REEL REFLECTIONS

"JUNO": BEYOND A CAUTIONARY TALE

David Greiser

By now, frequent readers know that I have a decided affinity for small, independently produced films that showcase the work of new and rising artists. "Juno," a sleeper hit released at the end of 2007, fits nearly every element in that description. It is a quirky comedy from a new screenwriter and a young director that tackles a socially divisive subject (unplanned teen pregnancy) with a depth and intelligence that transcends the usual ideological divide. In some ways the film is similar to the prior year’s "Knocked Up" but with younger characters, softer edges, and a more feminist sensibility.

"Juno" is the second film directed by rising star Jason Reitman ("Thank You for Smoking," his first effort, was reviewed last year in DreamSeeker Magazine). It debuted at this year’s Toronto Film Festival and was soon picked up for distribution by Fox Searchlight Pictures.

The outstanding script was written by newcomer Diablo Cody, a 29-year-old University of Iowa grad whose earlier writings explored the less family friendly world of strip clubs. The star of the film is 20-year-old Canadian Ellen Page, a remarkable actress whose character "Juno" somehow manages to combine intelligence, emotional complexity, and wisdom with childlikeness in a way that is genuinely believable. Page is already a performer whose dramatic range and subtlety suggest a bright future.

Synopsis: Juno MacGuff is a smart-mouthed, individualistic junior in a suburban high school made pregnant by her geeky best friend-but-not-quite-boyfriend Paulie Bleeker (played by another excellent newcomer, Michael Cera). Initially, Juno tries to treat her pregnancy as material for a stand-up routine, referring to herself as the "cautionary whale" and phoning the local women’s center from the hamburger phone in her bedroom to inform them that she "wants to procure a hasty abortion."

Juno is confident that she can live with the consequences of her choices, and she seeks no sympathy from her classmates. But a trip to the abortion clinic leaves her cold and lowers her defenses toward motherhood. She decides instead, with the help of a friend, to try to find the perfect adoptive parents for her child.

Together they troll the pages of the local pennysaver where, next to the ads for pets needing homes, they find the photo ad of a well-scrubbed, hopeful-looking yuppie couple (played by a tightly wound Jennifer Garner and wanna-be slacker Jason Bateman) who are looking to adopt. All goes according to plan until the daddy-to-be, with whom Juno comes to share a love of punk rock and slasher films, gets cold feet.

I won’t spoil the story’s resolution. This is a film which blessedly avoids clichés and conventions. There is little melodrama and no moralizing about abortion, adoption, or even premarital sex, but there is lots of genuine struggle over decisions and the conflicted feelings that invariably accompany them.

The characters are unpredictable and idiosyncratic, which is to say, they are specific and realistic. As in the real world, the kids in Juno’s world sometimes rise to a level of adult-like behavior while the adults take brief turns being kids.

Juno’s father and stepmother (played by veteran character actors J. K. Simmons and Allison Janney) are confused and disappointed by Juno’s situation. They are also wiser, more resourceful, and more supportive than the usual clueless, stick-figure parents peopling most teen-oriented films.

Probably the most satisfying part of my experience in watching this film was finding myself seduced into caring about each character. The first 40 minutes of the film consist of rapid-fire dialogue (not unlike the conversations in TV’s "The Gilmore Girls") and one-liners. But at some point it outgrows its TV formula and develops into a real story, the struggle of a too-young mother-to-be agonizing over decisions that are beyond the capacity of adults, let alone 16-year-olds.

"Juno" is a story that tries to project some hope for a society in which the very concepts of "family" and "friends" seem to be tired and dying. Even though Juno’s biological parents are long divorced ("My mom lives with her new husband and three replacement children"), her father and step-mom provide her with stability. Likewise, Paulie, the baby’s father, turns out to be a faithful friend even when Juno keeps him at a distance as the pregnancy progresses.

Like another quirky pro-family movie, "Little Miss Sunshine," "Juno" affirms the ability of flawed families and friends to care and to stand by each other. By the time this review gets to its readers, the Oscars will already be history. I predict that "Juno" will land a much-deserved "Best Picture" nomination. See it with a friend or with your own idiosyncratic family.

—Dave Greiser lives in Hesston, Kansas. He directs the Pastoral Ministries Program at Hesston
College.