Juno

The fearless, brilliantly talented Page (who also stars in this year’s ”The Tracey Fragments”) infuses ”Juno” with such intelligence, energy and feeling that we love her even when she’s being a jerk

Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Olivia Thirlby, J.K Simmons, Rainn Wilson

Juno MacGuff (Ellen Page), the sixteen-year-old heroine of the fabulous new film by Jason Reitman (director of 2005’s sensational ”Thank You for Smoking”), is the sort of kid most adults would deem too smart for her own good. For all her brashness and bravado, however, Juno must grapple with questions not easily solved at any age.

Our heroine is a slightly built, sassy teenager, the type who uses sarcastic quips to mask her fears. The film opens as Juno discovers that her sole venture into the minefield of adolescent sex – accompanied by her good friend, the tic tac-addicted Paulie Bleeker (”Superbad”’s hilariously awkward Michael Cera) – has left her pregnant. Paulie responds to the news with a stoic passivity that makes Juno crazy, but to be fair, his biggest worry up to this point was getting to track practice on time.

Juno’s best friend, Leah (Olivia Thirlby), consoles her, though, and convinces Juno to tell her parents. Dad (J.K. Simmons) – gruff, practical and loving in his own hard-slap-on-the-back kind of way – and stepmom, Bren (Allison Janney), take the news in the best possible manner, especially when Juno proposes that she have the baby and place it with another family through a private adoption.

After seeking the wisdom of local grocery store clerk Rollo (Rainn Wilson) and an ad in the local Penny Saver, Juno meets Vanessa (Jennifer Garner) and Mark (Jason Bateman), well-to-do but childless hopefuls who seem to fit the bill. Bonding with Mark through music, Juno unwittingly steps into the emotional battleground of the couple’s relationship, and events take a completely unexpected turn.

The fearless, brilliantly talented Page (who also stars in this year’s ”The Tracey Fragments”) infuses ”Juno” with such intelligence, energy and feeling that we love her even when she’s being a jerk. Indeed each and every member of the cast shines, as they bring their multi-dimensional characters to the screen. This depth – together with Diablo Cody’s crackling, witty script and Reitman’s stylish direction – makes for a rich, moving, laughter-and tear-filled experience.

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Reviewer : Adam Frazier