Juno (Blu-ray) (2007)

"...respects the idiosyncrasies of its characters rather than exaggerating them or holding them up for ridicule.  A.O. Scott, The New York Times
"With its original performances that can't be reduced to simplistic labels, Juno is charming, honest and terrifically acted.  Claudia Puig, USA Today
"...a coming-of-age movie made with idiosyncratic charm and not a single false note.  David Denby, The New Yorker
"A confluence of perfection in every aspect of the film.  David Wiegand, San Francisco Chronicle
"Not only gives us a superb new cast of believable characters, it transcends its own genre.  Desson Thomson, The Washington Post
"A blithe charmer balanced somewhere between a life-should-be-so-neat fairy tale and a life's-a-real-bitch tragicomedy...  Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly
"A witty little comic gem with a heart and a soul.  Sean Axmaker, Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Editor's Note The word "quirky" has become the quick and easy way to describe films such as LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE and LARS AND THE REAL GIRL that straddle the lines between indie and studio films and comedy and drama. While JUNO fits into that same category, this distinctive dramedy is in a class all its own. Ellen Page (X-MEN: THE LAST STAND) stars as Juno, a witty teenage girl whose boredom doesn't lead her to the mall. Instead, she makes a one-time trip into the arms of her best friend Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera). When Juno discovers that she's pregnant, she's forced to grow up fast as she tries to find adoptive parents for her quickly growing child. JUNO might have a lot of strengths--Page's award-worthy performance, a pitch-perfect soundtrack, excellent direction from Jason Reitman--but it's the screenwriting debut of writer Cody Diablo that makes this such a winning film. Famous for her blog and her book CANDY GIRL: A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF AN UNLIKELY STRIPPER, Diablo has a unique voice and an incredible ear for dialogue. But even the nearly perfect script wouldn't sound so good if it weren't for the talents of these actors, particularly Page. She won raves for her first major role in HARD CANDY, but this performance proves it wasn't a fluke. The rest of the cast, especially J.K. Simmons as Juno's dad, is just as worthy of attention. JUNO continues Cera's cinematic ascent after his success with the hit comedy SUPERBAD, and his ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT costar Jason Bateman uses his dry delivery to great effect as a potential parent for Juno's baby. Songs from Kimya Dawson perfectly capture the film's tone with the music's sweet, smart, and funny sounds.

	Allison Janney
	Ellen Page
	J.K. Simmons
	Jason Bateman
	Jennifer Garner
	Michael Cera
	Olivia Thirlby
	Rainn Wilson
	Catherine Schroer - Art Director
	Dana E. Glauberman - Editor
	Diablo Cody - Writer
	Eric Steelberg - Cinematographer
	Jason Reitman - Director
	John Malkovich - Producer
	Joseph Drake - Executive Producer
	Matt Messina - Original Music By
	Michael Diner - Art Director
	Steve Saklad - Production Designer

Box Office
"[There's] room for the deeper emotional lives of all these characters to emerge. They do so beautifully, achingly, artfully." 12/01/2007 p.57-58

New York Times
"[The film] takes on surprising delicacy and emotional depth. The snappy one-liners are a brilliant distraction, Ms. Cody's way of clearing your throat for the lump you're likely to find there in the movie's last scenes." 12/05/2007

USA Today
4 stars out of 4 -- "JUNO, a likably cynical comedy, is actually about hope....A film bristling with vitality and heart....JUNO is charming, honest and terrifically acted." 12/05/2007

Rolling Stone
3.5 stars out of 4 -- "The devil in Cody's script lets in wit, anger, distress and the pain of romantic longing. JUNO is more than a few smiles -- it makes you laugh deeply. It's one from the bruised heart." 12/13/2007 p.142

Entertainment Weekly
"Jennifer Garner has never been lovelier or more affecting....Delightful and good-hearted..." -- Grade: A- 12/21/2007 p.59-60

Los Angeles Times
"JUNO is hilarious an sweet-tempered, perceptive and surprisingly grounded. It's also a gust of fresh air..." 12/05/2007

Rolling Stone
Ranked #10 in Rolling Stone's "10 Best Movies Of 2007" -- " 12/27/2007 p.121

Sight and Sound
"Diablo Cody's screenplay is rich in one-liners, irony and quizzical understatement. The central performance, from Ellen Page, is beautifully judged." 02/01/2008 p.69

Uncut
4 stars out of 5 -- "[T]his is Page's triumph, spitting out smart-ass lines like she thought MEAN GIRLS was soft and GHOST WORLD held too optimistic a worldview....It's whip-smart, cool, and very, very funny." 03/01/2008 p.120

Empire
4 stars out of 5 -- "[A] perfectly judged three-act structure that follows the emotional highs and lows of Juno's winter-to-summer pregnancy, the film saves its aces for last." 03/01/2008 p.52

Wall Street Journal
"It's a comedy of crisp, mordant wit and quietly radiating warmth." 09/17/2010

ReelViews 9 of 10
If one was to categorize Juno, it would fall into the hybrid coming-of-age/teen romantic comedy category. But, as movies like Superbad have shown, such labels aren't necessarily negatives. Juno, directed by Jason Reitman (Thank You for Smoking) is smart, witty, and engaging - three ingredients that, when applied to any film, comprise a recipe for success. Juno has a great heroine and is blessed by a screenplay that doesn't try to do too much and finds the perfect ending. It's a little odd that this is the third comedy this year to focus on pregnancy. I enjoyed both Knocked Up and Waitress, but Juno gets my vote for the best of the three...Juno isn't one of those "laugh riots" that will have audience members rolling in the aisles, getting fake popcorn butter and spilled soda all over their clothing. Instead, it's funny in a sassy way - the kind of humor that causes a lot of smiles and chuckles to go along with the occasional stomach-jiggling laugh. The script is polished to near perfection...Juno is the kind of the film where a viewer almost needs to look for a reason to dislike it for it not to work. It's charming without being saccharine. It's funny without being rude or dishonest. It's smart without being smart-assed. And it's got enough heart to keep the comedic elements in check. - James Berardinelli

Chicago Sun-Times 10 of 10
Jason Reitman's "Juno" is just about the best movie of the year. It is very smart, very funny and very touching; it begins with the pacing of a screwball comedy and ends as a portrait of characters we have come to love. Strange, how during Juno's hip dialogue and cocky bravado, we begin to understand the young woman inside, and we want to hug her...Has there been a better performance this year than Ellen Page's creation of Juno? I don't think so. If most actors agree that comedy is harder than drama, then harder still is comedy depending on a quick mind, utter self-confidence, and an ability to stop just short of going too far. Page's presence and timing are extraordinary. I have seen her in only two films, she is only 20, and I think she will be one of the great actors of her time...The film has no wrong scenes and no extra scenes, and flows like running water. There are two repeating motifs: the enchanting songs, so simple and true, by Kimya Dawson. And the seasonal appearances of Paulie's high school cross-country team, running past us with dogged consistency, Paulie often bringing up the rear, until his last run ends with Paulie, sweaty in running shorts, racing to Juno's room after her delivery. - Roger Ebert