a tempered response...

Rating: 6/10 (20 January 2008)

the "teen movie" certainly lends itself to stylized dialogue (see: Heathers, Clueless, Brick), but unlike in those films, Juno finds its footing rather awkwardly. the first ten minutes or so are patience-testing as the patois is established, and too often veers into hipster-posturing. but once the "adults" show up, things brighten considerably. the ever-reliable J.K. Simmons and Alison Janney are perfectly cast as Ellen Page's parents and provide most of the film's most effective moments. (Page continues to display an impressive promise.) there are funny moments/lines through-out, some nice bits of film-making (my favorite being the sequence of the busticated mini-van driving past a series of upper-class suburban manses), and a great soundtrack (extra points awarded for using Buddy Holly's obscure gem "Dearest"). the crucial flaw for me was the fact that Juno was the only complete character in the movie  most of the surrounding characters (despite how well-played they were) amounted to little more than sketches, and without them being fleshed-out more thoroughly, the movie ultimately felt solipsistic. i had other, more minor qualms as well (for example, i definitely felt the abortion/choice issue was handled rather glibly, and several of the pitfalls of the amerindie-whimsy trend were far from avoided). but overall, it's an enjoyable picture  i don't understand the ecstatic reception it's receiving, but i do think it's worth seeing.