Although I’m at a bit of an unfair advantage: Working at the Fox Lot, we got a free screening tonight of Juno.
While I’m not nearly as eloquent a reviewer as Tim (and I actually look forward to his take on this movie), I’ll give the short version.
This is a movie with several major flaws, the most notable of which is a grating, failed attempt to capture the way teens talk to each other. It has its moments of hilarity, but the overall effect is distracting.
That said, if you want to see a LOT of outstanding acting, you should definitely see this movie.
Starting with Ellen Page (who does an outstanding job as the titular protagonist) and going down through every single supporting character, these actors do a really great job of selling material that often does not deserve it.
I’ll throw in a mention of Jennifer Garner, who I’ve always enjoyed but have never been terribly impressed with until now. She really sells the quiet desperation in a role that could have been made shrewishly hysterical by the wrong actress. Luckily, they cast Garner, and she’s great in a pivotal role.
There are a few very strong moments in the story, which I won’t spoil for those who wish to see it. But the bottom line is that while this movie has its issues, it’s certainly still worth being seen just for Page and Garner’s performances.
Also, I’d just like to note that I now have a huge crush on Ellen Page, which feels slightly less wrong after finding out she’s not quite as young as she looks and is actually 20, although still fairly wrong as she cannot legally drink.