Juno

The strong drama of the substance blends surprisingly well with Reitman's cheeky comedy, which I enjoyed in his short films and also partly in his previous cigarette satire. Yet I still can't shake the impression that the feature-length runtime forces it into an incomprehensible brevity that fails to answer many questions. It’s too bad that Cera's loser is still as unsympathetic as he was in Superbad because Page’s obnoxious brat has grown into a lovable brat and a real actress. 3 ½. (and the big question mark over so many Oscar nominations). (24.01.2008)

"This is even better than Suspiria." Juno can’t avoid being compared to Knocked Up and Napoleon Dynamite. Which is being a little unfair to all three movies. One of them is similar in topic and the other seemingly “geek" in atmosphere, but otherwise they have practically nothing in common. Unlike in Napoleon, everybody is normal here, although a little eccentric here and there, and they deal with everyday problems. Unlike Knocked Up, this movie plays on a more serious note. Which doesn’t in the least mean that Reitman Jr. doesn’t entertain us with superbly apt humor, despite the serious topic. And it does this even without the help of a thousand and one pop-culture references. Unlike Judd Apatow. Juno is a very comely and pleasant picture which is paradoxically held back most by its most boasted asset. Ellen Page. I’m not saying she doesn’t play excellently, but sometimes she overdoes it a little. And purely personally, I was also disappointed that Paulie’s storyline was sidelined. That character is so likeable that I would most like to see this movie made through his Tic-Tac eyes. (22.01.2008)

I think the movie accurately describes a real 15-year-old girl who does what she has to do when she gets pregnant. The movie doesn't intrude or try to hijack the viewer with the American movie "stereotype". It doesn't have the usual situation where Juno realizes she wants a baby (...blah, blah, blah). The film is good, hence the 3.5 stars. And Reitman disappointed me a bit... (19.10.2010)

Juno is actually such a sweet little kitten. She scratches and bites like a small predator and as such brings me great joy. I sympathize with her, root for her, and I can't understand how Paulie can be such a fool, just standing there and being afraid to thoroughly explore what happiness can bring him. But as soon as the kitten calms down, curling up into a small ball, everything settles down and everything goes downhill very quickly. And no matter how much Ellen Page tries otherwise, she doesn't have much to play in a serious, tearful situation. The nostalgia of adolescence and the bittersweetness are perfect. However, the purely serious position and surprisingly lukewarm ending take away the positive impressions. (01.06.2008)

Juno is a comedy that moves in the well-established waters of the American mainstream from beginning to end. In Europe, creators would either turn a similar theme into a fateful drama or at most a bittersweet tragicomedy, but Jason Reitman made a pleasant and relaxed film about unpleasant things. He carefully smoothed out all potential edges, so the protagonist, who discovers a fateful problem in the form of an unwanted pregnancy, has a great understanding father, a stepmother who surprisingly - in this world - understands more than her own mother, an excellent friend to confide in and never be alone because of her, and ultimately a nice guy with whom she intends to build a meaningful relationship despite the initial obstacle. The more I think about the plot and subject it to critical analysis, the more I realize that it's only worth three stars when it comes to the content. All potentially unpleasant conflicts are retouched in advance. Just as an example, when Juno decides to have an abortion, she doesn't encounter a group of outraged, bigoted, and hostile protesters, as is common in America, but a hesitant, comically looking classmate who obviously doesn't protest of her own will, and the whole scene ends with a humorous dialogue. What elevates the film above the average are precisely the witty dialogues and a series of lines that cleverly move the plot forward and, even though I'm no longer a teenager, I think they capture the perspective of adolescents well. Especially Ellen Page's excellent performance in the lead role as a sassy, wild teenager is irresistible. The film also features very listenable music, and the opening credits with animation are interesting. Although this comedy has several weaknesses, I really enjoyed it and left the movie theater with a pleasant feeling. Overall impression 90%. (22.10.2008)