 
Juno
MPAA Rating:
 for mature thematic material, sexual content and languageReviewed by: Spencer Schumacher Offensive
Moviemaking Quality:
½Primary Audience:
Teens, Adults
Genre:
Comedy, Drama
Length:
1 hr. 32 min.
Year of Release:
2007
USA Release:
December 5, 2007
       Relevant Issues
 Teenage, unwed pregnancy
 Sex
Should I save sex for marriage? Answer How far is too far? What are the guidelines for dating relationships? Answer How can I deal with temptations? Answer What are the consequences of sexual immorality? Answer  Teen Issues
“A comedy about growing up… and the bumps along the way.” Producer’s Synopsis: “Juno stars Ellen Page as the title character, a whip-smart teen confronting an unplanned pregnancy by her classmate Bleeker (Cera). With the help of her hot best friend Leah (Thirlby), Juno finds her unborn child a ‘perfect’ set of parents: an affluent suburban couple, Mark and Vanessa (Bateman and Garner), longing to adopt. Luckily, Juno has the total support of her parents (Simmons and Janney) as she faces some tough decisions, flirts with adulthood and ultimately figures out where she belongs.” We meet sixteen year-old Juno MacGuff as she swigs Sunny Delight® during the opening credits of the original and warm-hearted film “Juno”. She bounces into a convenience store to purchase and get results from a pregnancy test. Her worries are confirmed, as a one-time fling with her best friend and classmate Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera, “Super Bad”) leaves her pregnant. After much consideration, and a trip to an abortion clinic, she decides to deliver the baby and give it up for adoption. She finds a suitable couple in the pages of a local “classified” paper and goes with her father to meet the perspective parents for her baby. Upon meeting Vanessa and Mark Loring, played by Jason Bateman (“Arrested Development”) and Jennifer Garner (“Alias”), she enters into what can best be described as an awkward relationship between an outspoken pregnant teen and an anxious, but barren couple. The film is hardly another teen movie, as it tackles the issue of teen pregnancy and all its peripheral ramifications in a very mature manner. Ellen Page plays the part of a naïve teenager who speaks with her mouth before her mind—to perfection. She leads a terrific cast that brings a fresh vibrancy to a film that explores familiar territory. Though Juno’s pregnancy is at front and center of the film, the story mostly delves into the heart of this family and how Juno (in her unconventional wisdom) brings her extended family together in trying to find a suitable home for the child she is putting up for adoption. It also explores the awkward terrain that teenage love (and unexpected pregnancy) brings to a couple trying to determine how much they really “like” each other. The interactions between Juno and the perspective adoptive couple bring an element of realism to this movie as each character deals with how this baby will change their lives. The film is well written and well directed by director Jason Reitman (“Thank You for Smoking”) who keeps this dark comedy from spinning off its wheels. When looking at the moral perspective of the film, it can only be viewed within the parameters from which it comes. There is plenty in the film that many audiences, particularly Christian audiences may find objectionable. Juno is a very outspoken, forthright teenage girl who doesn’t hold her tongue for anyone. The outspoken manner in which she talks with her father (J.K. Simmons) and stepmother (Allison Janney) might come across to some as disrespectful. There is also the flippant attitude that she has toward her baby (which at one point she refers to as a “sea monkey”), as well as a semi-confrontation she has with a classmate protesting outside an abortion clinic. However, without giving too much away, these items serve as points from which her character develops. There is a definite growth in all characters involved. The film definitely delves into frank talk about mature subject matter. There are candid discussions about teenage sex and contraception, but the actual act that led to Juno’s being pregnant is never seen, just the after effects. There is a fair amount of profanity and mature language. The image that audiences may find most disturbing is actually an image from another film, 1960’s ultra low-budget horror film aptly titled “Wizard of Gore” (the title alone is descriptive enough). The image appears when Juno and Mark are having an intellectual debate over tastes in music and movies. Mark displays his taste of the obscure by showing her a scene from the aforementioned gore film. The camera doesn’t cut away as we see a rather infamous scene from that film. Yes, there is plenty of material that audiences may find offensive, starting with the fact that the title character is an unwed, pregnant teenager. However, as stated earlier, there is a definite sense of redemption and growth experienced by Juno and all