Juno - The Movie

Finally I got the chance to go watch "Juno" last night. Though the movie has been out for many weeks it was not on my top list of movies to watch just because... As I said before I feel that I never get to catch as many movies as I would like, for several reasons and excuses. I had seen the commercials and previews for "Juno" and it looked cute as in a "I'll get to watch that someday" but no hurry. Then I kept reading the rave reviews, awards galore and the "Oscar buzz" talk in the media, so my Sunday matinee was dedicated to see what the hoopla is all about.

Juno MacGuff is a 16 year-old high school junior who is mature beyond her years. She is also a savvy, sassy, too-cool-for-school independent free spirited little sprite. As we find out early on in the movie Juno gets pregnant after a one time encounter with her geeky/cute high school crush/friend/band mate Paulie Bleeker. Now she is faced with the decision of how to handle this unexpected news: terminate it? adoption? tell her parents? the boyfriend? high school?

The cast could not have been more perfectly chosen in my opinion. Ellen Page gives an amazing performance as the title character, an unbreakable small giant. Her boyfriend Bleeker, played by Michael Cera, is cute-as-a-button in his shorty yellow running shorts and matching headband. Paige and Cera are a match made in heaven and it shows in their great screen chemistry. Juno's very supporting parents, played by J.K. Simmons and the great Allison Janney, are so warm and understanding from the get-go that you wish they were your mom and dad. Jennifer Garner as the hopeful adoptive mother is so sincere in her emotions that my eyes teared up several times. You may call me a softy but "Juno" made me cry during many scenes, not out of sadness, but out of touchingly beautiful moments. But don't forget that "Juno" is a comedy and made me laugh out loud during her many one-liners. I must point out that her gorgeous cheerleading best friend Leah, played by Olivia Thirlby, is a great comedic actress too.

I became surprisingly inamorated with this film, more than I thought I would and I strongly recommend it. Thumbs up!