JUNO (2007) The story of “Juno” is familiar: a teenage girl has sex one time and becomes pregnant. But Juno (Ellen Page) is not your average high schooler. Taking matters into her own hands, she explores her various options before telling her parents (J.K. Simmons and Allison Janney) of her condition. Juno then proceeds, with her parents’ and friends’ help, to manage her life. Her stepmother deals with the ultrasound technician (ecografo). Her father takes her to meet the prospective adoptive parents. Of course, things don’t always go as planned but throughout the nine months gestation of her child, Juno confronts life on her own, unique terms.
Here’s the PDF JUNO. Download it & print it before we watch it in class.
As you certainly know, keep in mind that Kuno was the Roman Goddess of childbirth and marriage.
The SOUNDTRACK is great ranging from Lou Reed, David Bowie, Courtney Love, The Kinks, Sonic Youth, to Kimya Dawson.
At the ACADEMY AWARDS 2008 it won for Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen. It also had a nomination in the same year at the GOLDEN GLOBES USA for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and Best Performance by an Actress!
The website RottenTomatoes says Juno is “One of the brightest, funniest comedies of the year, Juno’s smart script and direction are matched by assured performances in a coming of age story with a 21st century twist.”I guess you’ll like it! Here’s the Tomatometer Read the comments! That’s what I’d like you to do here 🙂
One of the songs of the movie.
Last the cult song video “All I want is You” by Barry Louis Polisar.
Now, after watching it leave your personal comment on the movie. It will be the last of this academic year 😉 Thanks a million
Hi guys!
“Juno” is a film about teen pregnancy, a problem by now widespread. But, compared to other films, his tone is quite comical.
In addition to Juno I really liked the character of Vanessa, her, despite her divorce from her husband Mark, she wanted to adopt the child of Juno.
However, I found the plot a bit surreal because I think that after the “declaration” of being pregnant, parents can’t keep quiet … indeed;)
I think that if I were to say: “Mom, Dad … I’m Pregnant” SURELY they would kill me!
Finally this movie made me think that it is important to educate young people to the defense of life. Any woman who cannot keep a child can give him up for adoption just put it to the world.
It is also nice to have a family behind, even if it is separated, on which you can always count on.
Bye bye
Hi!
I think Juno is a good film. I liked it a lot, I found it very close to me and all the teenagers, ’cause it’s a “problem” which may happens to everyone.
This film shows a recurrent problem for a lot of girls, it shows you how to deal with it and the chances you have.
It’s a right mixture of seriousness and sense of humor, “adult things” in a 16-years-old girl’s life.
I had little delusions in some parts, for example I expected an impossible love story between Juno and Mark, or something like that, but, anyway, this hadn’t influenced my opinion of the film.
It could seem obvious, but Juno is the favourite character for me too.
She is a very strong girl, maybe a little bit unlucky, but who doesn’t deject never.
If what is happened to her would ever happen to me, I think I’ll never be like her. I’ll never have the courage to tell it to my parents, or maybe also to a friend. Probably, I would get off with it by myself, maybe telling only to my boyfriend. But I know we can’t do it alone, deal with teenage pregnancy by ourselves. We need the help of our family and our friends.
Well, I didn’t like it particularly, maybe ’cause I use to see other kind of movies like “Philadelphia”, “John Q.” or musicals, if not movies about music, like “Grease”, “Honey”, but in my opinion a real masterpiece which talks about a real story is “The help”. *-*
Anyway, in my opinion this is an ordinary movie which talks about a normal girl who has sex and becomes pregnant. Nothing more! Yeah, some scenes were funny but the plot was expected and it didn’t hook me, and some actors (like Leah, the friend of Juno)didn’t act well.
During the end on the film I was thinking that Juno and Mark would hold together, but when I saw the final I was upset by it.
This movie presents some gaps between us and the USA, for example the reaction by the side of the father when her daughter tells him she’s pregnant whereas if I told my father something like that he would kill me immediately, then he would kick me away from home and let me manage on my own, since it was me who did the mess.