the characters in this film. Audience members who stay with Juno through her pregnancy (and this film) will find a warm-spirited movie with an unusual amount of heart and humor packaged in a quirky, yet very realistic film. Reviewer’s addition (January 12, 2008): I would like to respond to a comment that was sent in regards to an omission I made in a moral aspect of the film. Concerning the scene in which Juno becomes pregnant, I mistakenly stated as not being shown in the film. I must admit, having recently seen “Juno” again, that there is a scene (very early) in which the act of Juno’s conception is seen—however, the scene is comparatively mild, as there is no nudity and is no more explicit than what can be seen on primetime TV. As far as the original review, I still stand by the final analysis that this is a well-crafted film of a unique and interesting teenage girl who despite the pressures of teen pregnancy makes a morally correct decision to keep her baby and give it up for adoption based not upon an accident, but an intentional decision (one that I might add, is based upon arguments embraced by the pro-life community). I don’t make it a point to argue my opinion of a certain film (as everyone is entitled to their opinion), however, to state that there is no “redemptive value” in the film is not fair to the change demonstrated in Juno. Without giving away the ending, the circumstances Juno goes through cause her to see the errors of her ways and develop a new level of maturity. Her parents are some of the most supportive and well drawn parents in recent cinema history. Yes, there are moments that are objectionable, but overall “Juno” takes a fresh look at tackling a controversial subject, one that has become all too familiar in our society. See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.   Comments below:
Positive
Positive - …Her relationship with her parents is one where they are supportive of her and they obviously love one another in a way that isn't perfect but is commendable. If the offensiveness is the coarse language, it seems to me that it represents the way people actually talk. It's not particularly gratuitous. Teenage pregnancy is a fact of life, among both Christians and non-Christians. Christians ought to be less troubled by the phenomenon, but we don't seem to be having much of an impact on our overall culture. The way that Juno responds to her pregnancy is how Christians ought to want a young unmarried woman to respond, and God can be glorified in her final choice. Positive - I went to see “Juno” with my mom and sister. (We are all followers of Christ!) We were touched by so much about the movie. The main character, Juno, chooses to deal with an unplanned pregnancy by seeking loving, stable, mature parents for her unborn child and doing much to ensure that her baby is born healthy. I had great respect for the way this spirited, witty, quirky,and bold young girl faced the weighty consequence of one impulsive mistake. I thought the imperfect yet genuine love and support that her father and stepmother showed towards Juno was worthy of admiration, and just plain sweet. I won't take my 13 year old to see this film because of the sexual content, especially the conversations between Juno and her girlfriend. However, I would recommend “Juno” to any Christian adult who can filter what they don't agree with and still enjoy a warm hearted and thoughtfully made secular film. Positive - I saw this movie about 2-3 weeks ago with my mother and it stuck with me. Juno is funny, smart, and made my heartache in mostly good ways. I won't give you a synopsis of the film, but I will say that I did cringe at some of the um... sex-related comments made by Juno and a girl who worked at the abortion clinic. There were teenagers in the theatre who gasped and giggled in surprise, which is pretty amazing considering what is said on your basic sitcom. After the first 15-20 minutes of the movie, it was tamer for the most part, and I really enjoyed it, overall. The characters are so personal, and I truly cared about them. Thinking about the movie still makes me smile. I would recommend this movie to older teenagers and adults on DVD, so you can fast forward through whatever makes you uncomfortable. Positive - I reviewed the positive and negative feedback, and I am truly shocked. The movie is an absolute portrait of teenagers today, and to bury your head under a bunch of religious fluff is nonsense! This movie was golden compared to the junk that is out there that most kids are watching right now. My sister-in-law got pregnant at 15 and gave her daughter to a christian couple. This movie was therapeutic for her, as she continues to heal and understand how things went so wrong. Nothing was glorified in this movie, I would say that it was just the opposite. Juno learned from her mistakes and became a better person for it. She had supportive parents who expressed their disappointment, but didn't pass judgment. I am sure