the abortion clinic is also painfully accurate — the M.O. of pro-life protesters is to be coercive and manipulative towards pregnant patients who might be in an incredibly vulnerable state.

Elliot Page and Diablo Cody's Thoughts

In 2022, Juno marked its 15-year anniversary. In separate interviews, Page and Diablo Cody, the film's screenwriter, reflected on their experiences and how they feel about it now. Page told Esquire that he felt uncomfortable around the film's release due to his gender dysphoria, and that being forced to wear dresses at promotional events "literally did almost kill" him.

Page acknowledged that "people, especially teenage girls, really responded to" the character of Juno, adding, "I wish I could go back and experience it now. As me."

Cody is less forgiving in her reflection, telling The Hollywood Reporter she "never intended the movie as any kind of political statement at all." At the time, it simply had never occurred to her that her "reproductive rights could be in danger."

"I am emphatically pro-choice and have been my entire life. And it is important to me to make that clear," she added. "I can understand why people would misunderstand the movie. Looking back at it, I can see how it could be perceived as anti-choice. And that horrifies me."

She continued, "Back in 2008, I got a letter from some administrator at my Catholic high school thanking me for writing a movie that was in line with the school's values. And I was like: 'What have I done?' My objective as an artist is to be a traitor to that culture, not to uplift it."

In fact, it was Cody's Catholic upbringing that inspired her to write the abortion clinic scene, but she said "the last thing I would ever want is for someone to interpret the movie as anti-choice. That is a huge paranoia of mine."

Though Cody herself might not revisit the film, it certainly has re-watch value if you need a hefty dose of saccharine nostalgia. Here's hoping the complexities of abortion and unplanned pregnancy can continue to be tackled in a way that is sensitive to the topics and understanding of the nuances, without shame or judgment, no matter someone's choice. (And yes, every pregnant person should have the freedom to choose what they do with their own body, no matter what certain lawmakers think.)

I also still kind of want a hamburger phone , so there's that, too.

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• DVD & Streaming
• Comedy , Drama

Content Caution

In Theaters

• Ellen Page as Juno MacGuff; Michael Cera as Paulie Bleeker; Jennifer Garner as Vanessa Loring; Jason Bateman as Mark Loring; J.K. Simmons as Mac MacGuff; Allison Janney as Bren MacGuff; Olivia Thirby as Leah; Rainn Wilson as Rollo

Home Release Date

• Jason Reitman

Distributor

• Fox Searchlight

Movie Review

Juno is the story of how the 16-year-old title character and her best friend, Paulie Bleeker, start dating. First they’re friends. Then they have a baby. Then they decide to go out.

The journey, which is primarily Juno’s, takes her from a convenience store bathroom stall, where she takes her pregnancy test, through nine months of ups and downs. Telling her other best friend, Leah, about her pregnancy. Telling her parents. Weathering strange side effects like “heartburn radiating to [her] knees.” Ultrasounds. Growing out of her clothes. Not getting asked to prom.

After a brief stop at an abortion clinic—which Juno decides is not for her—she sets about finding adoptive parents for her baby. She chooses Mark and Vanessa Loring, a yuppie couple with a huge house in the suburbs. Vanessa is a high-strung career woman. Mark is an aspiring musician. They’ve got their own set of issues.

Shouldering the quirky mix of utter cluelessness and the premature maturity that teenage pregnancy brings, Juno keeps Mark and Vanessa in the loop about doctor appointments and the baby’s health. And that leads to a deepening, sometimes awkward, relationship between this young mom and her baby’s future parents.

Positive Elements

Juno’s initial plan in response to finding out she’s pregnant is to “nip it in the bud.” “I hear that pregnancy can often lead to an infant,” she tells Paulie, and goes on to let him know that she’ll put an end to it. But when she arrives at the abortion clinic, which is meant to represent a Planned Parenthood-type operation, she can’t go through with it. Her decision is impulsive, rather than well-reasoned; nonetheless, her story ends up supporting the choices of both life and adoption. One of the strongest contributing elements of that message is the ultrasound footage that clearly shows a baby to be growing inside Juno.

Juno’s father and stepmother respond pretty well to her announcement that she’s pregnant. At first, they joke to each other that they’d rather she’d told them that she was expelled from school or on hard drugs, but they both move quickly into roles of support and responsibility, going with her to visit the Lorings, being present for her ultrasound and providing emotional support.

