Well it is awards season again and it looks like Juno has picked up 4 big ones for the upcoming Oscars in February. Ellen Paige for actress, Reitman for Director, Ms. Diablo Cody for screenplay and the big one Best Picture. Personally I think that Hollywood is more intrigued by writer Diablo Cody's background as a former stripper than the script that she actually wrote, but that's just me. Now I actually saw Juno about three weeks ago but I have been so damn busy with work and then coming home to take care of a child--well writing on the Blog has become very difficult. This is now my fourth attempt at writing the review and I think I may actually be able to finish it this time.
So I really did enjoy this film it was funny and well written poignant at times but overall a feel good kind of movie. Now everyone and their brother are calling this film this year's Little Miss Sunshine and as much as I enjoyed this film I think these people are out of their freaking minds. Last year Little Miss Sunshine stunned everyone as we followed the hapless Hoover family cross country to enroll little Olive Hoover into the Little Miss Sunshine Pageant. It seemed like a simple enough story but as the film rolled on we got to see many different layers to this screwed up family and by the end of the film they were the well adjusted ones. So Juno is also a very witty and simple plot about a young teen who discovers she's pregnant and decides to give the child to the family of her choice. Ellen Paige is clever and funny as she attempts to understand what is happening to her and how to deal with it. I wouldn't call it overly sentimental or forced it's just a nice little film that is well written and performed and accomplishes exactly what it is supposed to. Call me crazy but it just didn't hit me the same way as Little Miss Sunshine. I guess the expectation was too large going in If I had seen it before the hype maybe I would have been more enthusiastic afterwards. Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman were great as the family desperately seeking spawn. I also really loved J.K. Simmons as Mac Macgruff, Juno's father and Michael Cera as the odd Paulie Bleeker and dumbstruck dad-to-be.
If you haven't seen Juno it's really a great film and you would be crazy not to enjoy it. But if you haven't seen There Will Be Blood or No Country for Old Men I would really try to see them even sooner.
Grade: 4 Buckets
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