Juno — A teen gets pregnant and goes off the beaten path for her happy ending

Rating: 10/10 (28 January 2013)

Juno starts differently and ends the same way.
The director gets us in right at the critical moment. Then the decision comes, and we're off into the thick of the movie. So, it's not about the decision, it's about making your own path.
This is one of those movies that try to drown us in the "perfect" world of film making. We follow a small reconstituted family, that's not completely happy, but not at each other's throat. Everyone as flaws as well as qualities. All of the personas have depth, and layers, and you can feel it. The environment they live in is just as rich in details. The script is perfectly novel, the acting is great, without reproach, and the pacing just right.
Ellen Page fits her role to a T. The unconventional teen who has thought, almost, everything through, with strong ideas, and a will to enforce it couldn't have been played any better. Jennifer Garner was born the be the perfectionist mom wannabe. J.K. Simmons and Allison Janney are the perfect incarnation of the progressive yet simple blue collar parents.
There are very few things I would criticize. The first one is the the teen lingo. It's appropriate, but heavily used. The second one is that all of those characters are pretty darn mature. I, for one, am very happy of this change of pace. It's like a balm after the so many face palm I've given myself while listening to your average Hollywood flick. The third and final one would be the slightly sappy music track. Not my style at all. As you can see all of those things are very inconsequential, and I must admit contribute to the flavor of the piece.
It's a must see.