Juno’s growing relationship with her father is particularly touching, as represented by a scene in which he gives her advice on finding lasting love. Somewhat peevishly, but still wisely, Juno’s stepmom tries to teach her daughter the value of hedges when it comes to single girls’ friendships with married men.

Dismayed by the number of people she knows who are in broken relationships or being hurt by them, Juno rages against divorce.

Spiritual Elements

Juno’s response to the positive pregnancy test (actually, it’s the third positive she’s gotten in one day) is to say, “That little pink plus sign is so unholy.” She has a sticker in her school locker that shows a cross inside a circle with a slash across it. She says that her name came from her dad’s temporary obsession with Greek mythology in general and Zeus’ wife Juno in particular.

Trying to convince Juno not to abort, a teenage protester at the clinic tells her, “God appreciates your miracle.” Speaking of Juno’s decision to give the baby up for adoption, her stepmom says, “Someone else is going to find a precious blessing from Jesus in this garbage dump of a situation.” Her tone is not necessarily mocking, but neither does it come off as completely sincere.

Explaining that she doesn’t want an open adoption, Juno jokingly compares her baby’s adoption to that of Moses in Egypt and asks, “Can’t we just, like, kick this old school?” Mark responds, “That would be kickin’ it Old Testament.”

Sexual Content

During Paulie and Juno’s sexual encounter, audiences see his bare legs and chest as he sits in a chair, then sees her panties drop to the floor as she moves toward him. (She is still wearing her T-shirt.) Their faces—and particularly his expressions—are shown as she sits atop him. The scene is very brief, but is repeated a couple of times later in the film. Juno tells Leah that having sex with Paulie was “premeditated,” but denies that she’s in love with him, saying instead that “it’s complicated.”

Far more prevalent than sexual scenes is Juno ‘s sexual dialogue. Mostly, it’s teenage slang for sex, genitalia and all things pregnancy-related—and we’re talking dozens and dozens of phrases here.

Less disturbing, and understandably present in a movie about having a baby, is medical dialogue about pregnancy and the female anatomy. These conversations are fairly rare and mild.

A health teacher is shown demonstrating to students how to put a condom on a banana. A comment is made about a student who is “into teachers.” A visual reference implies masturbation. Juno talks about liking to watch runners “bounce” inside their shorts—while the camera zooms in and slows things down so moviegoers can see what she means. In her search for adoptive parents, Juno briefly entertains the idea of giving her baby to “a couple of lesbos.” She sits on the toilet taking a pregnancy test. (The brand of the test she’s taking is “Teen Wave.”) Actor Rainn Wilson’s memorable line from the movie trailer comes next, in response to Juno shaking the positive test: “That ain’t no Etch A Sketch. This is one doodle that can’t be undid, homeskillet.”

Violent Content

Juno briefly entertains the idea of hanging herself. But her “suicide attempt” is aided only by a licorice rope, so it’s pretty clear that it’s not serious. When she goes to tell her dad and stepmom about her pregnancy, she prefaces the announcement with, “It would be freakin’ sweet if no one hit me.” Their gracious (if somewhat stunned) reaction quickly shows that her disclaimer was unnecessary.

After Juno meets the Lorings, she and Mark bond over a common love of music and horror films. One gory scene they watch shows a woman being impaled by a thick post.

Crude or Profane Language

The f-word pops up once, and the s-word nearly a dozen times. As noted, euphemisms and slang for sex and sex organs fly freely. There’s also frank discussion of the strange effects that pregnancy has on the body and bodily functions. In addition, God’s name is misused a handful of times and Jesus’ once. Another dozen milder profanities and an obscene gesture round out the parade.

Drug and Alcohol Content

Juno jokes to Mark and Vanessa, “I drink tons of booze, so you might end up with one of those scary neuter babies with no junk [genitals].” She also teasingly offers to sell some of her Adderall (medication for ADHD) to a classmate. Vanessa drinks wine to relax in the midst of a difficult situation.

Other Negative Elements

Juno sometimes shows disrespect for her parents. An abortion protester—though her words help Juno decide not to abort—is portrayed as ignorant and inarticulate.

