JUNO
Written by Diablo Cody
Directed by Jason Reitman
Starring: Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Justin Bateman, J.K. Simmons, Allison Janney and Olivia Thirlby
Watson Scale (0 being worst 6 being best): 5
 
This wonderful film is being touted as this year's LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE and it has some similarities, except this family is not as dysfunctional. Brilliant young newcomer Ellen Page plays Juno, a precocious, hip, funny 16 year old high schooler who accidentally gets herself pregnant the only time she makes love with her schoolmate boyfriend (played by the equally talented Michael Cera).

With the support of her girlfriend Leah, (a great, quirky performance by Olivia Thirlby) she finally summons up courage to spill the beans to her blue collar father and stepmother, sympathetically played by the wonderful J.K.Simmons (of SPIDERMAN fame) and Allison Janney (from THE WEST WING). She decides, with their blessing, to donate the baby for adoption and sees the photo of a wealthy, nice looking young couple in the local paper who are seeking a child.

The couple are played by Jason Bateman, who does a good job as the rich but somewhat fickle, young commercial jingles composer husband (the residuals from his latest oeuvre paid for the new kitchen!) and his much steadier wife excellently played by Jennifer Garner. (The fact that in real life she has just had her own baby made her work that much more believable).

They decide they would love to adopt Juno's baby, so with her protective father present, she signs the necessary papers. Everything is set, Juno's stomach starts getting bigger, everyone is rooting for her, and then, hey presto the husband gets cold feet about committing to being a father, and the couple start divorce proceedings about a month before the birth.

I have seldom heard such sharp, funny, droll, and very hip dialogue that is so on the money, and Ellen Page and her cohorts make the most of it. She is a revelation, keeping her sassy exterior from showing the deeply sensitive teenager within. Michel Cera grows on you as the initially nerdy boyfriend athlete who is also a very talented musician and solid as a rock in his support of Juno.

This is a wonderful little family film that shines out amidst the plethora of vulgar, flashy junk that most studios are throwing our way this Christmas. It will revive your faith in the art of simple story telling and movie making.

The movie is deftly handled by young director Jason Reitman who gave us the very funny black comedy THANK YOU FOR SMOKING two years ago (His father, Ivan Reitman, directed GHOSTBUSTERS). Interestingly, the son of another famous director, Jake Kasdan, (son of Lawrence Kasdan of BIG CHILL fame) has a hit comedy WALK HARD -- THE DEWEY COX STORY, about to open in December, so the new generation is making its presence felt.

Besides the acting and direction, the key to this film's success is the brilliant first time script by twenty-something female screenwriter Diablo Cody. It should definitely figure in Oscar consideration for Best Original Screenplay when Academy Awards time rolls round. Written whilst she was working part time as a stripper, 98% of her first draft made it into the film -- a talent to watch!