Fri, Jul 18 2008
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Published April 30, 2008 04:53 pm - WEEKENDER May 2, 2008: If you saw little Ellen Page in the film "Hard Candy" a few years ago, you were not only riveted by the storyline, that of a pedophile with the tables turned, but the performance of young, feisty actress. ‘Juno’ well-written story of teen pregnancy Robert Lebzelter Video Viper If you saw little Ellen Page in the film "Hard Candy" a few years ago, you were not only riveted by the storyline, that of a pedophile with the tables turned, but the performance of young, feisty actress.
At 21 years old and a little wisp of a thing, if Page wasn't famous, she would probably be carted until she is 70. She stars as a smart, witty 16-year-old old, Juno MacGuff, or “the Crime Dog,” as the local pharmacist calls her in the film "Juno." The film opens in a drug store because, you see, Juno is on her third pregnancy test, hoping the first two were wrong. Page's Juno had the bad luck to capitulate to her boyfriend's wishes and that's all it takes. Her boyfriend, Beeker, is played by Michael Cera, who you may remember from the raunchier "Superbad." When she suspects pending motherhood, she pulls the offending chair the deed was done on into the yard. Page is wonderful as the smart, in-control, sassy and witty Juno, whose speech and articulation is far beyond that of the normal teen movie. But then, teen movies don't rise to best-picture status. There are many priceless scenes in this film. One is when Juno and her best friend, played by Olivia Thirlby, break the news to her father and stepmother, played by J.K. Simmons and Allison Janney. The scene is tense but tinged with humor. When Juno senses parental disappointment, she pipes up with, "If it's any consolation, I have heartburn that's radiating to my kneecaps." There are tons of well-written scenes with exceptional dialog. Juno decides to give the baby to a rich, yuppie couple, played by Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman. Garner's character is solid, she knows she wants a baby. She is ready. But you can sense a problem with Bateman. We learn he is more of a big kid who dreams of still being a rock star and enjoys watching super-gory movies. Throughout the film we see a track or cross-country team running by, an apparent metaphor for the quickly passing world. Cera is great as the sometimes forgotten current or ex-boyfriend who seems at a loss through it all. We see him running around a track, his life in an endless circle. Toward the end of the film, the Page character talks about what a great guy Bleaker is while not even trying, for which he poignantly replies, "Actually, I try really hard." Page was also nominated for best actress. This film has a realistic feel to it and while filmed in Canada, the plot takes place in a real place, Minnesota, instead of New York or Los Angeles. 
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