Movie review of the issue: the Oscar-worthy “Juno”

Third Place

Review

Division 3

Movie review of the issue: the Oscar-worthy “Juno”

Kierstie Martin

Grade 11

The Mountaineer

Ephrata HS

Advisers: Gemma Rasmus and Jeremy Bischoff

I patiently waited, watching the previews for ‘Juno’ on the TV weeks before the film actually came out in theaters. After finally scoring a free evening, I remember walking into Penn Cinema figuring that my evening would consist of your typical entertaining melodrama; Girl meets boy, boy meets girl, girl gets “knocked up,” girl lives through nine long months of having another human being living inside of her belly, the end. Little did I know that the film I was about to see would actually turn out to be an Oscar nominated film for best picture, best actress, best directing and best original screenplay.

Throughout the movie, Juno is on a constant search. She need to find a fitting family for her baby, she’s trying to connect on a ‘more than friends’ basis with the other person responsible for her pregnancy, Paulie Bleeker, played by Michael Cera and she is searching for a solid answer to her big question, the question that made the movie itself; can anyone actually stay together and stay in love? The film was witty, as main character Juno, played by Ellen Page, clearly showed through her classic one-liners throughout the film. The opening lien and my personal favorite being “It all started with a chair.” The movie was smart, including the thoughts that would go through any pregnant teenager’s mind, “Who do you tell? Do you keep the baby or do you give it up? How do you cope?” The final production was charming, seeing as Juno did choose adoption as the way for her and her baby, still keeping in mind that she may be sixteen and a little bit naïve of what the future holds.

After an entertaining hour and thirty-six minutes, I was happy that my whole previous perspective on the movie has done a complete turnaround. If you are looking for something to do on a Friday night and are in the mood to see a heart warming comic film, with a genius indie folk soundtrack that fits perfectly for this movie, the step on up and buy your ticket for Juno. You won’t be disappointed.