Mark and Vanessa represent the damage our culture has done to healthy identification with male and female roles. Vanessa is driven and controlling to the point of being neurotic. Mark is aimless and lacks ambition. He’s stuck in adolescence, not ready to be a father. And he lives in their house as if he’s a guest on Vanessa’s turf. [ Spoiler Warning ] What’s worse, the filmmakers leave them in exactly the state they started in. Neither of them grows up—or learns to love and serve the other. Before the baby is born, Mark and Vanessa divorce because he “has some things he still wants to do.” Basically, he doesn’t want to be tied down by a family. Juno decides that Vanessa is still the best parenting option for the baby, despite the woman’s emotional unhealthiness.

As Juno, Ellen Page is completely adorable. And wow, can the girl talk! She leads the cast through 92 minutes of rapid-fire repartee. (Think Gilmore Girls on prenatal vitamins.) Audiences have to stay on their toes to keep up, and even then, if they’re unfamiliar with what the film’s screenwriter Diablo Cody calls “teen speak,” they’re still likely to get left behind.

Speaking of teens, Juno is—if nothing else—a telling inside perspective on the new teenage sexuality (or at least the world’s version of it). All the old rules are out the window. Sex is just as likely to happen between best friends (or even near-strangers) as it is between those who are seriously dating. And having sex isn’t necessarily a precursor to the deepening of commitment. It’s just one of many complications to be factored in as teens are defining their relationships. Pregnancy, likewise, doesn’t carry the social stigma it used to. Which is not to say that Juno makes it out to be a breeze. It’s clear that the heroine is in over her head at times—but the film is über-careful not to judge any of the moral decisions made by any of its characters.

This deliberate moral relativism is also the reason why the film comes off as mildly—almost accidentally—pro-life and pro-adoption, rather than decisively so.

As a snapshot of adolescent culture—complete with crude language— Juno offers a conversation-inspiring perspective to adults who care for teens. Is this really the way things are now? Can anything be done about it? Those questions aren’t exactly posed in the film, but they’re sure to arise in the minds of some viewers afterwards.

For teens themselves, though, who are already swimming in the culture, Juno will only reinforce the complete lack of a moral compass.

Lindy Keffer

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Movie Review: Juno (2007)

• General Disdain
• Movie Reviews
• 5 responses
• --> January 16, 2008

I’m late with the movie review, I know. I’ve resisted seeing Juno because I had trouble visualizing a female Napoleon Dynamite -like character. Could the bizarre, backwards character immortalized by Jon Heder be improved upon? Should it even have been attempted? The answers to those questions are: It certainly can be improved upon (most everything can be); and No, it shouldn’t have been attempted, but I’m glad Jason Reitman took the chance. He’s made his poppa, Ivan Reitman, proud with this dark comedy.

It turns out, Juno is a marvelously told story and I shouldn’t have waited so long to see it. It’s about a odd, smarter-beyond-her-years (which makes her an outcast), 16-year old girl, Juno MacGuff (Ellen Page) who, in a moment of weakness, gets herself pregnant by pencil-thin, track star Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera). Acting with nonchalance, which is how she generally carriers herself, she seeks to undo the deed quietly, by getting an abortion. That plan goes to hell – she claims it’s because of little aggravations (the clinic smells, old magazines in the waiting room) but it’s clear the real reason is because she learns fetuses have fingernails and beating hearts. It’s our first glimpse through her wise-ass exterior. Plan B, is to have the baby and find adoptive parents. After gaining the confidence of her friend, Leah (Olivia Thirby), she musters the courage to tell her parents Mac (J.K. Simmons) and Bren (Allison Janney). With their support and 30 seconds of searching through the local Penny Saver newspaper, she settles upon Mark and Vanessa Loring (Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner), a young, yuppie couple from a town far removed from her own.

With the cast of characters solidified, we follow Juno through her pregnancy (marked by 4 seasonal Acts). Reitman deftly captures breakout moments that bring us closer to the hearts of the young girl and her immediate support network. Several scenes really standout – her first ultrasound, where it finally hits her that there is a life in her body and where her mom steadfastly defends her against a holier-than-thou technician; the seemingly inappropriate meetings with Mark, where it becomes apparent that Juno is actually more of an adult than he is; the moment when Vanessa coaxes the baby to kick for her; and when Juno finally realizes she has deeper feelings for Paulie and he reciprocates. Connecting these moments is the razor-sharp writing by first-time screenwriter Diablo Cody and one hell of a catchy soundtrack consisting mostly of indie/folk music performed by Kimya Dawson.

