As fake as fake gets.

Rating: 1/10 (12 March 2012)

Think of Napoleon Dynamite trying to tackle real-life issues, and you have Juno in a nutshell. Deadpan humor and awkwardness ahoy.
Nothing in this film comes close to being real, even though there is supposed to be some real-life message embedded deep within. Everything from the 16 year-old lead character's 40 year-old ultra-cool demeanor and snappy wit, to the blah reaction of the parents over a teenage pregnancy, to the BS fairytale of finding a perfect adoption family so easily. All crap that will surely misguide younger viewers.
The message I got from this film is:
1) Casual sex as a teenager is no big deal, because there is always a safety net there to save you. Whether it be your parents, your school, a public aid program, or, in this case, a rich couple who is just more than willing to help you out of a tough situation.
2) The adoption vs. abortion issue. I'm not going to go there since the director already did.
3) There are no consequences for even the stupidest of mistakes caused by the most careless behavior, so don't take anything too seriously. You can get pregnant, act like it is a minor inconvenience that will supply you with some entertaining moments for the next 9 months, and then you can give the baby up for adoption and go pack to playing guitar with your garage-band boyfriend as if nothing ever happened.
4) The father-to-be has no choice in the matter and should just go on with life as usual.
The only real issue that was presented in any believable fashion is with the adopting couple.
Perhaps if this film were passed-off as a feel-good film, or the like, I could let it slide. You can't really make a light comedy film that includes such controversial issues like teen sex and the real-life choices presented over a teen pregnancy. This film tries to side-step the realities of the issues with witty dialog and ignorance. It is as fake as fake gets.
Because of this film, an Academy Award win or nomination will no longer sway my decision to see or not see other films in the future. It is clear that the honor is merely a watered-down title that comes from an organization whose standards have fallen into the toilet. Don't believe the hype!