Hilarious and heartwarming

Rating: 10/10 (30 January 2008)

It's not often that a "teen" comedy comes along that treats teens like proper intelligent beings, as opposed to dance-obsessed nookie chasers. "Juno" is one of those rare movies about teenagers which is scripted with an incredible amount of wit and sass, shot with style and acted with warmth and charisma by a great cast who don't look like examples of identikit high school perfection. It tells the story of an unplanned teenage pregnancy and the effect it has on the girl in question, but it's far from your conventional approach to the subject. It's moving and heartwarming without ever resorting to sentimental mush, and hilariously funny without peeing on anyone or shagging any pies.
Ellen Page is a revelation, giving a hilarious and love-able performance, full of swagger and cynically barbed lines which should have you laughing into your popcorn so the drama can sneak up on you unawares. It's a brilliantly crafted and rounded performance in a film full of great turns and without a single weak link. It really is that good, and I can't recommend this absolute joy of a movie highly enough.