But the standout of Juno is Ellen Page, who acts well-beyond her years. I can’t fathom how her performance here doesn’t garner her an Oscar nomination. The role of the cool, indifferent Juno MacGuff would certainly have been unlikable and would have floundered without Ellen’s instincts and comedic timing. Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman show the working relationship they had in The Kingdom wasn’t a fluke. Both put on a good show playing the adoptive parents with different points of view – one in nesting mode and one in flight mode.

The only gripe I have about the film, is that while the writing is high caliber, there were just too many attempts to make the characters hip and in vogue while at the same time trying like hell to maintain them as outcasts. Case in point: the dialogue. Every other word out of Juno’s mouth is obscure and fashionable – I’ve yet to meet anyone from the real world who actually speaks like that and if I did, I’d tell them to stop. Immediately.

Aside from that minor inconvenience, Juno is a movie you should take the time to check out, if you haven’t already. It takes a serious subject (teen pregnancy, if you’ve forgotten) and makes it non-preachy and funny, in a higher brow sort of way. It is very much recommended.

I'm an old, miserable fart set in his ways. Some of the things that bring a smile to my face are (in no particular order): Teenage back acne, the rain on my face, long walks on the beach and redneck women named Francis. Oh yeah, I like to watch and criticize movies.

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'Movie Review: Juno (2007)' have 5 comments

January 16, 2008 @ 2:53 pm blogcabins

Damn book-cover judgers. ;)

I think I compared the first 5 minutes to Napoleon, but outside of that, it really has nothing in common with the film.

It’s damn good, though.

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January 16, 2008 @ 3:52 pm General Disdain

I know. I’ve chastised myself for it already!

January 16, 2008 @ 5:23 pm Amberly

What I really liked about this movie is it is sweet and touching without ever trying. I especially applauded her parents on how well they handled the whole situation. All parents should take a page out of that handbook!

January 17, 2008 @ 3:37 pm Gearhead

Like Napoleon Dynamite… it’s nice to see a teenage life film that isn’t the typical Hollywood cliché formulaic crap that anyone over 20 has seen too many times to enjoy again.

February 9, 2008 @ 7:05 pm dorian

As i first saw the poster of the Film “Juno” I thought, oh no just another teenager-movie, but this time with a pregnancy, how innovative (just ironic). How glad I am that I was wrong.

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Juno Review

THE GENERAL IDEA

From the sysopsis on IMDB: “Juno (Ellen Page) is a Mid-Western highschooler, who decides one day, out of boredom or curiosity, to have sex with her friend Bleeker (Michael Cera), a member of her school’s track team. She likes him well enough, but isn’t hung up on him. This one time encounter results in Juno’s pregnancy. She and her best friend Leah (Olivia Thirlby) decide to take control of the situation by browsing for prospective adoptive parents in the local Pennysaver, and Juno settles on seemingly perfect, affluent couple Mark and Vanessa (Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner.)”

This movie lives, breaths and is completely carried by the single strongest performance by any actress this year. Ellen Page not only turns in the best performance by an actress this year… but quite possibly one of the best I’ve ever seen for an actress her age. No one ever wants to say something like that regarding a comedy… but the pure fact of the matter is she sells you on this character. She forces you to love her and LIKE her all at the same time. She infuses so much charm and agony and pain and confusion and hilarity at once that you can’t help but be completely drawn into her struggle as a 16 year old girl attempting to navigate a pregnancy all while trying to wrestle with choices “way beyond her maturity level”. This was an Oscar worthy performance by an actress who has just put Hollywood on notice. She was (and I hardly EVER use this word) PERFECTION. There… I said it. The performance give by Page was nothing short of pure, brilliant, amazing PERFECTION.

The dialog in the film is so witty and yet real at the same time. So much true emotion, so much awkwardness and yet so direct at the same time. This was truly a dialog and character driven movie. Most will reflect on the hilarity of the dialog (for good reason), but I was enthralled by the humanity of it. Such a rare and beautiful thing for a comedy of this nature, and pulled off with total perfection.

