Sitting in the theater about to watch a free screening. I’ll post my impressions when I get home.
Surprised there isn’t a thread yet. I thought Fox was going hardcore on the fabricated grassroots hype. I got a “Paulie Bleeker is totally boss” free t-shirt and everything.
I’m juiced about this movie. Looking forward to reading your thoughts.
absolutely! Let us know how it is!
Okay, I’m back home.
A very good, but I wouldn’t go so far as saying great, movie of the “socially awkward middle-america youth that end up being cool in their own way” genre. Liked it far more than Napoleon Dynamite or Superbad (the two movies that most readily jumped to my mind). Having the different viewpoint of a female lead definitely helped.
A quick summary of the movie (suitably spoilered) for those who don’t know:
16 year old smartass* girl gets knocked up by her boyfriend. Decides not to have an abortion, but is with it enough to realize she doesn’t want to have the kid for herself. She scours the Pennysaver and finds a couple looking for a surrogate, and agrees to give the baby to them. The rest of the movie is her relationship with the boy, her relationship with the couple who will get the baby, her relationship with her father, and most importantly, her growing from a cynical little kid to a (mostly) mature young woman.
*imagine a pregnant Daria.
Ellen Page, who plays Juno, does an amazing job showing the character’s transformation, and you really feel for her. The dialogue is a fun and totally unreal pastiche of what-an-adult-filmwright-trying-to-be-cool-thinks-kids-sound-like and W-A-A-F-T-T-B-C-T-Minnesotans-S-L, but despite that, she gives real emotion.
Michael Cera plays the same character as in Superbad, but it works.
Allison Janney, Jason Bateman, and J.K. Simmons are good adult anchors. In the case of Simmons, great.
Jennifer Garner can’t act her way out of a paper bag. Unless that’s part of her characterization for the role, in which case she’s effing Brando.
The movie is just a shade over 90 minutes, but it doesn’t feel short. It tells all the story it needs to tell, and does so without contrived wackiness situations that do nothing more than pad the length in other movies.
I love this movie. I’ve seen it twice so far and want to see it again. I think the characters are all so terrific and I want to spend time with them. It’s one of those tiny little intimate movies that’ll become one of those movies where I can see it dozens of times over the years, and come in at any point, and feel totally comfortable with the characters, like plopping down in a bean bag at a friend’s house.
[QUOTE=Only Mostly Dead]
Jennifer Garner can’t act her way out of a paper bag.
[/QUOTE]
I disagree strenuously. She seemed weird at first because her character was meant to be nervous and uptight, but she chilled out. The scene at the mall was so tender and beautiful, I was in tears. She was perfect. As was everyone else.
Before I saw the movie, I was perplexed that Oscar pundits had Ellen Page on their short lists of possible Best Actress Oscar nominees. That’s silly, though I. After seeing it the second time, I’m embarrassed that I doubted them even for a second.
I don’t have words to adequately articulate how much I disagree with this.
I thought that Jennifer Garner absolutely stole the entire movie. I found her performance absolutely brilliant.
The movie was a lot different than I was expecting, and I must admit that the Napoleon Dynamite-esque quirkiness is really wearing thin with me at this point. The music really grated on my nerves at times. I expected Michael Cera to have a bigger role, and was blindsided by the creepy sexual tension between Jason Bateman and the lead.
In spite of those things, it’s an absolutely fantastic movie. It reminded me a lot of one of my favorite movies - Ghost World. I look forward to watching it several more times, now that I know what I’m getting myself into.
[QUOTE=shy guy]
The movie was a lot different than I was expecting, and I must admit that the Napoleon Dynamite-esque quirkiness is really wearing thin with me at this point.
[/QUOTE]
GAH!! Don’t you be comparing Juno with that piece of shit Napolean Dynamite! The first movie loves and respects its characters, the second movie hates and makes fun of its characters. They’re as different as different could be, and a couple of wisecracks from a smartass character does NOT put Juno into the “ND-esque quirkiness” territory. I expect many if not most ND fans will loathe Juno because it’s just not cynical or stupid enough.
[QUOTE=shy guy]
The music really grated on my nerves at times.
[/QUOTE]
I suspect that’s going to put a lot of people off if they’re in the wrong mood. It’s very charming, in small doses. I couldn’t listen to Kimya Dawson continuously, but she’s such an amazing person and such a sweetheart that she’s perfect for Juno.
Watched this twice at the Toronto Film Festival. The first time was for free as I was usher for a screening. 
I love the script (I adore that “shenanigans” line) and I love Ellen Page’s acting. She was funny and sharp, and I felt very emotionally involved in her situation. I had no idea she was this good an actress.
