We’ve all been witness to numerous teen sex comedies, but Juno—the new picture from Fox Searchlight—may be the first to explore the very real consequences of a teen girl with an unexpected pregnancy on her hands. Igniting buzz equal to that of previous indie sensations Napoleon Dynamite and Little Miss Sunshine, Juno—in theaters nationwide December 25—has already been nominated for three Golden Globes, and for good reason.
Offsetting the potential for melodrama inherent in a teen pregnancy plot line are the smart-mouthed and self-depreciating observations of Juno’s protagonist, Juno MacGuff. As she navigates through the bittersweet journey of a pregnancy unplanned and out of character, newcomer Ellen Page’s star-making and spot-on portrayal of 16-year-old Juno is one of the most compelling of the year.
Juno is set in an insufferably suburban Minneapolis, Minnesota, an unremarkable backdrop for a remarkable character who grows to become an unlikely heroine. Despite the plentiful, if unsolicited, advice of Juno’s best friend, father, and stepmother (played by J.K. Simmons and Allison Janney), Juno ultimately decides the fate of her pregnancy on her own, selecting a pair of “perfect” yuppie adoptive parents.
With the most pressing decision out of the way, Juno must negotiate the terms of her relationship with the father of her baby, Paulie Bleeker. Played by Michael Cera, the breakout star of Arrested Development and Superbad, Paulie is Juno’s awkward classmate, and he’s equally unprepared for parenthood. Nevertheless, he shows surprising tenderness throughout the pregnancy, much of which is suffered in the halls of their high school, Juno’s belly blooming under the vigilant eyes of their peers.
Much of Juno’s frank but tender authenticity comes courtesy of director Jason Reitman (who previously wrote and directed Thank You for Smoking) and 29-year-old wunderkind screenwriter Diablo Cody, a Jane magazine alum who authored the outrageous memoir Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper. Cody’s new film is a wry and important affirmation that growing up isn’t easy—especially when you’re 16, and pregnant.