I really liked the film “Juno”, I think this film is very nice and instructive because speaks about the issue of pregnancy during adolescence. Now a lot of teenagers get pregnant because they don’t get an adequate sex education. I believe the film has the aim to inform young people, and in particular young girls, on the problems they could have if they don’t use birth control methods. I liked the character of Juno because I think she’s very funny and apprehensive and I agree with her choice! So brave!
Hi everybody!
On friday we have seen the film Juno. At the beginning of the film I tought that the film would have been boring and not my kind of film, but then I discovered that was interesting and engaging. I really liked the plot, because was funny but at the same time makes you to think. I really liked how the actors were chosen for this film too, because they were totally involved in the part and perfect for the role. In particular I liked the interpreter of Juno’s boyfriend (I don’t remember the name) who was the perfect artless and simple guy that have made a foolishless thing. In general I liked the movie and I hope that in future we can see a lot of others!
Bye 🙂
Hi everybody!
First I would like to say that I have never seen any movie of this kind and I loved it. This film is structured very well and I believe that many girls are reflected in the teen main character called Juno, for the attitude and also for the situation in which is Juno , that she is pregnant at sixteen, that especially in America is a thing that happens frequently. During the movie you understand that she is a naive girl who probably would never have thought of getting pregnant, like most of the girls who get pregnant at that age.
By the father and “stepmother” of Juno I personally was expecting a different reaction, however sympathize with her, however a bit worried about this situation. The character of Juno surprised me a lot because is only 16 years old and she takes her responsibilities and she takes its decisions about the future of her child and she knows that she is not able and not being mature enough to take care of the child but rejects abortion, also the fact that decides to give it up for adoption and she chooses the family to give the child to ensure him a peaceful future. I always thought abortion as a horrible thing, a child, even if not searched and wanted he has the right to live, he didn’t ask him to come into the world, and once there? What do you do? It kills so easily? The alternative of giving it up for adoption is a very good idea, giving the opportunity for a child to grow up, live in a family that want and fill him with love, and it would be a miracle if all the girls did like Juno in the movie.
For first I would like to say that I like this film just for a few reasons. I don’t want to bore you so I’ll be brief: the plot is great, there’s a lot of humor but personally I think that is bitter and cheerful at the same time. The soundtrack is a bit somber for the bigger part of the film. Juno is fantastic and plays perfectly the role of the typical American teenagers. Bleeker, the boyfriend, is so weird and is difficult to understand what he thinks. In my opinion Mark and Vanessa represent the modern family (not all! I’m generalizing) that is losing the concept of wholesome family. And for last the parents.. Well they totally shocked me because of their reaction. Here there’s a little story: yesterday I called my grandma just for tell her if was all good. So after few minutes she ask me: “And tell me now, how’s going at school?” So I reply: “All good granny, few days ago we watched a film Juno! It was great! It was about a 16 old girl who have sex for the first time with his boyfriend and become pregnant” She get so embarrassed that instantly ask me to talk to my mom. This story just for say that is quite difficult for us to talk about this because we have different culture to USA or UK. Isn’t truth that we don’t know anything about sex, but before Friday I’ve never talked in class about it. So I think that in Italy this topic is a taboo, one good example is indeed the different reaction between USA’s parents and our parents . The big different is in the society and in the way that the parents bring up us. We are less informed than them, nobody told us about birth control method or condoms or pills, we don’t even have antenatal classes or chancellors. Then my question is: maybe is this taboo that protect us to this teen’s problem?
hello everybody!
well, I didn’t like a lot the movie only because I use to watch action or horror movies but I appreciate it because talks about an important problem that includes thousand of teenagers girls in the USA and the UK.