I’ve already mentioned that Ellen Page carries this film… but that’s not to take away from the job of her supporting cast. All of them… and damn I mean ALL of them were incredible. I’ve never seen Jason Bateman better. Jennifer Garner plays a completely different character than we’ve ever seen her in. Michael Cera was solid. JK Simmons is always great so nothing further need be said. Allison Janney steals almost every scene she’s in and Olivia Thirlby was a perfect “best friend” for Juno. It was an inspired performance by all involved.

Jason Reitman has quickly become my favorite new director. Proving that his triumph with “Thank You For Smoking” was no fluke, Reitman unfolds Juno like a master storyteller. The pacing in the film was perfect (there’s that word again), the structure was perfect, the character development was perfect. He put together such a gentle, touching and hilarious story that I feel like I’m in his debt.

I guess the only complaint I have about Juno is that the “quirky” music started to get on my nerves. The one song was cute… but it’s like people think it’s cool to have bad music in a movie…. but it’s not.

Ummmm… I feel like I should put more here…. uhh…. there could have been more giant robots. yeah… that’s it… there weren’t enough giant robots destroying cities.

So far… I think I have to say Juno is the best film of 2007. I may reflect on that a little bit more in the coming weeks… but my first impression is that this is the best film of the year. I’m floored by it… there just aren’t enough good things I can say about it. I can’t stop thinking about it. So screw it… for only the 4th time in my career I’m going to do it… I’m giving Juno a 10 out of 10. Go see it.

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35 thoughts on “ juno review ”.

juno=waste of time…. i think i want to go to business or law school now so i don’t ever come into contact with someone of such low stature. er i mean golly gee that movie was so hip and related to me. i’m just like her in so many ways…. so cute and related to my era…. wow i mean wow… (sarcasm dually noted!) brandon i’m sure this commercial of a film was meant for people like me but they could have summed it up in 30 seconds. and saved everyone’s time. i feel bad for the projections that had to spew this trash out of them. “retrospect” please use another phrase because this film deserved no such word greater than 4 letters. good day and great review!

any one whos seen this… so its valentines day on thurs and i need to pick a movie to go see, is Juno the kinda film you’d wna see with a girl youd been seeing for a couple of weeks? – im looking for something funny and charming without being too long or slow etc! Juno good for that? Or any other recommendations?

ugh. this movie tried a little too hard to reflect wes anderson humor…and failed miserably. the “whitty” dialogue made me want to puke and the only good part was michael cera.

i just saw it a few days ago and…wow! i absolutely love every bit of it! it was so real and believable. i agree that page portrayed the awkwardly sarcastic teen perfectly! as a teenager myself i could see parts of her in me. while watching the film, i wanted to stand up and say “yes, thats exactly how a teen would interpret that situation!” great story, great cast, great acting, amazing movie!

I finally saw it today. I think it’s a touch overrrated, but it’s still one of the best movies I’ve seen this year.

I am so glad you enjoyed as much as me! I thought that the soundtrack was brilliant, but thats the only difference between my review and yours. :)

I really want to see this one. Unfortunately, this is one of those films that will never come to the theaters near me. However, I will most definitely check it out when I can get a chance to.

One of the main musicians whom has her music featured multiple times in the film goes by the name Kimya Dawson. She is really popular among the underground “folk punk” type genre. I’ve been a fan for a while now. She actually has a cameo in the film as well.

…Where can I see the movie in Las Vegas???

Thanks for the review. I was on the fence on this one due to some of the mixed reviews but now I’m sold.

Also, do you think you’ll be doing a review of No Country For Old Men? I went into that film completely unaware of what I was about to see and I ended up loving it. I’m curious what you think.

nbakid2000: The soundtrack consists mostly of “twee” indie pop songs by the likes of Belle & Sebastian (if you’ve seen High Fidelity, B&S are the band that Dick is playing on the stereo before Jack Black’s character storms in and puts on louder music). You can look the tracklist up on amazon. If I remember correctly, Juno listens to 70’s punk rock like Patti Smith and Iggy & the Stooges.

Oops, number one.

Dang, this movie just became number on my ‘must see’ list. I even think I might like the music in it. The songs in the trailer were pretty ok I thought (I think I heard some Hoosiers in there).

What’s on the soundtrack vs Juno’s favorite bands?

