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Juno (2007)

Director: Jason Reitman

Time Out rating

Average user rating

98 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

Time Out London Issue 1955 Feb 6 to 13, 2008

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User reviews of this film

Daniele Turi said...

Posted on May 10 2011 10:19 Great film. Exceptional casting. Very understated and never cheesy, despite the subject. Main actress really great (playing 16yr old pregnant girl).

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C.C. said...

Posted on Sep 26 2010 00:50 Boring to say the least. There was so much poential in the plot of the story, however the acting I have to say was very dull. It was like the characters kept the same attitude and tone throughout the whole movie. The movie itself kept the same tone actually. There werent any climactic or exciting scenes throughtout the film besides the typical reaction to a teen pregnancy and even that was unfortunately watered down. Big dissapointment..

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Elena said...

Posted on Aug 07 2010 23:08 I really liked this film. I thought it was fun, original, some really good acting, especially from Ellen. I think the reviewer's comments about a sixteen-year-old not having the intelligence to come up with some of Juno's quips is unfair - my fifteen-year-old sister is just as sharp and quick-witted as Juno. I thought this was an awesome movie, definitely ignore the stuck-up, snobbish opinions of its critics.

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Thomas Noctor said...

Posted on Dec 20 2009 04:25 The most boring film of the year paired with No Country For Bored Men, NOTHING changes in this movie, its not a comedy its a boring drama that goes no where. 1 Star for helping me sleep! PS The songat the end was rubbish, suited the film!

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jed said...

Posted on Apr 29 2009 21:11 The Timout reviewer should give up. This film was fantastic.

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Georgia Agar said...

Posted on Dec 08 2008 09:56 I think that this film has an amazing message to young people of the modern day society. Some things i find quite unrealistic but overall it is a very good film showing the highs and lows of teenage pregnancy. because

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C.H.E said...

Posted on Oct 23 2008 16:22 I think this film was discreasful , it was really boring and i didn't find it amusing at all.My friends said who were with me at the time 'You need to listen to the story an pay attention'. I said 'I am not is so BORING and so NOT AMUSING a didn't laugh evan a little bit .I think it could of been a little bit affencife to teenagers who are pregnant ! . x

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Vxfsts said...

Posted on Jun 15 2008 21:51 How ignorant of Wallie to assume all teenagers have the same intelligence and wit as when he was a 16 yr old. Hate to burst his bubble tho like... but as a 17 yr old I can safely say this film's WIT reminded me of a few of my friends who are even wittier and sharper than Juno. This is a good film that should not raise criticisms for 'glorification' or anything as it seems that a happy medium was reached out of the 'problem' tho as not to give too much away I won't eaborate. I agree with Thom about the not being peadophilic too. Good film, amused me. Good soundtrack too as many have proclaimed.

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Jon said...

Posted on May 02 2008 14:31 Hello, people, it's called a "movie" for a reason. Lighten up.....it was funny.

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Sweet Penny said...

Posted on Apr 14 2008 16:24 Juno is a funny and witty film that shows Teenagers the consequences of pregnancy in a way that they can relate to. To say that it is a satire of a serious issue is ridiculous, as it gives you all the facts and doesn't glamourise the issue. It also allows teenagers to see that it isn't the end of the world and that there is a way to solve the 'problem' without abortion. I loved this film and felt that it opened my eyes to a lot of serious issues like pregnancy, adoption and true love.

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paolo maranini said...

Posted on Apr 12 2008 20:47 Really unbearable: How can you make such a phoney comedy out of a dramatic issue like that of a teen's pregnancy? Quips are are predictable; no teen is such a monster of wit, we hope and the problem is not so much the Oscar award (it's exactly an Oscar looking moviefrom the start), as the chorus of favorable reviews from film critics: I share enthusiatically Time Out's review.

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Les Molloy said...

Posted on Apr 06 2008 01:17 What is the difference between Wally Hammond's writing and his comments about Juno's script writing? None at all except Juno succeeds when it "tries to inject some wit and engagement" where Wally fails miserably. Don't give up your day job Wally. I can't imagine anybody, other than TO London, publishing anything else you write, if this is your best. Personally I enjoyed the film. It stirred emotions which is what it is all about as far as I am concerned.

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Tom said...

Posted on Apr 02 2008 20:41 One of the best films I've seen for a long time, maybe the reviewer should relax a bit and remember that not all films are supposed to be taken so seriously. It's not a political statement, it's a comedy.

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Grace said...

Posted on Mar 23 2008 09:55 Fantastic! must see film.

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Dan Sciama said...

Posted on Mar 22 2008 21:36 An entertaining film capturing the mood of and moods of teen years. Lots of questions arise about this being apro-life, Fox funded. I am not pro abortion but am pro free choice. Much more worrying was the couples lawyer replacing the social worker, offering no protection to the infant or mother nor vetting of the prospective "adopters'. As well as the subtle insinuation that selling babies could be a possibility to cash starved young women.

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