Date: January 1Location: Muvico Boynton Beach
I remember reading the Entertainment Weekly Fall Preview a few months back and at the end of the section for each month they had a little "Also coming out this month" blurb where they listed a bunch of titles not deemed worthy of more expansive coverage. Tucked away in there was Juno, wchich caught my eye because it starred three of my favorite actors — Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman. 'That's interesting,' I thought. 'Will probably have to catch up with it on DVD.'
Cut to a few months later, and this little film is on dozens of top ten lists, it's lighting up the box office in limited release and it's considered a shoo-in for Oscar nominations in the screenplay and actress categories, with Best Picture and Best Supporting Actress in its sights. It just goes to show you, sometimes a movie can cut through the white noise and find its rightful spot in the conversation.
The movie this gem most reminds me of is Rushmore, one of my all-time favorites. It has a similar seasonal structure (complete with title cards), careful and witty shot composition, a Brit-pop soundtrack and — most important — a precocious, witty, wise-beyond-his/her-years teenage protagonist who is really masking a deep well of insecurity. Ellen Page's Juno McGuff is the female descendant of Max Fischer, and joins him in the pantheon of great cinematic characters. (She also represents the second such addition to the pantheon in 2007, joining Javier Bardem's Anton Chigurh from No Country for Old Men).
Page gives what may well be the performance of the year (look out, Marion Cotillard), selling the bracingly clever dialogue as completely authentic and heartfelt. Much credit, certainly, goes to Diablo Cody for penning the whip-smart script, but it's hard to imagine another actress embodying Juno like this. Cera, as always, has perfect timing and delivery. Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner are exceptional, in roles that are subtly different from anything either has tried before. And J.K. Simmons and Allison Janney, as Juno's parents, are funny, touching and real.
In addition to delivering huge laughs (Juno's introduction to lawyer Gerta Rauss produced my biggest guffaw of the year), the film is wonderful and surprising in a dozen different ways. The plot takes unpredictable turns that feel just right — I can't remember being so blissfully unaware of where a film was taking me. The path of Jennifer Garner's character, in particular, is unexpectedly touching.
And to cap it all off, the opening credits alone are worthy of a short film Oscar and two Belle & Sebastian tunes are featured on the superb soundtrack. Start to finish, this film is a treat. I can't wait to see it again.