I liked a lot the plot even if it was too “linear”, I mean it was without special effects or action and in some scenes I was bored but I love the main charachter, Juno. She’s my favourite! she acted very well and I love her choice to give away the child bacuse being a mother is one of the most important responsability for a girl and she’s too young for this “role”; I like the fact that she faced the problem calmly and wisely. I liked the love story between juno and his boyfriend too ,because although they faced a lot of problems they, at the end, were so happy togheter and I think that this experience has strenghtened their relationship. I really apreciate this movie bacause it made me open my eyes on an important problem that I am interested on and I love watching a movie like in the cinema on the “big screen” of the auditorium!
have a good weekend! 😉
Hello:)
Wednesday was the first time that I saw this film and I found it very nice!
It has a good plot because it told about a story which could happen also in the reality but for me it isn’t so wonderful as everybody said! In my opinion not all actors play very well their roles because it was clear that they were acting!
Therefore this film has also a positive message, it is that adoption is a good alternative to abortion.
I think that it’s important to show this film to teenagers expecially young girls so that they can understand the importance of having a son and they understand also that they should’t have sex with the first guy they meet because it can always happen to have bad luck and than become pregnant.
Moreover if they should be pregnant they can decide to keep the baby and give him up for adoption to a family who will love him.
At our days this is a very important message because young girls don’t consider the possible consequences of their actions and they have sex without thinking.
So if they watch this film they can fallow Juno’s example and do the best thing for the baby. Juno seemed to be a naive teenager but actually she is very mature for her age because she took the decision regarding her future and her baby’s future very seriously.
I really admire her, as she proved to be corageous and I admire also her strong caracter!
See you tomorrow 🙂
Hi guys!
In my opinion the film Juno presents a problematic for USA and England in a light and ironic way, the star Juno talks about her “little” problem always with superficiality, maybe because she only want to release herself from the worries of the pregnancy. But at the same time she cares of her baby, she looking for a perfect family which could keep the baby in a healthier and more relaxed place.
If I get pregnant probably I wouldn’t give my baby in adoption, but I ‘d take my task and grow the child.
The scene where Juno confessed her parents that she is pregnant has surprised me, first because I don’t think that everybody would react as they do, if I tell my parents a news like that my mum would probably collapse and my father would kill me and then we’ll find a suitable solution. It makes me realize that the facts between my country and her’s are different, maybe because here in Italy the meaning of the word “family” it’s more important and felt then in USA and England.
I found this film quite good, because it didn’t touch me as I thought, it’s too realistic and predicted, I imagined a different end, like she keeps her child or Vanessa and Mark stay together… I don’t even know!
But I think that its soundtrack are fantastic I love the last one where Bekeer and Juno play the guitar and sing together, because it was really romantic and beautiful moment, maybe the perfect end for them.
Bye 🙂
Hello everyone!
I had never seen this film called “Juno” before but I have to say I really liked it! It’s a nice comedy film which features very important topics such as teenage pregnancy, abortion and relationship between adults and teenagers.
At first I thought it would’ve been boring but I immediately changed my mind. Everything was perfect: the plot, the actors, the locations and of course the soundtrack, which fitted the scenes. The only thing I didn’t like about the film is that they left aside the divorce thing between Mark and Vanessa and made it look like it wasn’t really relevant to the whole situation, I felt a little disappointed!
I loved the main character, Juno, even if she’s a 16 years old pregnant girl she’s a strong and mature female who knows how to deal with the situation. She decides to carry on with her pregnancy and give the child in adoption instead of having an abortion, which is getting (sadly) more common nowadays. She’s also very cool! I would show this movie to all of those pregnant girls out there who don’t know what to do, try to make them understand that talking to their parents is important and so is keeping the baby because there will always be someone to help them, no matter what! 🙂
Some years ago I heard about the movie Juno, but I didn’t want to watch it because some friends told me that it spoke about teenage pregnancy and usually films which speak about it are so boring and sad and I don’t like this kind of movies.
After watching it I understood that I was wrong! It’s and amazing film, it speaks about a serious theme in a funny way 🙂 I liked it.
I liked the fact that Juno faces a difficult period of her life, the one when she’s pregnant, with one’s head held high, it teachs you to face your problems and not to give up.
I agree with Virginia, at the beginning the soundtrack didn’t convince me, but after watching the movie I can say that it was well integrated in it.
