Juno Review

If you've seen any news story or any daytime talk show, you've seen one side of Teen Pregnancy.  I've seen stories about teens who slept around a lot and got pregnant, teens who actually were trying to get pregnant, teens who were "pressured" into doing things and ended up pregnant, and teens who just were way out there.  Juno shows another type of teen pregnancy.  It shows the side of a teen, named Juno, who isn't necessarily a bad girl.  She doesn't do things because of peer pressure or because she's wild.  Juno just made a mistake one time and ended up having to pay for it.

This is not to say that she is an angel because of it, she's still done something that shouldn't be glorified by any means!  16 year olds shouldn't be having babies.  However Juno does show great strength and great character by deciding NOT to get an abortion like most people want her too.  Instead, she can see the joy and happiness a couple could get by adopting her baby.  So even though Juno's character did something wrong, she's also trying her best to make things right.

The Characters
Ellen Page... Juno MacGuff - Ellen did a great job as the sarcastic young teen who seemed a little mean on the surface, but inside she has a real good heart.  Juno is different than most teens and she knows it, and doesn't care at all.  She is who she is and she's not going to hide it.  Once she decides to keep the baby, she isn't shipped off to some private school somewhere like some teens would do.  Instead, she chooses to deal with it and do the best she can to fix it.

Michael Cera... Paulie Bleeker - He was pretty funny as the somewhat nerdy teen that became a father after one little mistake.  He too is not a wild child, and he too has a great heart.  After he finds out, he's willing to stand by Juno and seems more than willing to help her in anyway he can.

Jennifer Garner... Vanessa Loring - Jennifer plays the future mother of Juno's baby.  She kind of seems to be prissy and have a stuck-up attitude, but is there more than her than meets the eye?  You'll have to see!!

Jason Bateman... Mark Loring - Jason plays the future father.  He is what really makes Juno want to give her baby to this couple because he's into the same rock music and gory movies as she is.  Isn't he just perfect to be the father of her baby?  Sure sounds it!!

Things I liked...
The movie definitely has a message, some of which I stated above.  It shows how one can make the most of a bad situation.  At the start, Juno is just a bored sarcastic teen, but as the baby grows inside her, she starts to grow as well.  She makes very mature decisions throughout and shows that she can make the most of this.

I also enjoyed the comedy throughout.  There are a lot of sarcastic jokes and comments in almost every scene that made it all the more enjoyable.  Some may think they were making light of a bad situation, but instead they were showing that you don't have to be somber and depressed just because of something like this. 

Vanessa: Your parents are probably wondering where you are.
Juno: Nah... I mean, I'm already pregnant, so what other kind of shenanigans could I get into?

The characters are very real and show true feelings.  It almost feels like a documentary more than acting.  There wasn't any over-doing it, everyone stayed perfectly within character without going overboard. 

Finally, the music was interesting and relaxing.  I usually don't find myself listening to the words of the songs during a movie, but in this movie I listened to all the songs.  I can't quote a single one, but they were all pretty good and I think I'll buy the soundtrack.

In the end, Juno makes you feel for her without making you feel sorry for her.  It's a touching story and an enjoyable watch.  You won't cry, but you will feel something!  It can best be compared to Little Miss Sunshine in that it is funny, heartwarming, and a little bit different than your average family. Enjoy!!