Born to be Wildly Enjoyable

-Ashley Carlisle

“And this, of course, is Juno.”
 “Like the city in Alaska?”
 “No.”

Completely unlike the barren and desolate slab of ice that is Alaska, Juno has proven itself as the newest indie hit, the first since 2006’s surprise hit, Little Miss Sunshine. Chronicling the life of a quirky and unexpectedly pregnant Minnesotan teenager, Juno is an enjoyable adoption comedy about a girl and her journey through discovering the truth about love and life.           

Throughout the course of the movie, Ellen Page, who plays the sarcastic and always witty Juno MacGuff, captivates the screen. From her tough-guy walk to her playful interactions with her hilarious father and step-mother, Page plays Juno flawlessly. Not only does Page showcase her comedic talent, but proves herself  as an accomplished dramatic actress during the movie’s climax. Utterly committed to playing the atypical teenager, Page leaves a lasting impression that stays with the viewer after the movie ends, proving that she is worthy of her Oscar nomination for Best Actress.           

Though Page acts as a driving force throughout the film, Juno also holds a talented and accomplished ensemble of big and small actors that allow the film to be constantly entertaining. With the likes of Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Alison Janney, J.K. Simmons and Superbad’s Michael Cera, Juno is filled to the brim with talent. Being the small fish in a pond of famous actors, Cera is able to show his acting chops as he plays a vulnerable, geeky, short-short wearing teenager who is deeply in love with the intimidating Juno, illustrating that his role in last year’s Superbad was no fluke. However, his bright gold, ‘80s-inspired running shorts are disturbing and haunting, so I’m not surprised that he didn’t receive an Oscar or Golden Globe nomination.           

Though the movie’s cast is impressive, Juno’s outstanding and fresh screenplay takes the gold. Written by the eccentric newcomer (and former stripper) Diablo Cody, Juno is written with a casual and sarcastic style that is filled with mounds of witty banter and meaningful dialogue. Though some might say that Cody’s stylized script is similar to last year’s Superbad or Knocked Up, Cody definitely has a unique style of her own. Unlike those films, Juno isn’t a movie completely dominated by one-liners. Juno actually has a message, one beyond horrible pick-up lines and sex jokes.           

Though people automatically assume that Juno’s message is based on some stand on the issue of teen pregnancy, they are wrong. Juno’s controversial pregnancy is used as a situation to showcase how one can learn about love and life through the most unexpected and sometimes unwanted situations. The movie itself doesn’t take a stand on the issue of teen pregnancy at all. Instead, the movie is merely a story of a teenage girl and her journey of learning about the facets of life that she hadn’t truly understood before. 

Juno is, in my opinion, the indie gem of the year. Its flawless combination of talent, wit and heart allow it to be a realistic picture that makes the audience leave with a sense that they haven’t just watched a fictional, over-the-top, Hollywood-made Blockbuster. Instead, the film gives off a genuine feel and a simple yet important message; live life with love and find someone who loves you for who you are, despite the circumstances.