Cheerful teen in trouble comedy

Rating: 9/10 (28 January 2008)

Juno (Emily Page), a feisty High School junior in a modest Minnesota suburb, manages at 16 to get pregnant at her first try with boyfriend Beeker (Michael Cera). Abortion? Natch. Adoption? There's got to be some nice couple out there needing a baby. Sure, there is, Vanessa and Graham, the seemingly perfect Yuppie Couple who've advertised in the Pennysaver. Dad (JJ Simmons) and Step Mum Brenda (Allison Janney) are warmly supportive, but of course things don't quite go to plan.
This film is of course the little movie that could, a US $3m movie that grossed $70 million in four weeks (alas, mostly for Rupert Murdoch's Fox Searchlight company). It caused quite a stir  just look at the message board on this website, there are 5000 posts at least. It's nice it is so popular because it's well-scripted (by first timer Diabolo Cody), well acted and generally cheerful to watch. At the same time it dodges the "long term" issue  the effect on a birth mother of separation from her child, and for that matter the effect on the child.
Emily Page, helped by the sparkling script, is terrific, and I really enjoyed Alison Janney ("CJ" in West Wing") as the definitely not wicked stepmother. Jason Reitman proved he can do quirky comedy in Thank You for Smoking and shows it again here. We might have teenage sexuality house trained but accidents are still going to happen. To me, adoption outside the family circle, noble as it may be, is "second best" parenting, and should only be resorted to where there is no real alternative. As for abortion, well I'm pro-choice, but that includes saying no as well as yes.
It's interesting that this movie was shot in British Columbia, with a Canadian actress in the lead. Maybe it was cheaper, or maybe it was to forestall pro-lifer demonstrators (who are not always as charming as the one in the film). Anyway, I wouldn't have thought pro-lifers will have anything to quarrel with here. The Academy won't either.