Equipoise and shy guy, I’ll just have to disagree with you on Garner. I know the character is supposed to be nervous and neurotic and a yuppie and a perfectionist. But a lot of the roles felt like real people. She was always a caricature. The mall scene was sweet and all, but it was one of the few things that felt shoehorned into the movie; no mention of any extended family or friends or their children, and suddenly, we spy Auntie Vanessa being super cool with kids, then the next scene, going right back to her normal neurotic self.
Otherwise, we’re on the same page.
And I can’t believe I forgot to mention the music. Agreed on what you both have said about it.
Haven’t seen Juno yet, but I liked Ellen Page in Hard Candy. It’s a great, if fairly disturbing, indie film.
So it’s not about Canadian heroism in WW2?
Just saw a sneak preview screening (we got free t-shirts too, but ours are like the shirts the track team was always wearing; they say “Dancing Elk Condors,” so I assume the kids went to Dancing Elk High School, whose mascot is inexplicably the Condors).
I loved this movie. I’m with Equipoise and shy guy on Garner’s performance; I thought she was wonderful at portraying a nervous mix of hope, despair, and vulnerability.
Ellen Page was, as everyone who’s seen the movie agrees, wonderful. Five minutes into the movie, you’re irretrievably in love with her and completely on her side. In fact, all of the performances were great, from Juno’s dad and stepmom to the Indian kid who talks to Bleeker during their jog (“Did you hear Juno’s pregnant?” “Yeah.” “Did you hear it’s yours?” “Yeah.” “Cool. You should grow a moustache.”)
But the most impressive performance among the supporting cast was, to my mind, Jason Bateman’s. When Juno goes over to the house a couple of times and they hang out, I kept finding myself thinking, “Is it just me, or is he being kind of creepy?” I didn’t expect the movie to go in that direction, and so I kept thinking I was just being oversensitive and misperceiving his innocent actions. But after he revealed his “leave my wife” plan, I realized that my doubts are exactly the doubts Juno was having as well; it was a great combination of direction and acting, in the way it strung me along and made me doubt my instincts in the same way Juno did.
Wonderful movie. I’ll be seeing it again.
[QUOTE=jackelope]
Just saw a sneak preview screening (we got free t-shirts too, but ours are like the shirts the track team was always wearing; they say “Dancing Elk Condors,” so I assume the kids went to Dancing Elk High School, whose mascot is inexplicably the Condors).
[/QUOTE]
I got a t-shirt too, but it was the pregnant Yuki superheroine thing (like this one).
[QUOTE=jackelope]
In fact, all of the performances were great,
[/QUOTE]
The only one I didn’t much care for was Rainn Wilson. Maybe I saw the trailer too many times because I cringe at the “That ain’t no etch-a-sketch. That’s one doodle that can’t be un-did, homeskillet” line. But other than that, I love all the dialogue, and he’s only in it for that one scene.
[QUOTE=jackelope]
from Juno’s dad and stepmom
[/QUOTE]
They were so great. Most parents in teen comedies are either mean, clueless or nonentities. Juno’s were decent, smart, involved and cool people, well-written and portrayed.
[QUOTE=jackelope]
to the Indian kid who talks to Bleeker during their jog (“Did you hear Juno’s pregnant?” “Yeah.” “Did you hear it’s yours?” “Yeah.” “Cool. You should grow a moustache.”)
[/QUOTE]
Oh yeah! And the next lines: “I can’t” “Yeah, I can’t either. Well, bye” There are so many great lines in the movie. Half of them aren’t yet on IMDB or in the trailer.
[QUOTE=jackelope]
“Is it just me, or is he being kind of creepy?”
[/QUOTE]
If I’d had to leave early, I would have said it was just you, (I think some spoiler tages are still in order, since the movie hasn’t opened wide yet)
because I didn’t see that coming at all! The second time I saw it, I noticed the signals he was giving out. I was so relieved at her reaction. I had read very little about the movie beforehand, so I didn’t know what was going to happen. Were Juno and Paulie going to get back together and leave Vanessa out in the cold? Was Juno going to fall in love with Mark and leave Vanessa out in the cold? Was something terrible going to happen to the baby? (and leave Vanessa a broken shell?) Needless to say, I loved Vanessa after the mall scene, and I desperately wanted her to have Juno’s baby. It couldn’t have ended any better for me. I enjoyed the movie the second time I saw it much more than the first, because I was so fretful the first time though fearing something awful was going to happen, that the second time, knowing how it would turn out, I could relax and enjoy the characters and dialogue.
