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Movie / DVD: Juno


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I loved the movie and was genuinely moved toward the end (a trait I'm exhibiting more and more as the years pass....).

Exceptionally well written and mostly avoiding all the cliches that 'feel-good' movies tend to rely upon it had us both really laughing out loud.

Worth the hype IMO.

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And I actually coudn't stand the music.

I'm with ya there. For some reason, that type of music ... seems very self-conscious to me.

I liked the father's character and Jennifer Garner's character most. I couldn't quite get with the writing for Juno's character. Seemed a little forced to me — like a 39 year-old inhabiting what they'd think a teenager's voice/mannerisms would be? Maybe that's a little too hard, but I was left with that impression.

Still liked the film. The opening credits reminded me of "Napoleon Dynamite," which I think I liked even better.

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I liked the father's character and Jennifer Garner's character most. I couldn't quite get with the writing for Juno's character. Seemed a little forced to me — like a 39 year-old inhabiting what they'd think a teenager's voice/mannerisms would be? Maybe that's a little too hard, but I was left with that impression.

You're right there, the parts played by these two were spot on. But judging by the (not trying to sound wierd here) amount of intelligent teenage girls I've heard, there is an uncanny resemblance to a 39 year old!

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My parents walked out on it, I managed to make it to the end at least. Perhaps the most offputting thing about the film (aside from the arch witticisms, aside from the treacly-ironic music) is that it seems to be trying to sell the adoption as a happy ending, with that baby ending up in the clutches of that creepy motherhood-obsessed nutcase. It's the happiest ending since the kid ended up with her dad at the end of Chinatown.

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My parents walked out on it, I managed to make it to the end at least. Perhaps the most offputting thing about the film (aside from the arch witticisms, aside from the treacly-ironic music) is that it seems to be trying to sell the adoption as a happy ending, with that baby ending up in the clutches of that creepy motherhood-obsessed nutcase. It's the happiest ending since the kid ended up with her dad at the end of Chinatown.

I've heard similar reactions from people, that they find the resolution offensive instead of feel good. I'm most likely going to skip this one entirely.

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I thought the setting was interesting. Aside from the adopting couple's house, there were no signs of modern day America. Along with the way the kids spoke, their clothes, the bands and films mentioned, it was a very general turn of the century setting. Similar to what Wes Anderson does with his films.

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... with that baby ending up in the clutches of that creepy motherhood-obsessed nutcase. It's the happiest ending since the kid ended up with her dad at the end of Chinatown.

That's a pretty strong reaction! Garner's character didn't seem creepy to me at all, but perhaps that's because my current circle of friends are mostly women in their mid-30's, some pregnant, and some desperately trying to get pregnant. Garner's desire for a child seemed one of the most authentic aspects of the film to me. Everyone will naturally have their own take, but I didn't find anything truly offensive about the film.

It'll be interesting to see if Diablo Cody writes for the screen again. With an Oscar now on her résumé, she'll at least have easier access to financial backing. Also be interesting to see if John Malkovich chooses to (co)produce again.

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...Garner's character didn't seem creepy to me at all, but perhaps that's because my current circle of friends are mostly women in their mid-30's, some pregnant, and some desperately trying to get pregnant. Garner's desire for a child seemed one of the most authentic aspects of the film to me. Everyone will naturally have their own take, but I didn't find anything truly offensive about the film...

Same here.

You know, there is no "perfect" situation for raising a child. If anything, Juno seemed to realize this and decided that the kid would be better off with Garner's character raising her as a single mom, than the kid would have been with Juno or with Garner and her husband's broken relationship.

If you know anyone who has gone through the adoption process, Garner's actions seem much less creepy.

I just saw the movie a couple of weeks ago... still fresh on the mind I guess, and a familiar story in a lot of ways.

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I loved the film - hated the music. But then again, this is music that teenagers are supposed to like, not old farts like me, so I thought the music was appropriate, I guess.

I like the fact that Juno's parents were not portrayed as clueless, but as genuinely concerned.

I liked the way our first impression of the adopting couple was the opposite of how they turned out.

I found the smartass dialogue off-putting at first, but eventually we realized that this kid was not as smart as she thought she was.

The ending, as corny as it was, got to me.

Some have observed that the film seems to take an anti-abortion stance. I don't agree. I think it's possible that abortion clinics can also be staffed by the occasional insensitive worker. This is a young kid weighing her options, and deciding she'd rather have the baby.

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My parents walked out on it, I managed to make it to the end at least. Perhaps the most offputting thing about the film (aside from the arch witticisms, aside from the treacly-ironic music) is that it seems to be trying to sell the adoption as a happy ending, with that baby ending up in the clutches of that creepy motherhood-obsessed nutcase. It's the happiest ending since the kid ended up with her dad at the end of Chinatown.

I've heard similar reactions from people, that they find the resolution offensive instead of feel good. I'm most likely going to skip this one entirely.

That's your loss (IMHO, of course).

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anyone else think jason bateman's character was gonna fall in love with juno?

Oh yes, that was definitely suggested - though thankfully the filmmakers didn't go there.

I think it's definitely suggested that he DOES fall in love with Juno, but that he's smart enough not to act on it (at least not directly). Its kind of hard to imagine somebody NOT falling in love with Juno!

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anyone else think jason bateman's character was gonna fall in love with juno?

I didn't get that at all! I think Juno was taken with Bateman's character because she saw him as a real cool older guy, and he was perhaps a little flattered. As she got to know him, she realized that he was somewhat shallow and immature, and that it was his wife (who at first seemed like a typical yuppie) who really cared about the baby. I think that the whole relationship between Juno and the couple helped Juno to see past first impressions in her perception of people, to "grow up", if you will.

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anyone else think jason bateman's character was gonna fall in love with juno?

Oh yes, that was definitely suggested - though thankfully the filmmakers didn't go there.

I think it's definitely suggested that he DOES fall in love with Juno, but that he's smart enough not to act on it (at least not directly). Its kind of hard to imagine somebody NOT falling in love with Juno!

Indeed. Why should Bateman be any different than the rest of us? :lol:

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anyone else think jason bateman's character was gonna fall in love with juno?

I didn't get that at all! I think Juno was taken with Bateman's character because she saw him as a real cool older guy, and he was perhaps a little flattered. As she got to know him, she realized that he was somewhat shallow and immature, and that it was his wife (who at first seemed like a typical yuppie) who really cared about the baby. I think that the whole relationship between Juno and the couple helped Juno to see past first impressions in her perception of people, to "grow up", if you will.

Very good assessment.

And Sonic Youth isn't "just noise."

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anyone else think jason bateman's character was gonna fall in love with juno?

I didn't get that at all! I think Juno was taken with Bateman's character because she saw him as a real cool older guy, and he was perhaps a little flattered. As she got to know him, she realized that he was somewhat shallow and immature, and that it was his wife (who at first seemed like a typical yuppie) who really cared about the baby. I think that the whole relationship between Juno and the couple helped Juno to see past first impressions in her perception of people, to "grow up", if you will.

Very good assessment.

And Sonic Youth isn't "just noise."

While the film was in rough cut form I helped arrange a screening for my son and a bunch of his highs school friends. They booed when she said the Sonic Youth line. (They liked the film a lot, but did object to a couple of scenes you can see as deleted scenes on the DVD which imply that Bateman was just an older lech.)

BTW on the DVD, the director (Jason Reitman) points out that as the movie progresses and Bateman gets to know Juno

he begins to dress more and more like her.

Edited by medjuck
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