A Scientist at the Movies Reviews by Greg Paris

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Title: Juno

Date Viewed: 12/25/07

Details:

Ellen Page (Juno)

Michael Cera

Allison Janney

J.K. Simmons

Jennifer Garner

Jason Bateman

Director: Jason Reitman

Score: +

The Review: Third in 2007's triptych of unwed pregnancy movies; my second (after Waitress). Not bad -- quirky enough to be interesting and humorous, without detectable sentimentality.

Ellen Page (Juno) is excellent in the role of a 16-year old high school student who gets pregnant after some experimental sex. The boyfriend (Cera) is sorta dorky, but Juno is earthy, skewed, more than a bit odd -- someone who is clearly fun to be around and (in a reverse sense) educational. At times (as her character would put it) operating "way beyond her maturity level." Our look through Juno's eyes shows that the life and commentary of a high school teenager today is at times funny, cynical, disturbing, earthy, ... and not a bit surreal.

Support from the adults is quite good. The familiar character actor JK Simmons is wonderful as her dad, both supportive and trying to understand the lingo of youth (not always successfully). Her mother (Janney, from West Wing) also has a bit of the blithe spirit about her. Jennifer Garner is well-cast as an up-tight, trying-to-do-everything-right, soon-to-be an adoptive mom.

Fun, a few twists; highly entertaining.

(27-Dec-07)

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