In particular I loved the last song, the one which Juno and Paulie play on the stairs of his house, it was so sweet. 🙂
The only scene of this film that I didn’t like is the one where Juno goes to the house of the adoptive parents of his baby and finds only the husband, they watch a horror film together and they listen to music. I found it useless, because nothing important happen.
I liked this film and I think that I’ll probably buy it on dvd.
I think the purpose of the scene you mentioned was to show that mark & Juno had a lot in common as they shared the same way to have fun by watching horror movies & listening to hard core music. As a matter of fact that “adolescent side” of Mark was somehow denied by Vanessa who took life “too” seriously. What Juno & Mark wanted to tell the world is that sometimes we shouldn’t take things too seriously but let … it go 😉
Hi everybody,
Certainly I don’t like comedy and I’ve never thought that I would like this film: at the beginning I thought that it would be boring although it speaks about a real problem. I have to say that at the end of the film I had to change my idea, because the directors of the films were able to made a film that tells in a joking way one of most diffused problem in the world.
About the film I liked various things:
-for example I liked the characters. My favourite was the actress who interpreted Juno that was really good: she was funny and she represented very well the moods and the nature of a teenager. Juno was able to keep calm and I really like her choice to give the baby in adoption and not to abort. Moreover I appreciated the fact that she, helped by her friend Leah, spoke
with her father and step-mother with semplicity about her pregnancy. Others characters were good and I liked also the simpathy ( obviously not the behavior) of Mark.
– also I liked the willpower of Vanessa, that after her divorce, however wanted to adopt the baby and wanted to grow him up. I really admire her behavior: from the beginning you could see her desire to have a baby: for example in the scene shot in the shopping centre Juno understood that she would be the perfect mother her baby.
Moreover i liked the first meeting between the family of Juno and Mark and Vanessa. In this scene you could see the differences between the two family: Mark and Vanessa are a rich couple which lives in a big and beautiful house while the family of Juno is less wealthy. Also you could see the differences about the language of Juno compared to the language of Vanessa: Juno speacks like a teenager, so scurrilous and volgar and she jokes about her pregnancy displacing above all Vanessa that is stickler and rigid.
Honestly I would never expected the behavior of Mark: in the first impact I really liked him because he was youthful and full of simpathy. In my opinion he and Vanessa were a beautiful couple and I hoped that they continued to live togheter to give to the child a strong family.
At the end I want to say that I dind’t like all the things of the film: for example I found the story a bit unreal because I think that in Italy for example, If a teenager come back home and says to her parents that she gets pregnant they will kill her. In my opinion is almost impossible to keep calm after such revelation.
Thanks Christian, I really appreciate your honest but pondered comment. I like very much the character of Mark and I feel very sympathetic with him who had to hide his beloved record & musical instruments in the attic because of Vanessa’s obsession with tidiness and orderliness! I believe that a couple, in order to make a relationship last, has to respect each other’s hobbies, likes, dreams & defects. That’s why he got scared at the idea of becoming a father: his wife was only focused on creating a “perfect” baby’s bedroom thus ignoring his needs. So he felt kinda neglected by her cold disposition and perfectionism. I hope in real life they would have found their way & a compromise, if … they really loved each other 😉
Hi everyone,
well i dont have much to say about the movie Juno just that i loved it! I loved the character of Juno and how she tackled her problems.. I wasn’t really surprised by the way she behaved in the movie because im kinda used to watching those type of american movies but however every time i watch them i feel good because its interesting and fun to see how people in different countries (Usa) deal with their life issues. I truly liked the couple Juno – Paulie! They were so cute together… in fact i was really happy that at the end they discovered that they were in love with each other! I appreciated watching it in class with all my mates 🙂 Its fun to spend time doing involving and fascinating things together! School is not only about studying and learning! 😀
Hi! I’m glad you liked the movie & above all enjoyed watching it in class all together. Me too! It’s not easy to find 2 consecutive hour sessions to be able to book the movie theatre and watch a movie like a … real movie 😉 not bits & pieces on the old cathode ray tube tv 🙁
Hi everybody,
although I have already seen the film “Juno” at Middle School, when we talked about the theme of abortion, I really enjoyed seeing it again with you.
