Juno What I Mean?

I believe I've mentioned a time or two that I've really been itching to see the latest "little indie movie that could," Juno. The only thing that had been stopping me was the fact that it wasn't playing at any theater within fifty miles. But the two theaters I commonly patronize finally - finally! - decided to start showing Juno this weekend, so I had to get out of the house and see it. And that's just what I did this afternoon. I'm glad I did get to see it, because it's a thoroughly fabulous movie.

Everything about Juno is wonderful. The cast, the writing, the direction, everything. Every superlative you can think of perfectly fits this movie. It's funny, sweet, charming, and sad at times, and it never fails to be nothing short of enthralling from start to finish. The script by Diablo Cody (how awesome is that name?) is full of quotable dialogue and lovable characters, who are played by actors who are pitch perfect. I'm not shy to admit that I'm an Ellen Page fan, and her great performance here reaffirms that. She's the movie's main emotional anchor, and she handles the material wonderfully. The supporting cast are no slouches, either. J.K. Simmons and Allison Janney are charming as the lead character's father and stepmother, while Michael Cera is amiable as the father of Juno's baby and Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman are sweet as the baby's potential adoptive parents.

All in all, Juno is an amazing movie that I wish I'd gotten to see weeks ago. And if you haven't seen it, get out there and see it for yourself, especially if you're into quirky independent comedies. As it stands, I'm proudly going to give Juno four and a half stars and the S@TM seal of approval. And just why weren't there more girls as cool as Juno when I was in high school?