The topic of teen pregnancy is not something that pops up with great frequency in usual Hollywood movies.
Sure, there are the numerous "Lifetime" original movies, and the "After School" specials, each complete with bad acting and cheesy dialogue that make them virtually unwatchable, but I do not consider those "Hollywood."
Enter Diablo Cody, my most fascinating person of 2007. This former exotic dancer and erotic telephone operator wrote a complete gem of a screenplay with "Juno."
Even with plenty of good movies to view on the television, 16-year-old Juno MacGuff (Ellen Page) finds herself bored and decides to seduce her friend and crush/love object Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera).
Apparently not having paid attention to those awkward lessons about sex during health class, Juno and Bleeker find themselves soon to be parents.
After running into a classmate protesting abortions outside of the clinic where Juno made her appointment using her hamburger phone, she decides that she can’t go through with the abortion, but she also realizes she can’t deal with raising the baby either.
With the endless support from her parents (J.K Simmons and Allison Janney) Juno finds a yuppie couple who are seemingly perfect for the job as parents for her unborn child. Too bad the husband (Jason Bateman) finds himself still dreaming about his aspirations to be a real rock star and developing a little bit of a thing for our witty heroine Juno.
If my summary makes this movie seem simple, I apologize. Granted, the premise is not complex and the trailers make it seem like just a comedy, but the actors in the movie make it deeper than that, Page in particular.
I found myself relating to the character Juno, even though I never went through the drama of teenage pregnancy. To protect herself from the situation she finds herself in, she relies on her quirkiness, as well as her well-honed sarcasm and self-deprecation skills. In front of others, Juno is very strong, but it’s in those quiet moments, and with some of her comments, you can see her safely hidden vulnerability.
Simply put, with the acting and Cody’s writing, "Juno" is the sweetest movie I have seen in quite some time.
I gave this film an A-.
Dedra Cordle is a Messenger staff writer.
