Juno

(THIS IS A REQUESTED REVIEW)

Ok, so if you didn’t catch my post in the “requested reviews” section of the blog – I’m doing something a little different. I’m going to take this week to try and really make up for the slack in the Requested Reviews. I know, I’m lazy – get over it! Let’s get on with it shall we?!

I didn’t want to see this movie. It seemed to me that it wasn’t too long ago that I had watched Napoleon Dynamite, 40 Year Old Virgin, Garden State, Little Miss Sunshine, Superbad,  and Knocked Up – so I guess I was kind of turned off at the initial idea of yet ANOTHER “Indie” film … but I fell to peer pressure and the will of the all powerful wife and was lured into watching Juno. I regret that I had not seen it earlier – this was a good movie.

SYNOPSIS:
Not sure I need to write one but here goes. If you are blind I guess you might not understand from all the previews, commercials and marketing material for this movie – but a chick gets pregnant and doesn’t want the baby. It’s obviously an “Indie” type of film with quirky characters and the sometimes odd music selection that plays throughout the trailer. You might think it’s a light-hearted take on the burden of child bearing but honestly there is a lot more to Juno than you might think. (don’t harass me about saying the “child bearing is a burden” comment because if it wasn’t then I don’t want to hear another woman complain about anything while they are pregnant! -not that you don’t have a right to – hell if I had a watermelon in me I’d be the biggest baby of them all and I’d be damned if I didn’t complain about it)

PROS of the FILM:
The cast in this film is by far the biggest Pro than anything else. At the time, Ellen Page (our heroine of the silver screen), was fairly unknown. Honestly how many people knew it was her in X-Men 3 or Hard Candy? Yeah, didn’t think so. Either way – she was the shinning star amongst a big cast of names. The best part is that she was “quirky” (good god I’m going to use that term a lot I have a feeling) anyways, she was “quirky” enough to really pair up well with Mike Cera’s character Bleeker. The two of them have this friendship that shines on screen when they are together and even as they talk about one another, they both come across genuine and heart felt. Also, can I just say that Mike Cera is a genius when it comes to this type of acting. I know that this reivew is late and he has done other films now, but he had the same character type in Superbad, Juno, and Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist – and he is fantastic at being this awkward young youth who comes across so relateable to so many people.

Ok so enough about our two main actors, the rest of the cast was maybe not equally great but pretty spot on all the same. Especially the mother and father of Juno. J.K. Simmons, and Allison Janney really seem to have the same chemistry as Cera and Page have but as an older couple who also play off one another to the point that you can really buy into the characters. Not only that, but J.K. Simmon’s character really relates to Juno on the humorous intellectual level that you wouldn’t expect a father and daughter to have and their banter between the two is quite good for the short times they exchange conversation. I would go into other casting decisions, but honestly those are really all I’m concerned with at this point.

Let’s see what else was good …

Well I suppose we should say that the story was pretty good considering the writing and screenplay for it earned an OSCAR. Granted I’m not the one to always push “awards mean it’s good” stereotype, but in this instance it actually does. The writing was the first screenplay ever written by Diablo Cody and it won an Oscar. That to me says a lot about it’s original content, the way it plays out and how well everyone relates to the film in order to make it as successful as it was.

I know that I had mentioned the “quirky” – (ha there it is again!) music that plays throughout the trailer, well that’s in the film too – but it really works to add to the film. Matter of fact – I think I might download that soundtrack right now! (haha but am I doing it illegaly? – you’ll never know! muahahahahahahaha) Yes that was random my mind is wandering – leave me alone.

*smacks himself – walks away from computer – comes back – continues writing*

Sorry about that, where was I?
Ah yes, so good music – another Pro.

Anyways, I know that I had mentioned the writing/screenplay which is more or less focused on the overall story and plot of the film but the script writing was also phenomenal! If I was actually kewl enough to spit out some one liners to you right now I would – but it was a really long time ago that I watched this movie and I can’t come up with anything on the spot so just trust me when I tell you that the writers were a lot more witty than I am. (that or you can catch some of the remarks they make in the trailer below)

Oh, the overall message of the film is also good – but I’ll let you figure that one out for yourself if you see it.

CONS of the FILM:
Ok, so is it just me or can Jennifer Garner NOT ACT!?!? Not quite sure what she was going for in this movie, but every scene she is in – she looks like she is constipated with anticipation and that she might actually be more satisfied if Juno would just poop out the baby on the spot rather than wait for her to actually deliver it. I’m not sure if that’s what the director was going for with her performance, but to me, she really detracts from every single scene that she is in. I think this was really one of the only bad casting decisions in the entire film. They could have def. found someone better – but who knows, maybe Julia Roberts wouldn’t take 1.5 million for this film.

Sorry, I’m not trying to be harsh on purpose – I really just come by it honestly.

So anyways, what were some other things that bothered me about Juno? I think that the marketing for this movie is a Con in a big way. They kept pushing so much that it was this Sundance Film winner, and that it was from the guy who brought you “Thanks for Not Smoking” blah blah blah – SO WHAT!?!?! Why can’t a movie just be a good movie, why do we care so much that it’s a damn “Indie” film? Because if you look around, it’s pretty much 50/50 for films now-a-days. Quit thinking that you’re so special because you were an Independent film and that you did well. Just because a movie is a Blockbuster doesn’t mean it’s a bad movie! Blockbusters make the film industry run – so don’t put all your eggs in one basket claiming that your movie is this amazing Independent film. I DON’T CARE – like I mentioned at the beginning of this review, it just seems like a trend more than a novelty anymore. Just plug the movie as a good movie and let that be it.

Rant over, I swear.

I think that’s all I really have against this film.

SUMMARY:
Since this review is a bit late – I’m sure you’ve all seen this movie by now. If you haven’t then I would suggest you do. It’s light hearted, warm and very comical in a easy way to understand. It’s not like Napoleon Dynamite where either you think it’s funny or you think it’s just retarded. If you can stomach Jennifer Gardner and you like orange Tic Tacs then rent this film and give it a whirl. You should be pleasantly surprised.

FINAL MOVIE RATING: 8.5/10

~ by phoenixwave on April 6, 2009.