In my opinion it is a great film, not only because of the funny dialogues and the positive atmosphere, but also for the ability of talking about a serious theme in an easy going way, trying to make people aware of what really the pregnancy is, especially at 16 years old.
My favourite character is Juno; she’s an alternative girl and really self confident (everybody look at her because of her stomach and she care nothing of them) and above all brave (she decides not to abort and to confront with the reality). I don’t know if I would be able to behave like Juno in that situation and I admire her strength.
The reaction of Juno’s parents to the pregnancy of the daughter was typically American; as you said before, here in Italy parents (also mine) would have commit murder!
I found the film touching at the end and I liked the scene in which Juno and Bleeker make it up, so sweet!
I agree with you on the easy way to dea with a serious theme. I’m not even sure if all American families wold react that way… beware of generalizations. I also believe that listening and facing a problem like that is a much more civilized way than committing a murder 😉
Hi guys!
First of all I must say I really liked the movie, it was kind of a new experience, ‘cause I’ve never watched something like that, you all know I’m the typical girl obsessed with fantasies like LOTR and co., so I’m not used to see movies that talk about contemporary issues. At the beginning I wasn’t convinced with the soundtrack at all, but then I found out not only it was catchy, it was just me, who had never tried to listen to something like that.
As first impact for a new type of movie it was a great, absolutely not boring, easy going and simple. The whole atmosphere was kinda positive, even if Juno went through a difficult period, and this aspect got more thumbs up from my side. It would have been terrible if it had been the typical complaining and sad movie, but it was not, it was hilarious instead.
I immediately chose my favourite characters were Juno’s step mother who was obsessed by dogs, especially Weimaraners (which I love, they’re absolutely gorgeous!) and came out to be a very cool Woman; and Vanessa, not only because I like the actress who played her role, also ‘cause she was veeery cute and sweet and..God only knows how I love sweet people! :3
About teenage pregnancy I personally don’t understand why in the States and in the UK it’s so common! I just can’t get it, because it’s…stupid.. I mean, apart from the fact that in the UK the State pays ya if you’re expecting a baby… it’s so ordinary that I can’t understand why girls who don’t want to get pregnant, still go to parties, get drunk and then have sex with *nobody knows who*.. There are so many ways to prevent an abortion, or a birth. This entire situation it’s too generalized and underrated between teenagers. In the near future it could even become worse..you know like..’Hey I’m having a cup of coffee and you?’ ‘Oh nothing new, I’m just having a baby..’ Totally non-sense!
Cya! :]
Great comment by a Lord of the Rings’ fan 😉 I found some scenes in the movie hilarious too!I finally hope that things won’t get worse in the future as your generation or at least girls like you seem to be pretty mature and with deeply rooted moral values.
heyhey, don’t forget juno’s mum! woah, that was a real k!ck ass mum! fantastic.
Above all, I think that.. she did not really fling abuse at everyone.. she didn’t use to, neither. Think for a moment. What would you do if somebody (even clueless in certain topics ) started mocking at you? Or at everything which may *more or less* belong to ya? Surely mate, get this suggestion, please> This is it: ••˚When you’re in the right step (unless you have the pathology to be a self-centred “I-know-it-all”) keep safe and untouched your name .. hit with easygoing words, meanwhile the poor jerk, who’s throwing hard knocks at you, ends up short of breath.✌°••
Ultimately, to revise the whole film and its plot.. it was fine to watch, yeah, . .nothing more as a matter of PERSONAL movie taste/enjoyment …
But
Without going beyond the undeniable main fact: yes. we are well-getting to know it, right now. Teen pregnancies are “the Topic Of The Day”.
