Mature View of American Teenagers - at last!

Rating: 10/10 (13 March 2008)

When your average cinema going joe public think of films featuring American teenagers they tend to think of titles like the 'American Pie' series of gross-out comedies, or the endless stream of slasher movies that seem to pollute the screens and DVD shelves these days (don't get me wrong, I enjoy a good slasher movie once in a while, but there are just so many of the about lately!) What they would not think of is a film like 'Juno' that, for possibly the first time since the early Linklater movies, deal with Amercian teenagers in a really mature, intelligent manner.
What I really like about this movie is that is does not set out for belly laughs by presenting us with gross-out comedy, but instead allows the comedy to grow naturally out of the situations presented, and by the naturalistic acting of the main characters. As Juno Ellen Page is outstanding, a possible star in the making. She is backed up by a near flawless supporting cast, with Micheal Cera being the stand out as the confused, upset, but ever loyal Bleeker. The scene in the hospital, with the two on the bed, was very moving without ever being sentimental.
A few last thoughts. The opening title sequence is magnificent, why can't more movies put more effort into great open title sequences? Then there is the music. The audience I watched the film with were mainly OAP's (it was a local matinée!), so the choice of music went over many of their heads, but I was secretly bopping along in my seat to some fantastic tunes. It was really interesting that Juno was given such taste in music, rather than what you would expect from a teenager in contemporary USA - or this a dig at the current state of music on that side of the pond? Despite the controversy of the issues raised - although personally I believe pro-choice also gives a women the right to have her baby - I believe that this is an ideal film to enhance your faith in both mankind and in intelligent film making