Actually I gave The Descent a 9.5

John, you forgot “The Descent” … You also gave it a 10 last year, right?

As for Juno, I can say I couldn’t care less about it before reading your review John. Now it’s a Must See!

My other 10/10 movies (remember, these are only since I’ve been doing reviews)

– Borat – Lord of the Rings: Return of the King – Life Is Beautiful

I’m also curious about the other 3 10/10 reviews. maybe you could make a post about all 4 10/10 movies sometime? I can always use ideas when I go to the video store.

its this years little miss sunshine….only this is good

I saw this movie a couple of weeks ago at a screening and fell in love with it. I hope to have to time to make another trip to the theater because I would like to give my $$ to this film. It’s wonderful film and has a lot of heart. I do have to strongly disagree about the “bad” music comment. The music wasn’t bad at all. It’s okay if you don’t like it, but it wasn’t bad. I do have agree with Deborah about how the soundtrack didn’t really fit Juno herself. I think they could have mixed it up a little bit with music she talks about in the film.

The more I hear about this film, the more i want to see it … plus i love every film that i’ve seen with ellen page … i might just see it :)

10 out of 10…WOW!

If it plays here I will see it!

I really want to see this, but it’s not playing near me yet.

very similar plotline to the korean film “jeni, juno” it’s a great movie too. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0453115/

er Cera I meant

I wanted to see it for Cero and Bateman. But it’s about a young girl that is pregnant…I dunno if I can relate?

I saw this at TIFF and loved it, but I honestly thought John would hate it and describe it as “Gilmore Girls: The Movie” or something… Glad to hear I was wrong! Yaay. And I totally agree about the music. Not that I necessarily think it was “bad music”, but it really didn’t complement the movie in my opinion. Especially since Juno’s favourite band is the Stooges. I felt like Juno herself would have hated the soundtrack.

I saw this film at the Arclight on sunday and I agree with everything john said. This is an amazing film, I loved how the film started and i loved how it ended. The dialogue in the film is completely boss, its witty, sharp, and quick. Definitely catch the film if you get a chance.

On a side note, john was right about the arclight as well. Great theatre to watch a movie in.

I saw a screening of this movie a month or so back. I liked it so much I went to 3 more screenings. People, it REALLY IS THAT GOOD of a movie. If you haven’t seen it, you definitely should.

John, just wondering what were the three other 10 point movies?

I just watched the trailer for this, and it certainly does look like an amazing film. Plus it’s got Cera and Bateman in it.

Holy shit, was it really that good? I’m a fan of Page, and I knew Juno would be awesome, but was it really better than No Country for Old Men?

I always forget to mention this here but I really, really recommend Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead. It’s one of the best pictures of the year for me so far.

Did you also see this at the Landmark?

wow for about the second time in your career we completely agree.

as for page she is great and all but she will always be jim laheys daughter in my eyes.

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Juno Review

08 Feb 2008

2007 was Hollywood’s Year Of The Unplanned-Pregnancy Comedy. First we had Adrienne Shelley’s Waitress; next was Judd Apatow’s Knocked Up; then, in December, Juno was delivered in the US.

Instead of being regarded as the runty late arrival, Juno received more coverage than the other two films put together. Some even talked Oscars for the film’s 19-year-old Canadian star Ellen Page and scripter Diablo Cody. Others noted that, of the three films, Juno was the only one to give more than a passing mention to the “shmashmortion” issue.

Then there were those who raged at the film’s flippant approach to such A Serious Subject. Juno is sure to divide UK audiences too and, while the ayes have it, the film’s first ten minutes might see you siding with the nays.

The second film from Jason Reitman, following his glib debut Thank You For Smoking, and the first script from stripper-turned-blogger-turned-writer Cody, Juno initially suffers from a callow need to impress. Our too-cool-to-be-true heroine (listens to The Stooges, affects a pipe) is introduced in scenes loaded with zingers that threaten to derail the film before it’s even started. Thankfully, after Juno has purchased her home pregnancy test from a corrosive store clerk and informed her cheerleader best friend Leah (Olivia Thirlby) of the big news, the pace and tone shifts.