Btw, I apologise for that Napolean Dynamite slur. I know some people like it and it’s generally not my style to call something “a piece of shit” because I hate it when others do that to a movie I like. I didn’t care for it, and I stand by everything else I said (that it hates its characters, unlike Juno) but it’s not for me to call it a POS. I definitely don’t want there to be any ND/Juno wars.
I wonder how Juno will do among young people. It’s being nominated for and winning all kinds of awards with many more to come, and old, unhip farts like me love it, so I’m not sure how hip it will seem to someone 16. But damn, I wish I’d seen it at 16. I can relate to Juno a little bit, because I got pregnant at 16 too, and didn’t get an abortion (though I could have). I kept my baby though. My parents weren’t as supportive as Juno, and she’s much smarter, cuter and funnier than I was, but I still knew what that panic felt like, as well as the ballooning belly and water breakage (though I never would have thought to say something like “TUNDERCATS ARE GO!” I’m not sure what that means, but it was funny.)
[QUOTE=Equipoise]
[QUOTE=jackelope]
Just saw a sneak preview screening (we got free t-shirts too, but ours are like the shirts the track team was always wearing; they say “Dancing Elk Condors,” so I assume the kids went to Dancing Elk High School, whose mascot is inexplicably the Condors).
[/QUOTE]
I got a t-shirt too, but it was the pregnant Yuki superheroine thing (like this one).
[/QUOTE]
Our t-shirts are orange with “Paulie Bleeker is totally boss” written across the front with little runners on top of the letters.
Only Mostly Dead pretty much hit on everything I was going to say. I wasn’t as unimpressed with Jennifer Garner’s performance as he was though. I’ve seen her do better, but I’ve seen others do worse.
Saw a free screening last night, and will probably pay to see it again. Very funny and well-acted movie. I thought Jennifer Garner did a fine job, her character was supposed to be a little off, a little too needy.
We got t-shirts with the etch-a-sketch line.
[QUOTE=jackelope]
[spoiler]
When Juno goes over to the house a couple of times and they hang out, I kept finding myself thinking, “Is it just me, or is he being kind of creepy?” I didn’t expect the movie to go in that direction, and so I kept thinking I was just being oversensitive and misperceiving his innocent actions. But after he revealed his “leave my wife” plan, I realized that my doubts are exactly the doubts Juno was having as well; it was a great combination of direction and acting, in the way it strung me along and made me doubt my instincts in the same way Juno did.
.[/spoiler]
[/QUOTE]
That should have been spoiler-boxed IMO.
-FrL-
All I have to go on are the trailers and the critical raves – but I’m slightly put off by the dialog. No 16 year old I’ve ever met actually talks like that. But I take it that this is not a significant flaw, in the opinion of those that have seen it.
[QUOTE=Equipoise]
The only one I didn’t much care for was Rainn Wilson. Maybe I saw the trailer too many times because I cringe at the “That ain’t no etch-a-sketch. That’s one doodle that can’t be un-did, homeskillet” line. But other than that, I love all the dialogue, and he’s only in it for that one scene.
[/QUOTE]
That’s what I thought at first; the dialogue in that opening scene was WAY over-the-top in its self-conscious coolness. On reflection, though; I think it was really smart to do it that way. It lets the movie keep a funny, witty, sarcastic tone, but also lets us know that Juno has gotten at least a bit more serious about things. In other words, by starting off at 10, they’re able to dial it back to 8 so that it’s still riotously clever but also clearly a bit more serious than Juno’s usual mode of speech.
I agree; apologies. If a mod comes through, could someone put a spoiler tag on the second-to-last paragraph of my previous post, #12? Or would another poster report that post? Thanks.
Sigh. Frylock – and everyone: when you see something that should be in spoiler tags, please please please just hit the REPORT button (little red triangle with ! in upper right corner of post) and let the Mods know.
When you quote the entire material that should be in spoiler boxes, you’re just added to the Moderator’s workload; I not only have to fix jackelope’s post (in this case), I have to fix YOURS, too.
Please, in future, try not to quote material that you think should be spoilered?
[QUOTE=C K Dexter Haven]
Sigh. Frylock – and everyone: when you see something that should be in spoiler tags, please please please just hit the REPORT button (little red triangle with ! in upper right corner of post) and let the Mods know.
When you quote the entire material that should be in spoiler boxes, you’re just added to the Moderator’s workload; I not only have to fix jackelope’s post (in this case), I have to fix YOURS, too.
Please, in future, try not to quote material that you think should be spoilered?
[/QUOTE]
No problem.
-FrL-
(This is the first I’ve ever heard of these procedures for this problem. I didn’t even know the mods cared about spoiler boxes. No need for the sigh and the “question mark” at the end of your post. 
)