Really fresh, competent and enjoyable approach to a sensitive subject

Rating: 8/10 (29 March 2010)

I was reluctant to watch this movie on the basis of some of the reviews given, and I was also reluctant to review it. However I feel that it deserves a balanced review given the mixed opinions that are currently being represented.
'Juno' is a unique film in many respects, but has a feel similar to that of Jason Reitman's previous work, 'Thankyou For Smoking'. This is in no way a bad thing. The movie started of as a quirky (and to me somewhat irritating) indie teen comedy, but I saw it through and discovered it to be a story of profound meaning. The subject matter alone is a brave one, and I felt that a look at the moral issue of abortion and adoption through the eyes of a teenager was a breath of fresh air in an industry that hasn't approached the subject much at all. Juno's character is the centre-point for the film's development and though she started off (as many reviews have focused on) as a human hub of teenage consumerist representation, after the initial 20 minutes you become increasingly drawn into her situation. My experience of this movie was all in all a very good one. I felt emotionally involved, and was forced to confront Juno's situation in my own mind- considering how she and the other characters must feel given a situation of unrivaled complexity.
I'm not surprised that this film has been met with such mixed opinions, because Reitman is a director who likes to take comedic approaches to fresh and unbroached subjects. But this is to his credit because like 'Thankyou For Smoking', 'Juno' is a heartfelt, sensitive, yet somehow light-hearted look at an issue that we've all had to think about. Ignore the reviews that only focus on the quirkiness of the first 20 minutes and you'll appreciate a movie that is undoubtedly deserving of its Oscar.