Knocked Up meets Napolean Dynamite = eh

Rating: 5/10 (6 December 2007)

Although Juno may be a front-runner for this year's celebrated independent film, this teen pregnancy yarn contains many of the same quirky letdowns that have become low-budget, dialog-heavy staples for over a decade. In a script littered with overdone wit, first timer Diablo Cody does demonstrate an occasional worthwhile perspective amongst the onslaught of girly cynicism's, but as it is, lead Ellen Page simply gives off a self-consciousness much too mature in her mannerisms, delivery, and speech, turning her into the opposite of the authentic character she is supposed to be. Most of the cast, especially the younger ones, feel slightly amateurish as well, surprisingly letting people like Jeniffer Garner steal away what slight thunder there is to be had. An uneventful follow-up to Jason Reitman's very solid Thank You for Smoking, the movie does hold few tender moments, many sarcastic ones, but rarely any truthful ones.