that some might say there was no sign of biblical values in the film, but won't hesitate to watch the newest action or super hero movies, which are completely mindless. At least with Juno, teens can see that there are consequences to sin. Positive - After seeing the movie Juno I thought it would be a good idea to see how others in the Christian community felt about the film. I was not surprised to find words like, offensive, disappointed, disturbing, and disgraceful. Yet these are the same people who, I hope, would celebrate a teenage girl, even in the midst of a broken “sinful” lifestyle, choosing LIFE for an unborn child. I would hope that even if they knew the dirty details behind the teenager’s pregnancy they would not condemn her in their hearts. It is one thing to say with a smile that you care it is something entirely different to enter into the dirt and truly love. Jesus came for the offensive, disappointed, disturbing, and disgraceful. If you cannot see that you are offensive, and disgraceful in the midst of a Holy God then I'm concerned for your soul. I dare say that Juno is one of the best anti abortion movies in the history of film and that many children yet to breath will be thankful for its conception. See more about this subject at realfusion.com... Positive - I'm glad there's a well made movie that honestly portrays the difficulties of teen pregnancy. I know most of of the reviewers are upset to see teenagers talking frankly about sex, but they've been doing that (teens talking and adults complaining) for thousands of years, and you have to face the reality. We're not going to deal with teen sexual activity by pretending it doesn't exist just because it shouldn't. The film is beautifully redemptive even though none of the characters come to Christ at the end. Positive - Juno was a very good movie. Though some may find the flippant use of language and of course sexual content (she is pregnant and there's only one way that came about) offensive it can be used in its defense that this is a pro life video that will appeal to the younger audiences. This will help those pregnant teenagers make the right decision instead of killing the baby. After all they do have fingernails! On the language front it wasn't nearly as bad as my school (and people I’m only in Middle School). I would not recommend this to a person that can't handle that this movie is about life not sex. Positive - The problem that many here have with this movie, more than anything else, is that it's at least moderately realistic. While many of the things in Juno are not moral, they do happen on a daily basis in the real world to real people. Negative
Negative - How many ways can I say “dysfunctional”? That is what every relationship in this movie is. Yes, I did read the review before going. Yes, the language is really bad. But, I was enticed to go by what the reviewer said, (quote) “However, as stated earlier, there is a definite sense of redemption and growth experienced by Juno and all the characters in this film. Audience members who stay with Juno through her pregnancy (and this film) will find a warm-spirited movie with an unusual amount of heart and humor packaged in a quirky, yet very realistic film.” This gave my husband and I the mistaken notion that we would find a secular movie treating “choosing life” in a positive way—albeit with the warts of the world thrown in. What we found was only warts. We are still waiting (24 hours later) for the “heart and humor” the reviewer found in the movie, and we absolutely saw no redemption or growth in the characters. The characters still stayed on their same dysfunctional path, only the circumstance changed that the characters were in. If there was any redeeming feature in this film it would be showing how empty, lost, unfulfilling, and pointless life without Christ is—because that is what all these lives were in this movie. But we only need to look around at the world we live in to see that, money & time do not need to be wasted on a movie for that message. Go see “Bella” for an uplifting movie about adoption and giving life. Negative - There is no doubt that the lead character in this movie leaps out at us with her adorable face and her charm and teen wit and her amazing speaking ability. However, sadly for me, from beginning to end the movie is trash. The delightful personality of Juno, despite the gutter mouth, the fact that she chooses, albeit accidentally, to bring her baby to term and give it up for adoption and seems genuinely concerned for the welfare of this child, the supportive parents who are prepared to help Juno in her predicament, do NOT offset the non-stop mockery of all things innocent and holy, the constant barrage of cynical, shallow and callous attitudes to everything related with pregnancy and sex and adulthood. I don't doubt that this is how today's teens in this country think and talk and act. I agree with the comment by Becky—there really is no redemption. I saw just a