Something that we love for what it is

Rating: 10/10 (14 January 2008)

This excellent film pulls off a trick that is harder to master in Hollywood than most people think, an original tale with enough bite to support its creative edge and plenty of heart to connect with even the most jaded in the audience. Most of its success comes from the lively turn by Elaine Page, a performer who can tackle a role better than 99% of her more famous contemporaries. She understand the dark side of comedy and how drama and comedy are, well, two sides of the same coin.
In this delicious film, a pregnant teenager discovers that life can surprise all the time. She learns as her pregnancy becomes more and more evident how good her support system is, and her learning comes from observing the reactions of those people she is now interacting with. It might be her hypersensitivity, probably due to hormonal changes in her body, or it might just be that she is now forced to deal with issues in a more mature manner. Whatever the case might be, Juno learns to appreciate the best qualities in people, the diamond in the rough that she is, and she discovers that wisdom can only be achieved by careful application of her unexpected learning.
Michael Cera and Jennifer Garner stand out in their supporting roles, but it's only fair to say that no one in this movie is not doing very good work. It is an ensemble piece, with plenty of heart and a sense of discover in material that we all thought we understood. These are complex issues and the resolutions are never by the numbers. Juno understand her uniqueness and has enough understanding of how far respect can go.
2007 has indeed been a good year for movies, and it should be stated that great comedies don't come by so often. Enjoy.