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Juno (2007)

Director: Jason Reitman

Time Out rating

Average user rating

68 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

User reviews of this film

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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Dont give away endings.. said...

Posted on Mar 22 2008 18:33 I was planning to go and watch this film and then somebocy on here decided to give away the ending!!! Please do not do that. So not good manners

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Thom said...

Posted on Mar 22 2008 17:50 i liked it. great acting and good writing. ignore the pretension of "air of contrivance and social conciousness." it has none of these things. this film will entertain you, it won't get abortion banned or 21 weeks extended, but that's just not the point. it's sweet and funny, and the soundtrack is great too. And I didn't think Jason Bateman's character was paedophilic; i think he just felt he wasn't ready for a child and wanted to remain in touch with his youth. Juno provided a good medium for that.

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banter ayee? said...

Posted on Mar 21 2008 16:13 omg this is so good :)
funny as. songs are amazing, shes so good just go and see it you wont regret it ;) <<3 x

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Sam said...

Posted on Mar 21 2008 01:32 Highly recommended! Good actor, Good songs, Good movie!

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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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