Juno, an independent dramatic-comedy from director Jason Reitman, is not just about
a high school girl getting pregnant and coping with the consequences. And
that's a relief. Instead, the movie is
about an independent, self-aware, spirited teen, Juno, demonstrating strength
and clear thinking as she moves in a generally positive direction throughout
adolescence. The elegant and relatable story uses many stylized elements of
filmmaking --editing, cinematography, and design--so seamlessly that the
audience hardly notices them. Instead, viewers
focus on the compelling story and characters.
The film’s opening puts the audience right into the crux
story. The very first scene focuses on
Juno the character. Skipping, for now,
what her social life is like, the world she lives in, and how she's become
pregnant, this first sequence puts us into Juno's life at that moment. A brief flashback and first person voice over
tells us what she's thinking, but we don't really know what it means. The movie is finally kicked into motion by
Juno's exchange with a neighbor's dog. This
first scene, though barely a minute long, is great expository filmmaking, and a
good example why the film works so well. The fact that the first thing Juno says is
"Hey, shut your gob for a second," shows that she is slightly snarky
and cocky, but she's also witty and likable as we see in her other initial mannerisms
and interactions. The opening also sets
up the lighthearted feel of the film, which is incorporated throughout the rest
of the movie.
One
story element the filmmakers handled well is the relationship between Juno and
the adoptive parents, Mark and Vanessa Loring.
The first time Juno meets the couple is filmed with a series of shots of
the family minivan driving past impressive-looking houses. Immediately, we know the difference in the
social standings of Juno's family and the Lorings. The juxtaposition of the
slightly older battered van to the tall, regal houses tells the audience that
the Lorings are a little better off than Juno's family, and the flat angle adds
the comedic touch to the sequence. This socio-economic
clash visually continues through the scene as Juno, in jeans and rumpled
flannel shirt, greets Vanessa, wearing formal business attire. At this point, the dialogue and characters, along
with the imagery, carries the scene. Based
on traditional flat characterization, we might expect Vanessa to show
disapproval of Juno's life, and Juno to feel uncomfortable and defensive in the
presence of the household. After all,
Juno has chosen the successful couple to provide the most stable environment
for her child as a stark contrast to her own household. Why wouldn't the woman
with the perfect house, who will be taking her child, be an obvious
antagonist? However, Juno shows no
outward discomfort or resentment and upholds the same fun, sarcastic attitude
established earlier. It almost seems
like Juno enjoys causing a little tension; the audience isn't sure how Vanessa
will react to Juno. But again, the film
subverts our expectations as Vanessa (though discomforted herself) shows no
antagonism towards Juno, and, in fact, remains perfectly kindhearted.
In this scene it's
plain that, at the moment, Juno wants to leave her child in the hands of
responsible adults, such as Vanessa and Mark, but she herself wants little to
do with the cleanly-maintained lifestyle of this neighborhood. We see Juno’s personal rejection of this
appropriate and responsible lifestyle also in her interaction with Vanessa's
husband Mark. In contrast to Vanessa, Mark
puts forth a casual image, and thus garners Juno's initial respect. In her first private interaction with Mark,
Juno assumes that he has come to check on her on Vanessa's command. Their
relationship evolves into a friendship because Mark, a musician, supported by
his wife, is young-at-heart,. The set
design of the movie cleverly makes Mark’s personal space reflect that of a
teenaged boy. He entertains Juno with horror movies and retro music banter. Like Juno at first, the audience admires
Mark’s coolness. Both Juno and the
audience initially feel like he fits the role of a parent better than Vanessa.
The
audience largely shares Juno's sentiments towards Mark and Vanessa until one
great character moment in the middle of the film. Further into her pregnancy, Juno grows more
conscious of her child's welfare. One day, while at the mall, she spots Vanessa
in public for the first time. Now, more
modestly dressed, Vanessa comes off as an actual motherly figure instead of a
successful business woman Juno has pinned her to be. This moment of revelation is captured between
Juno's point of view in an elevated position looking down from the top of the
escalator at Vanessa, effectively showing Juno's realization of the weight the
responsibility that she has in giving up the child and that Vanessa has in
taking on the child. Juno’s respect for
Vanessa grows and at the same time her admiration for Mark collapses when she
discovers that Mark, even though an adult, is unprepared for parenthood. His youthful fun turns into immaturity.
Juno has the fidelity to
stick with the style developed at the film’s beginning. Regardless of the provocative subject matter
of teen pregnancy, the film is built on actual smart filmmaking, which I would attribute
to a strong collaboration between director Jason Reitman and writer Diablo
Cody. Engaging the audience through a stylized story and directing actors into
complex, rich characters is not easy for a film like this. Under a different writer or director, the
story would probably fall to pieces.
In
the end, Juno is an effective and
self-aware film, focused on story-telling and rich characters rather than
subject matter necessarily. The film-makers composed a pleasant, light-toned
realism by carefully compiling organic scenes. Juno is so enjoyable because of its naturalness and positivity as
opposed to the sermon it could have been.
.Barsam,
Richard; Dave Monahan. Looking at Movies, Fourth Edition. New York:
W.W. Norton and Company, Inc., 2013. Print.
Cody,
Diablo. Juno. n.d. The Internet Movie Script Database. Web. 17 February 2014.
Juno.
Dir. Jason Reitman. Perf. Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason
Bateman, and Olivia Thirlby. Fox Searchlight, 2007. Film.
Juno. 2007. The Internet
Movie Database. (IMDB.) Web. 17
February 2014.
“Juno poster.” Photograph. 15
September 2007. Juno. Wikimedia.org. Web. 20 February 2014.
