"Geez, Banana! Shut your freakin' gob! Britt's trying to write an honest to blog review!"

Okay.  This movie definitely deserves a preamble-like clause of sorts.  The first time I watched this movie, I was a little concerned.  Several people I talked to at the time could not stop talking about how much they hated it, but I wanted to see it anyway.  I rented it with my mom for a sort of Mother/Daughter Mother's Day Date Night ... which sounds kind of awkward, but it totally wasn't.

Anyways, we put this movie in, not quite sure to expect.  I mean, it was up for several Academy Awards, but then again, so was Knocked Up (tried to watch that movie --  couldn't do it: way too raunchy).  

From the first chair through the closing chair, I don't think my mom or I stopped laughing.  It was just so funny ... much funnier than it should have been (I think we were both stressed out).  Either way, I think, when the movie was over, neither of us knew what happened or what to think of the movie.  I think we decided that it was absolutely silly, but mostly stupid.  


This of course didn't stop me from buying it the next time I was at Wal-Mart.  It brought me too much joy to not own.  


Okay.  Now to "shut my gob" and start actually reviewing the movie because *drop random race car* "THUNDER CATS ARE GGGOOOOOOOOO!!"

Where to begin?


This movie just has so many good things going for it.  We'll make a list of everything I love about this movie.

1. Ellen Page

What is there not to love about this girl?   She is absolutely adorable and perfect for the role of Juno.  I mean, seriously, you could not have picked a better person for this role.  And who knew she could really act?

I "honest to blog" didn't.

The last time I had seen her in a movie was X-3: The Last Stand, where she played the third Kitty Pryde/Shadowcat (there was a different actress each movie).  So, I already loved her.  I mean, Kitty Pryde played a big part in my life.  I mean, way back when the first X-Men movie came out, shortly followed by X-Men Evolution, I changed my whole image.  You ever see my bangs?  They look like that thanks to Miss Kitty Pryde.  Coincidentally, I also set a trend for girls in both 8th and 9th grade, earning me the nickname "Trendy," but this is all besides the point. 

The point is that Ellen Page is awesome.

2. The Dialogue/Script

In a word: BRILLIANT.  This movie would be so much less enjoyable without the quirky dialogue and way of describing things.   In fact, I would even say that this movie would not be a success without the dialogue.  It was a) funny and b) perfectly quotable.  

 Diablo Cody did a beautiful thing with this script.

To make my point, I will now insert several of my favorite quotes. "Honest to blog?"; "I'm going to go to Women Now because they help women ... now."; "Thanks a heap, Coyote Ugly.  These cactus grams stink worse than your abandonment." (I have a special connection to that one);  "Woah! Dream big!" "Oh! Go fly a kite!"; "I still have your underwear." "I still have your virginity."; "I'm a planet."; and "He is the cheese to my macaroni.".

And, my personal favorite: "I don't know what kind of girl I am."  In that one sentence, Juno captured exactly how I feel -- how I've felt for a long time. I'm not a typical girl.  I'm just me, but I don't know how to categorize me.  Sometimes, I don't even know who me is.  

Anyway, moving on.

3. Close up camera angles

There are three instances I can think of where I absolutely thought the camera angles were fantastic.

First, at the beginning, when "the sex" was happening, there was an extreme close up of Michael Cera's mouth.  He popped a TicTac in as Ellen Page's lips got closer to his.  It was just a very intimate shot. 

Second, the fingernails.  I like that the camera shifted to everyone's fingernails in that room.  Not only that, you also heard the sound the nails made tapping or scratching across various surfaces.  By the time Ellen Page runs from the building, you're ready to do so also.  You're panicking and you just need out of that building.

Third, watching Jennifer Garner clean while Juno is driving to her house.  You see close ups of her hands adjusting frames, arranging magazines, and dusting stair rails.  I don't really know why, but I just really liked seeing her prepare. 

4. The Chair

  

I love that the movie began and ended with a chair.  Not only did it create balance and tied the story up nicely.  Plus, by beginning with the chair, the audience is brought into the story through a memory rather than dropped into a natural beginning. 

Finally,  I like that after watching the movie several times, I changed my opinion.  It makes me think and I like that.

For example, the first time I watched the movie, I totally sided with Jason Bateman's character.  For a marriage to work, you can't shove your partner into a corner and make them conform to what you think they should be.  It is unfair.  And I definitely felt the pain he was in.  Did this excuse him from the divorce?  No, but it made sense.

 

The more times I watch this movie, however, all I think is "Bateman, you're such a jerk."  Even if Jennifer Garner shoved you in a corner, you don't ditch just because you feel like a kid and think you can be a rock and roll star again, especially when you have a child on the way.  That is completely unfair and uncalled for.  So, screw you Bateman! Jennifer Garner all the way!!