little glimmer of love, touchingly portrayed, when Juno realizes that she really does like the boy with whom she conceived this child, even though he has not displayed any concern for fathering a child. This is a corrupting film and I feel sad that it will be perceived by many as a cute movie. There were many kids in the audience when I watched it and most laughed at the plethora of off color words and remarks. Despite the good acting with skillfully crafted dialogue, this is not a movie to recommend at all. Negative - Ugh. I deeply regret seeing this film and feel stunned by it. It's been heavy on my heart since. The teens speak frankly and disgustingly about sex and things associated with it. The way they talk, the wording they use, is really offensive. The reviewer mentioned that the main character, Juno, is shown pregnant, but the act isn't shown. Yes. It is. One of the first scenes shows her legs as she removes her underwear. The boy is shown nude pretty much head to toe. Though they are careful to stop the panning cameras at just the right moment, the imagery is so strong that you feel that is what you are seeing. There is no way in the world I would let a Christian go to this movie without telling them these two things. This is definitely an unclean thing which I have set before my eyes, and I have repented. I am tremendously burdened for our generation of youth. Does this movie speak for them? There was one girl who stood outside the abortion clinic with a sign. She was saying things about the baby wanting to be born. She told Juno that the baby had fingernails. This really moved Juno and seemed to influence her. Praise be to God for young people of God who can stand up and speak their convictions. They make a difference. Negative - I had a kid free afternoon and decided to see a movie. I was very disappointed with this one. I knew the premise of the movie was about a teenage pregnancy but I found many of the sexual jokes unnecessary. I worry that this movie does a lot to encourage teen-age sex and pregnancy especially when Bleaker's friend finds that Juno is having Bleaker's baby, and he says that he is going to raise his sperm count. I was also disappointed by the fact that the adopting couple divorce. Negative - My husband, his sister, her husband and I, all walked out of this very disturbing and disgraceful film within 15 minutes. …appalled by what Hollywood spews out at us. We should not take it, but instead take a stand and make it clear that because of our beliefs we choose to obey God and not see or hear things which will pollute our thinking and actions further. If you want to see a GREAT movie about PRO-LIFE, then see the beautifully made BELLA! Negative - We should not be so eager to jump onto the Hollywood bandwagon to grasp a small grain of Christian virtue merely because it is rarely depicted in a contemporary movie. I watched “Juno” to the very end, hoping for true redemption displayed by the title character, but was disappointed by simply a weak and ambiguous glimpse of reform by the last scene. If we believe there is much to find uplifting in the movie, we would have to be gazing up from the bottom of the barrel. Because of the degrading language and the barrage of demeaning references to human sexuality, I would feel embarrassed watching the movie with my friends or family. I had hoped that maybe the script was only a cynical parody depicting a fringe element of our culture, but reading the glowing reviews of the young viewers, I can only conclude that it is a realistic portrayal of our continuing cultural descent into amorality, ugliness and depravity. Negative - From a secular perspective, “Juno” was a well-written movie with an amazing cast. However, from a Christian perspective, the crude dialogue/scenes prevents me from recommending this movie. In many of the positive reviews on the this film, including the main movie critique, people claimed that it was a great movie if you don't dwell on the frequent and descriptive sexual parts, including a 16 year old unmarried girl describing her sexual act as ‘fantastic.’ I am a teacher, and I see how my students (adults as well) mimic what they see. People can't just “forget” things like that. In Proverbs it says that “Bad company corrupts good character.” Phillipians states that we should only dwell on things that are ‘pure and holy.’ God said this for a reason, because he knows that we aren't strong enough to “forget” sin. We have to flee from it, not pay $10 to see it. Negative - Simply put, this film displays our culture's disintegration of any Godly relationship between love, marriage, sexuality, and childbirth. A single mother ends up with the child, the kids get off scott free to live in their casual sex suburban bliss for however long until they fall out of love with one another. The teen girl in the film has the sort of hyper-sexual mindset and mouth normally reserved for non-Christian bachelors in their 20s. The lone abortion protestor in the film is depicted as a complete imbecile. Negative - I didn't want to see this film, because it's a comedy and a movie about teen pregnancy. Those two things I don't believe should go hand-in-hand. Teen pregnancy is a serious issue and turning it into a comedy is like turning it into a joke. Sure she might have made the right decision of not having an abortion, and I'm sure that it may be a very cute movie, but I don't think it should be getting all the media attention it has been. It could be a cute movie but I don't think it deserves an oscar. Neutral - Although I confess I enjoyed the movie and was entertained I hesitate to call it a 'good movie'. It was very funny, but only because the writers are so brilliant and creative with their use of words in the dialogues. I could not help but laugh out loud several times. However, the entire subject is super sad and the movie takes such a COLD approach to it. I must say that just because you laugh doesn't make it O.K. I enjoy eating donuts but I know they are bad for me. This movie was exactly the same thing. Negative - This movie was so disrespectful to parents, God, babies, and family. Juno acts so nonchalant about sex, the baby, and life in general. I hope that young people do not see this movie. It is definitely not something a Christian should see and give a positive rating to!! Neutral
Neutral - This is a movie I can't stop thinking about. I had mixed feelings after seeing it, but I feel it was extremely well-made and thought-provoking. It was more graphic than I was comfortable with, although the way the kids talk in the movie is probably pretty realistic, unfortunately. At first Juno's pregnancy was treated very flippantly, and even the parents' reaction was hard to believe, but as the movie progressed the plot and characters deepen. I appreciated the fact that overall teenage pregnancy was not glorified, nor was the abortion clinic. The ending was very touching. I was mostly saddened that so many teenagers today have the attitude about sex that was portrayed in the movie. There are a lot of unfulfilled kids out there who look to relationships for what they are lacking in their families. Juno was abandoned by her own mother, and it seems like she has learned a good way to get at least some form of love from guys. Many girls today have learned the same thing. Neutral - Juno's parents were supportive, maybe a little too much so. They seemed to be a little too laid back about the situation after Juno announced she was pregnant. Also, the wife in the yuppie couple seemed typical of too many women in real life who want a baby at all costs. It was apparent early on that her husband had a different opinion, and perhaps, she didn't consider his feelings. I didn't find this film to overly amusing, but it had its moments. The ending felt a little too pat. Juno gave up a child, and that is a hard decision that she'll have to live with for the rest of her life. She was shown grieving over that decision, but there was no indication what impact it might have on her in the future. Yes it was a nice idea that Juno gave her child up for adoption, but how about Hollywood producing a movie that shows teens avoiding being pregnant at all? Neutral - I went to see this film and enjoyed it so much. After my wife saw it, I went out to by the sound track. (the music was awesome or so I thought) I looked at a web site that had a bio on the main soundtrack singers. The bio told of how the band is in to satanic worship and subliminal messaging. The band The Moldy Peaches has great sound and so it is easy to listen to, so that makes the subliminal message part scary to me. Me and my family will not be seeing this movie ever again and we will not have anything to do with the sound track or any of the band involved in the sound track. It is a shame, because it was such a cute movie. Comments from young people
Positive - Amazing! This is such a wonderful, perfectly casted and thought-provoking movie. It really makes the audience question how far we've gone as a society and concludes on a strong Pro-life basis. Totally relevant for any Christian to watch and enjoy with nothing really offensive to leave you feeling awkward. Definitely my favorite movie I have seen all year and probably the best. It draws you right into the lovable characters from scene 1 and leaves you wanting to see it again. “Juno” sets itself apart from any teen movie in recent memory, which is funny since we heard many disappointed teenagers leaving the theater after being let down by what they thought would be another “Superbad.” That's the true joy in this movie it has something to say to the world while making a strong connection with it's audience with some good laughs along the way. What a lovable masterpiece! Positive - I am a teenage girl living a society filled with so many bad things. “Juno” brought to light what so many teenagers face, and it was presented in an honest manner. Sure, “Juno” as a movie, I wouldn't