Juno

Holy moley what a way to start the year. Is it too early to start compiling a top ten for 2008?

This debut script from writer Diablo Cody makes for one hell of a film. An intelligent, funny and overwhelmingly uplifting film, Juno turns a made-for-midday-TV concept into what I’m almost certain will be one of the year’s best.

Ellen Page plays Juno, the ‘unfortunate’ 16 year old that finds herself pregnant to her long time friend Bleeker (Michael Cera). Page already knocked our socks off with Hard Candy, and here she solidifies the notion that she has an awesome career ahead of her. That Juno is an outsider, detached from the rest of her school is hardly an original concept for a fictional teenager, but there’s a genuine warmth behind her jibes and sarcastic demeanour. She may ridicule the jocks, cheerleaders and the teachers at her school, but she understands and appreciates them at the same time. Michael Cera again plays the same character he did in ‘Arrested Development’ (also see Superbad), and whilst he is no doubt brilliant, he’s gonna have to break the mould sometime soon.

The supporting cast all have their time to shine. Another ‘Arre Dev’ alumni, Jason Bateman, is apparently in the process of moving from comedy to drama. The Kingdom was the first step in this transition, and here he shares the screen with Jennifer Garner again – and, wonder of wonders, Garner finally shows us that she has the right stuff. I’ve been consistently stunned by her wooden appearances in the past, from ‘Alias’ to Catch and Release, but here she finally nails a performance. The two of them play the prospective adoptive couple for Juno’s incubating offspring, and Vanessa is just that little too intent on the prospect of being a mum. Garner plays her perfectly, balancing between caring and obsessed.

Cody’s script is a thing of wonder. Too often films approach awkward subjects with trepidation, always quick to point out the error of our ways – the world sucks, people are mistreated and we’re all somehow to blame. Juno is somewhat similar to The Sum of Us, insofar as it leads by example, rather than condemning us all for our prejudices. This film makes you challenge the assumptions you (and I) make when we see teens in Juno’s predicament. Not only that, it has something to say about divorce, bullying and mothers who obsess over dogs. It has the guts to stand up for any of the people that somehow miss out on the respect of others. It only really makes fun of pro-lifers who picket abortion clinics, and even then there’s that warmth again – an almost genuine affection for them. It’s little wonder that it’s directed by Jason Reitman, the man who had the nous to get us to sympathise with a cigarette company spokesman in Thank You for Smoking.

Juno is so many colours of awesome it’s a fucking movie rainbow. Every second is pitch perfect, and it’s sharp and sweet and absolutely hilarious. Strangely enough, this film about teenagers is more mature that the vaguely similar Knocked Up, showing up Apatow’s coy, self-conscious and lazy excuse for a romantic comedy.

I’m sorry for my rather unashamed moviegasm, but it really doesn’t get any better than this.