Following Juno’s visit to a dispiriting abortion clinic comes a surprisingly warm scene in the family home where Juno breaks the news to her dad (J. K. Simmons) and stepmom (Allison Janney). Here is a young girl who’s been raised by a blue-collar father who uses humour as a mark of character: Juno’s wit is a mask for her insecurities and a valuable defence against a cruel world.

Juno’s softer side is first glimpsed in her relationship with the baby’s father, Paulie (another disarmingly awkward turn from Superbad’s Michael Cera). But amidst Juno’s teen-comedy conventions, Cody, Reitman and cast set about undermining them. When we first meet the adoptive parents in their suburban McMansion, the wife, Vanessa (Jennifer Garner), is presented as an uptight control-freak, leaving our sympathies resting with Jason Bateman’s Mark, a former grunge musician who now writes commercial jingles. But as Juno finds herself drawn to Mark and his collection of manga comics, the mood turns eerie: “I’m dealing with things way beyond my maturity level,” she tells her dad, in a moment that reveals just how young Juno truly is.

It’s scenes like this that give the film depth, as Juno gradually discovers who’s on her side in life’s battle. It’s like having the delicious cynicism of Ghost World and Heathers, but without any traces of the concomitant cruelty. Thanks to a perfectly judged three-act structure that follows the emotional highs and lows of Juno’s winter-to-summer pregnancy, the film saves its aces for last. Without giving too much away, after all that flip hipster yacking, the scenes that finally bring the tears are almost wholly without dialogue. As with all great wits, when it comes down to it, Juno knows exactly when to shut up.

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by Jason Reitman

• Juno Summary

16-year-old Juno MacGuff has gotten pregnant after sleeping with Paulie Bleeker in a recliner armchair. She decides that it’s best to have an abortion as she isn’t prepared to have a child, but when she goes to the clinic she can’t do it, after being reminded by a classmate protesting abortion outside that her baby likely has fingernails already. Juno has to tell her dad and stepmom, Bren, what’s happened, and that she has decided to keep the child and give the child up for adoption. Her dad goes with her to meet Mark and Vanessa Loring, who are unable to have kids of their own. Juno really likes them, especially Mark, who is into music and horror films just like her, and is an ex-punk. The film progresses through the seasons of her pregnancy, beginning with Autumn.

As we move through Winter and Spring and Juno's pregnancy begins to show, complications ensue. While she and Bleeker have stayed in contact, they aren’t together anymore. Juno goes to Mark and Vanessa’s home to show them what’s happening after she gets her first ultrasound. The boundary between birth parent and adoptive parent begins to blue as Juno and Mark start to hang out alone at the Loring's house, without Vanessa. Late into her pregnancy, Juno finds out that Bleeker is taking another girl to prom. This upsets her and she berates him for abandoning her. We also find out that Bleeker has actually been heartbroken by Juno since he found out she was pregnant.

In order to get back at Bleeker, Juno heads over to Mark’s house for some male attention. Again, Vanessa isn’t home and she has brought music over for him to listen to. They put it on and it turns out to be the song that Mark danced to at his senior prom in high school. They dance, with Juno resting her head on his shoulder. In this moment of vulnerability and closeness Mark reveals that he is leaving Vanessa. This is shocking to Juno and she storms out of the room. As Juno is leaving Vanessa comes home and sees she’s upset. Mark reveals that he isn’t ready to be a father.

Juno leaves and turns up at home to find her dad working at the kitchen table. She asks him if he believes two people can actually stay together, and though he’s been through a divorce, he believes they can if the person they are with loves them for what they are regardless of the circumstances. This inspires Juno to leave a note on Vanessa’s doorstep telling her she’s still interested in giving her her child for adoption, with or without Mark. She also tells Bleeker that she loves him. Bleeker reciprocates.

Mark leaves Vanessa for a loft in the city, and Juno has a baby boy while Bleeker is winning his track meet. When she isn’t in the stands he figures out that she’s in labor and runs to the hospital. As they lay together, both having decided not to see the child, she weeps at her loss. Vanessa is at the hospital and we see her dream fulfilled as she embraces her baby boy for the first time. As Summer comes we see that Juno is happy. With her guitar on her back she hops on her bicycle and goes to Bleeker’s house, where he’s waiting with his guitar, ready to play music with his girlfriend on a beautiful summer day.