recommend for the younger audiences, but for teenagers and adults it is an amazing film. I was reading other comments and saw one that was saying this was a bad movie because it featured so many dysfunctional lives. Well, news flash everyone is dysfunctional, no one is normal. And criticizing a movie because of that aspect is really idiotic. Another one said that it was a bad movie because it had so many risky issues going on within the film. And you know what? That’s true but HELLO!!! That is what is happening all around us in today's world. You can’t pretend that it’s not there. Positive - I have never before submitted a comment on a movie, but for this one, feel that I must. “Juno” has, very admittedly, many things that may definitely be seen as rude and off color. However, this was done, in my humble opinion, for a reason. Quite simply, to make it more realistic. In most cases, if not almost all, I do not generally think that this is an acceptable excuse, but, for Juno, it is. These things really happen in today's high schools, and the foul language make is easier for secular teens to relate to the movie. As a teenage Christian, I am more appalled at this face than most others; I find it's need repulsive. However, this movie is aimed for secular audiences. It's language and sexual themes make it relevant, and easier to relate to. I am not saying that this is a good thing; only that it isn't there for the sake of being there. It has a reason. Positive - My mother and I went to go see this movie a few weeks ago. Although other people were very offended by it, my mother and I found a joy in it. It was witty and so random. Although there was a scene at an abortion clinic, she did the right thing and decided to go through the pregnancy. That is what made me happy about this movie. The movie had only a few scenes that were inappropriate, and I would not take younger kids to see this. The movie affected me and to this day I smile when I hear it. Go Juno! Positive - I liked this movie. The characters were well developed, the themes were appropriate for the character, and the character grows from a non-conformist teenager, as is the norm now-a-days, to a person who has a better understanding of why things are done the way they are. Some of the themes are admittedly adult, but I believe the rating is appropriate. The language is relatively mild for the times, and the character does have many redeeming qualities. The character shows poor judgment in engaging in extra-marital sexual relations, but does have several redeeming moments-namely, choosing not to have an abortion, finding the baby a home, and it seems that the character attempts to have a lasting relationship with the father of her child. Neutral - This movie is extremely sexual, and no one under 15 or 16 should see it unless they are very mature. The details are too graphic for me to go into. Negative - I just saw this movie a few hours ago, and got on-line to see again what the review stated. Reading it with my mom, I was actually shocked to see how many understatements were made that led my mom to believe that it was something she would want her daughters to see. She now regrets taking us to it, and I regret having ever seen it. This, I believe, is pretty big, as I myself am a sixteen-year-old girl just like Juno is. Being a Christian, I found Juno's casual attitude regarding swearing, pre-marital sex, and her over-all lifestyle to be extraordinarily sad and offensive. Positive - This movie was amazing and very well-written and acted. It's pretty clean for the most part, and there is very little language. You do see bits and pieces of Juno and Paulie's encounter throughout the movie, but none are graphic, and no nudity is shown. I wouldn't let anyone under 13 see it, but for anyone else, it's very entertaining and funny. A definite must-see!! Positive - I personly loved this movie I found it indering and humerus. But this is a movie about a 16 year old girl who gets pregnant, no it's not right. should it happen? No but we don't live in an idealistic world and it does happen. But this girl does have to suffer the consequences of her actions. Her family suports her decition to have the babby and give it up for addoption. this movie does have verry redeeming qualities but there is also talk about when she got pregnant as well as a seen where she takes of her underwear all you see are her legs. You also see her boyfriend sitting on a chair you see his bare legs and chest but you don't see.......you know......stuff. she does consider an abortion however this movie does promote a pro-life point of view, Juno thinks of the child in her as a human and not just a perspective human. There is some foul language and Juno flips her friend off in a sarcastic manner. There is talk of sex but nothing graphic. This is a movie for older teens and adults. and i like to think if jesus was sitting right next to me (and He is) would i still watch this? |
E-mail this page to a friend