Juno Flows with the Universe

Rating: 9/10 (30 September 2008)

Juno is, unapologetically, who she is. Life is a journey, not a destination, and Juno seems to appreciate that more than most of us. Hers is a journey of self-discovery, marked by choices she never expected to make. Along the way, she learns something that many of us never seem to learn -- most especially the many reviews I read condemning this movie on "moral grounds" -- not to take ourselves or life too seriously. In many ways, Juno is innately very "zen" in that she instinctively realizes that she cannot control the feelings or actions of those around her any more than they can truly control her. If you can, without preconceptions, enjoy watching this type of teenager grow with her experiences on an understated human scale, you will enjoy this movie.
Alternatively, you can insist on criticizing the movie for the hype, its lack of "moral values", its "cliched" dialog (only if you don't live there - clichés become clichés because they start out as truths), or its lack of misanthropy, then you can feel good about how superior you are to idiots like me who thoroughly enjoyed Juno.