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Juno (2007)

Director: Jason Reitman

Time Out rating

Average user rating

94 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

www.timeout.com

Don’t look to Jason Reitman’s multi-Oscar-nominated second film for a tell-it-how-it-is window on teenage pregnancy nor a two-finger salute to the anti-abortion right. Ignore, too, its ‘Ghost World’-styled ‘indie’ clothing. Rising star Ellen Page, dressed down and knocked-up, admittedly, gives a confident performance as the eponymous 16-year-old, put-down-queen heroine with the impressive ’70s-era taste (The Stooges, Dario Argento horror).

But, just as her supposedly ‘counter-cultural’ profile looks like an assembly from a studio’s cultural dressing department, so does her endless series of screwball-sharp quips, clever quotes and wise-before-her-years aphorisms often seem to emanate from another body entirely – presumably that of devilish scriptwriter and ex-Pussy Ranch blogster Diablo Cody. ‘Very beautiful and very mean, like Diana Ross,’ is how Juno describes the Roman god for whom she is named – how funny, high- school and 16 is that?

The most you can say about ‘Juno’ – given you can ignore the film’s air of contrivance, self-consciousness and cake-and-eat-it attitude to social and moral issues (most clearly seen in the abortion clinic scene, where Juno decides to keep ‘the thing’ because of the centre’s unpleasant smell) – is that it at least tries to inject some wit and engagement into the tired teen ‘coming-of-age’ comedy.

The direction, surprisingly for the supposedly ‘edgy’ material, is conventional, but the acting offers compensations. Allison Janney and JK Simmons (as stepmom and sympathetic dad) are engaging, despite their parts being rather obvious counter-caricatures; and Michael Cera is sweet and believable as geeky impregnator Paulie.

Author: Wally Hammond 2007-10-22 15:14:00

Time Out London Issue 1955 Feb 6 to 13, 2008

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User reviews of this film

becky said...

Posted on Mar 18 2008 17:42 this fim was great it was funny to wen i watched some parts i couldnt stop laughing hahaha xx

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SAMIE said...

Posted on Mar 17 2008 19:21 GREAT FILM. LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF THIS, ME AND MY BOYFREIND WENT TO WATCH IT AS THE ADVERTISING LOOKED OK, EVERY 1 IN THE CINEMA WERE IN STICHED IN SOME PARTS OF THE FILM, VERY REAL LIFE. SUCH FUN AND LAUGHTER! EVERY ONE GO AND WATCH IT, GUARANTEE UL PROBLY LIKE IT! A****** FILM! :)

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Samie-Jo said...

Posted on Mar 17 2008 19:18 This Film was so funny! Me and my boyfriend went to watch it not really knowing what to expect, bit of a gamble really, but we are so glad we picked this one! It was great, every one in the cinema were in stiches is some parts of the film, this film isnt fake you believe it all, very realistic. would recomend you all go see it. A*******

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What a load of shhh said...

Posted on Mar 17 2008 17:15 Well not to upset the majority but I thought it was pretty rubbish! I didn't take this film seriously as it's quite obviously a comedy & I have a sense of humour but personally there wasn't actually a funny moment in it, just corny lines. VERY predictable, surprised someone has described it as witty...and I have got my intelligence chip in thanks. The paedophile husband part was a bit bizarre, this didn't upset me but I couldn't understand why that was included! I was excited to see this film but would have liked it to have been a barrel of laughs rather than pure cheese.

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James said...

Posted on Mar 14 2008 15:28 Fantastic!

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maara zaarana said...

Posted on Mar 13 2008 19:52 really good film although did make me cry at the end :'( wanted ehr to kepp the baby but had a total differen tending to what was actually suspected. Would go and see agen if really, really, really, had too but if didn't wouldnt!!!!!!!!:]

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Stacey Joly said...

Posted on Mar 13 2008 13:10 I loved this film, my husband and I left the cinema feeling great and talked about the movie for ages. Juno is a cool kid who does things her way - The hamburger phone, horrid yellow small track shorts, the mail box full of tic-tacs etc made me like the movie even more. For a those of you who didn't enjoy it, you should stick to what you know best, the pub.

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freddy said...

Posted on Mar 13 2008 12:02 I've seen it twice and its ok. Pretty average but Cera and the stepmother and father are funny. She has a stupid voice, is obviously twenty years old and endlessly quotes trite pop culture references (although maybe that is smarter than I give credit). Major problem is happily ever after ending, cop out. Could have been just as funny etc without the feelgood ending and sense of closure - I thought that didn't do the actual situation justice.

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Emma Maton said...

Posted on Mar 12 2008 19:33 Very good film, some people need to be less serious and remember that this isnt real life this is a film

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Ryan said...

Posted on Mar 11 2008 17:02 I Love this movie, its abit of a chick flick but i still liked it. i do film studies and im so going to do my CW on it its such a diffent film, all the other fims out are all trying to be shocking and trying to please everyone but this is there, like it or hate it. p.s. sarah thats the girl shes pretending to be! its call very good acting!

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Sarah said...

Posted on Mar 09 2008 14:37 I was looking forward to a film with an original plot, and while it was original, it was absolute rubbish. The soundtrack was horribly dull and at the end with that acoustic singing on the porch I wanted to shoot myself. The dweebish loser with not an ounce of personality that knocked her up, not my idea of eye candy, Juno was incredibly obnoxious and and pretentious. I found it pretty disturbing how she appeared to be so totally emotionally detached from her pregnancy. She only showed emotion when she thought the adoptive parents were pulling out and that was only because she thought her selfish life was over, and at the end she displayed a flicker of emotion - relief that she could get on with her own pathetic life. And what was with that paedophile husband - creepy or what. The film was painful to watch, up its own backside trying to be cool, when it's anything but.

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I Love Juno said...

Posted on Mar 08 2008 11:51 I loved this film, it was really funny, well made and I could relate to it. Ellen Page was stunning in it!

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zimmer and walking stick said...

Posted on Mar 07 2008 20:05 Hello everyone i like too bark alot...i was barking through this movie and everyone thought it was very funny as i started too hyperventalat. My buddies had too call my mother and then they had too get a search party out as they cood not find me because i was hiding under one of the seats:L...their was helicopters involved as well:O...the film was fandabi blada dosy :D

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Aimee&&Beth said...

Posted on Mar 07 2008 19:59 We thought juno was really good...it was very interesting and funny...we were suprised too see that it got a rating of two as it was much better than that. The people in it were very good too. It is more like a film for girls though as i seen it as moe of a chick flick movie. I was with my girlfriends when i went too see it and it made the day out very good. I would reccomend it too all my homies and you should go and see it if you want too see a good movie...aimee and beth x

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Alex said...

Posted on Mar 07 2008 12:52 I thought this film was good, the best i've seen in ages. Has comedy in it and has a serious underlying message to it. I mean come on? who wants to watch a dark and depressing film, they need the comedy otherwise nobody would watch it right? Yeah, i liked this film, seen it twice.

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