Juno Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Juno is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Your question is from the film?

different experiences in pregnancy (Female vs Male)

Although Juno is confused over her pregnancy, she always has a voice and is free with her emotions. The father of Juno's child, as well as Juno's best friend and long-time admirer, Paulie is a sensitive, gentle, genuinely caring, but timid soul....

I'm not sure what is typical respnse to a pregnancy would be. I think Juno is a unique individual: that is the main attraction to the movie. an outspoken, witty sixteen-year-old with a clear rebellious streak. She can come off as abrasive because...

Study Guide for Juno

Juno study guide contains a biography of Jason Reitman, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• Character List
• Director's Influence

Essays for Juno

Juno essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Juno by Jason Reitman.

• Ethical Matters in the Film Juno
• Womanhood and Family: Challenging Cultural Values in Juno

Wikipedia Entries for Juno

• Introduction

"Pro-Life Message But Mixed Morality"

What You Need To Know:

(PaPa, Ro, BB, AB, C, FR, Ho, LLL, SS, N, A, M) Mostly mixed strong pagan worldview with elements of Romanticism as love is seen as the ideal human experience along with some strong moral tones, including a pro-life message as pregnant teenager decides to have baby and give it up for adoption rather than have abortion, but also with some anti-biblical, immoral elements as man leaves his wife to pursue his “dreams,” some Christian references such as a baby being a “blessing from Jesus” and references to answered prayer, God, the miracle of childbirth, Moses and the Old Testament, plus two quick false religious references as girl has a Buddha light-switch and her name is from the Greek goddess who was the wife of Zeus, and one homosexual mention of “lezbos”; 25 obscenities, nine light profanities (Oh my God), and one obscene gesture; no violence; sexual content includes implied teenage fornication, a lot of dialogue and discussions of sex amongst “sexually-active” teenagers, public school teacher depicted putting condom on banana, girl enters abortion clinic (although it is not glorified and the girl leaves), secretary in abortion clinic tries to give teenage girl a boysenberry-flavored condom, teenagers kiss, and teenage girl giving birth depicted; upper male nudity of teenage boy and teenage girl’s legs shown as she takes off her underwear and pregnant teenager’s belly seen in medical exam; no alcohol use depicted but several discussions of underage drinking; no drug use depicted but parents wonder if daughter is taking hard drugs before she tells them she is pregnant; and, man abandons wife.

More Detail:

JUNO is the story of an offbeat, 16-year-old girl, played by Ellen Page, who must deal with the consequences of her unplanned teenage pregnancy.

When Juno tells her boyfriend Bleeker, played by Michael Cera, that she is pregnant, the high-school track star looks like he might run the other way. Instead, like a deer caught in headlights, he asks her what she is planning to do. Juno replies that she is going to have an abortion.

At an abortion clinic that does not require parental consent, Juno runs into a fellow high school student picketing the clinic. The young woman pleads with Juno that the baby already has a heartbeat and a brain, but no statistics will change Juno’s mind until the girl tells her that the baby already has fingernails. As Juno ponders her baby’s fingernails, she makes the decision to not go through with the abortion but instead to tell her parents, have the baby and give the child up for adoption.

With some research, Juno finds the perfect adoptive couple for the child, Vanessa and Mark, played by Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman, respectively. Her child is an answer to their prayers for a little one. With some unexpected twists and surprises, Juno’s life is forever changed by the little pregnancy that begins as an accident and ends as a blessing.

Artistically, JUNO is a very solid movie. The script is fresh and engaging, the directing is simple and honest, and the performances are dynamic and heartfelt.

Morally, however, JUNO is not as solid. Although there is a strong pro-life message emphasizing the blessing of adoption, the movie contains mixed moral messages. From parents that don’t seem too distraught that their 16-year-old daughter is pregnant to a man leaving his wife so that he can “find himself,” from abortion clinics that do not require any form of parental consent for minors to an abundance of discussions about teenage sexuality, JUNO loses its heart in its worldview problems.

Teenage sexuality and teenage pregnancy are a problem in our hedonistic society where Hollywood promotes lifestyles that glorify immorality and sex without consequence. The filmmakers did, at least, show the consequences of such activities, and for that they should be commended. That said, the movie’s discussions of teenage sexuality as well as its worldview problems and strong foul language at times outweigh its pro-life message, so MOVIEGUIDE® recommends extreme caution.

Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

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