Juno
The movie opens in the fall where after three pregnancy tests in Rollo’s (Rainn Wilson) store, Juno MacGuff (Ellen Page) discovers she is twelve weeks pregnant by her close friend Paulie (Michael Cera). She calls her best friend, Leah (Olivia Thirlby), and decides to schedule an abortion. In front of the clinic, Juno encounters a pro-life classmate protesting, but she enters the clinic nonetheless only to leave after being unnerved by the other patients’ nervous fingers. She returns home intent on carrying the pregnancy to term and to give the infant up for adoption. Juno and Leah look through the penny-saver magazine looking for couples seeking to adopt children and find an ad from a yuppie-couple, Mark and Vanessa Loring (Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner). She breaks the news of her pregnancy to her father Mac MacGuff (J.K. Simmons) and her stepmother, Bren MacGuff (Allison Janney) who both support her decision. Juno and Mac visit the affluent Lorings in their hygienic suburban home where the high-strung and maternalistic Vanessa is put off by Juno’s diffidence and sarcasm but Juno and Mark form a bond over their shared musical interests. Mark reveals that he was once in a punk band but now writes commercial jingles; Juno teases him because Vanessa has restricted all his hobbies – Les Paul guitars, song writing, and comic books – to a single room in the house.
Several weeks later in the winter Juno goes to receive an ultrasound with Bren and Leah, where the technician’s snide comment about teenage mothers prompts a stirring defense from Bren. After the appointment, Juno drives to the Loring residence unannounced to share the ultrasound picture with them, and because Mark works as a composer for commercials he is home all day and welcomes Juno as they begin to discuss their shared interests in alternative music and horror films. Vanessa returns home and is caught off-guard by Juno’s presence but forms a strong attachment with the picture, then Juno comes across a collection of baby items and Vanessa reveals that a previous adoption fell through.
Starring : Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Olivia Thirlby, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman
Directed by : Jason Reitman
Produced by : Joe Drake, Nathan Kahane, Daniel Dubiecki (II)
Genres : Comedy, Drama and Teen
Running Time : 1 hr. 31 min.
Release Date : December 5th, 2007 (limited)
MPAA Rating : PG-13 for mature thematic material, sexual content and language.
Distributors : Fox Searchlight Pictures
