But Cody says that it's a tough issue: You're kind of damned if you do and damned if you don't in that regard. Particularly this year when there's this glut of pregnant movies. If you don't address the topic of abortion then you're being avoidant, if you do address it you have a short film. I feel that this is a personal movie not a political one and I hope other people see it that way as well.
Big puffy version of Juno (Fox Searchlight)
In the case of Juno (played by Hard Candys Ellen Page), she changes her mind about an abortion when a fellow teen who happens to be solo-picketing the woman's clinic, points out that Juno's fetus probably has fingernails already. As Juno fills out forms in the clinic's waiting room she suddenly become conscious of all the nail biting, tapping and clicking of the women (Reitman has the sounds come together in a kind of heartbeat) and Juno bolts for the door. To which the elated young picketer says God appreciates your miracle.
Now Juno has to explain her "miracle" to her parents. When she calls a family meeting, her parents (the wonderful J.K. Simmons and Allison Janney) sit in fear imagining all the horrible things that she might tell them. But surprisingly, they don't yell at her or become hysterical when they find out she's pregnant and wants to give the baby up for adoption to a yuppie couple that she found in the Pennysaver. Her stepmom pragmatically concludes someone will get a "precious gift from Jesus in this garbage dump of a situation."
Juno's relationship with her parents is one of the best things in the movie. For once, we get parents who genuinely love their child and respect her decisions. They can also joke with her (I love when her dad teases the plump Juno by saying Hey there, big puffy version of Junebug!) but without trying to be like a hip contemporary. They remain parents and they are concerned about their child. Juno accepts their concern as a show of love rather than as annoying prying into her private life. The bottomline is they care about her and she can talk to them about anything. Juno's parents provide a nice contrast to a movie parent like Steve Carell in Dan in Real Life. He has so many problems with his trio of daughters and it all stems from the fact that he seems unable to listen to them or just have a conversation with them
Juno with the prospective adoptive parents (Fox Searchlight)
The adoptive parents, Mark (Jason Bateman) and Vanessa (Jennifer Garner) are very different from Juno's parents. They are a young professional couple from a distinctly higher income bracket. Mark immediately charms Juno by being the kind of hip and cool dude that a teen can relate to. He plays guitar, watches old horror movies and is game to swap music discs. Vanessa on the other hand, begins as a kind of yuppie Barbie nightmare obsessed with neat, clean perfection. She becomes the butt of jokes early on as she wonders whether to paint the babys room in custard or cheesecake. But as Juno matures through the course of her pregnancy, we perceive a flip in those characters. Juno starts to see Mark as immature while Vanessa blossoms into a potentially wonderful mom.
Reitman scored a bit hit with his debut film Thank You for Smoking . That film as with Juno benefited from a witty, savvy script. Once again Reitman reveals a great instinct for comic pacing and for creating films where the humor comes from sharply defined, verbally adroit characters. Juno's been called a teen version of Knocked Up and a female Napoleon Dynamite but neither comparison captures the particular brand of fresh, smart comedy that Cody and Reitman bring to the screen. They deliver a difficult blend of edginess and sweetness.
Juno (Fox Searchlight)
Cody describes herself as a voracious consumer of teen movies. I loved John Hughes' The Breakfast Club . In a way Cody's quirky heroine is like Ally Sheedy's character in John Hughes film but before she has the cute makeover. As played by Ellen Page, Juno is smart but not smart-alecky. She may not be a role model but she's a strong female character and that's rare. She's bright, has a wry sense of humor and is confident about who she is. She's not like everyone else and she's fine with that. And the boy she sets her sights on--Michael Cera's sweetly geeky Paulie Bleeker--is not the school stud by any means. He's a nice kid and he genuinely cares for Juno. Page, who delivered a wickedly dark performance in Hard Candy, so embodies Juno that you may forget you're watching a performance.
Cody deserves praise for giving us a female character who refuses to let herself be painted as a victim. No one forced her to have sex or to keep the baby, both decisions were hers and she takes full responsibility for them. Of course this leaves the father of the child, poor bewildered Paulie Bleeker (Superbad's Michael Cera) wondering exactly what part he's played in all this. When Juno suggests that the sex was her idea, he looks truly stunned as if he really believed it was his idea. Juno may not have her life in complete order but she owns up to her decisions be they good or bad.
Reitman also takes care with other details of the film. The music--including songs by The Moldy Peaches, The Velvet Underground, Kimya Dawson, Antsy Pants--has a kind of simple, handcrafted quality as if Juno and Paulie could have made these songs themselves. The music sets the perfect tone--hip, a bit outsider, unexpectedly charming and a little rebellious. The production design also has an eye for detail whether it's the big velour chair she has sex in or the hamburger phone she uses to call the women's clinic. All the details here are perfect.
Reitman also gives the actors moments to shine and add depth to their characters. Vanessa may be a bit of a caricature early on but when she tells Juno that pregnancy is beautiful, Juno's callous reply is that she should be glad it's not happening to her. That's not a kind statement to make to a woman who has been trying to get pregnant for five years. The way Reitman plays the scene, we see how casual a remark that was for Juno and how deeply it cut Vanessa. That's the first moment we start to see behind Vanessa's perfect facade.
Juno (rated PG-13 for mature thematic material, sexual content and language) is a film to fall in love with. Underneath a prickly, irreverent surface lies a sweet, compassionate soul. I can't imagine a more perfect coming together of talent. This is a gift every film lover should want this holiday season.
Be listening to KPBS Radio's Morning Edition on Monday for more of my interview with Diablo Cody.
Companion viewing: Waitress, Knocked Up, Thank You for Smoking, The Breakfast Club