However, what I liked most is the “comic” point of view *and not the despicable one* about this sixteen girl and her adventure with a boy, with sex & all the consequencies, and last but not least, the “identification” of herself. Funny but significant the way of going through the condition of ‘become, and be pregnant’, all made according to realistic solutions to consider for the future baby .. everything well-meant and managed in open air, without shame.
☯Problem better solved thank to that inescapable irony which works great, (!) all the better not to add insult to injury ( make a bad situation worse )
*p.s. Juno’s momma has won my liking.. I have “that way” of having a fondness for dogs ❤♡
Giada, your style of ✍ full of signs & symbols … is just so much YOU! Sometimes it gives me a headache
Pardon 😉 they just swarm like ants !!
I think the end of this movie was kind of obvious. I have never watched anything like this because it isn’t really my favourite kind of movie, but however I liked it because it dealt with a very close topic to people of my age, and for this reason it has attracted my attention. Juno was the protagonist of the movie , I liked her more than all the other characters because she behaved in a different and cool way. She was very wise, courageous, conscious and determined, mainly because she was able to manage a difficult situation relying only on her own strength, apart from her parents’ help.. Certainly in Italy these things don’t happened that often, they’re very rare, even though they are increasing.
Here it would be so hard to say something like ‘I’m pregnant’ to your parents, they could, at least, kill you.
Hi Martina, yes she’s definitely a stubborn and independent young woman but she needed the help of her family and friend. I think that’s also the message of the movie.
Good afternoon!
Today we have seen the movie ‘Juno’. I had never seen that movie before,I only had heard about , but it didn’t intrigued me..until today! I think that the movie was well done, also the actors were quite good but the plot of the film was, in a sense, a bit trivial because what would happen was easily understandable however I generally liked it.
The things that I liked most are:
– Ellen Page (aka Juno) who was able to speak about modern issues like abortion and pregnancy of the younger girls also in a comic way, used simple terms who everyone can understand. I also like this film because it has highlighted a choice, perhaps the most difficult and challenging..that is to give birth to the baby and then give it up for adoption, compared to stop the pregnancy.
– The confrontation between the two families (that of Vanessa and Mark, and that of Juno), both in materialistic, economic merits terms and also in those lexical…..it was fun to see how Vanessa remained surprise in the responses rough and vulgar of Juno 🙂
– I appreciated the fact that they were brought out feelings of young people, I mean ,the guys in this film are seen not only as people who just want to have fun but also as people who know what they have to do and they know taking their responsibility…and I think that is a positive thing!
– Finally I liked the behavior of the girl, who has not made conditional by the looks and comments from other students but rather joked about what was happening to her, not ashamed, but making it a source of pride! She had a very strong behavior…to admire!!
The only thing I did not like was the Americanization of the problem .. In fact, the girl’s parents took the shocking news just fine, almost a joke ..in Italy parents, if they received news like that, would temporarily kill their own child, especially if he\she is sixteen year old! In addition, the young Italian couples often resort to abortion and they don’t think at the adoption like in this case.
This is an interesting article on how the number of abortions in Italy has grown more and more, and the only ones that carry their offspring in Italy are the immigrants who we criticize so much .. are things that make you think :
http://www.marciaperlavita.it/articoli/boom-degli-aborti-tardivi-triste-segnale-di-una-societa-sempre-piu-eugenetica/
I hope the situation will change soon, and I hope there will be more people like Juno willing to sacrifice for a good cause.
Thanks for the link Bruno. I guess the problem was not Americanized as you say but just seen through the eyes of an American director who also wanted to depict the American society of a particular milieu.
I’m pasting here the genesis of the movie from Wikipedia “Diablo Cody (the screenplayer )was first approached to write a screenplay by film producer Mason Novick(..) After deciding on an adoption storyline, Cody collected the stories of adoptees, birth parents and adoptive parents, including that of her then husband, an adoptee who reunited with his birth parents after she wrote the film. She also found inspiration in the story of a close friend who had become pregnant in high school and used some details from her friend’s experience in the film, such as mistreatment from an ultrasound technician. Much of the Juno, however, was based on Cody’s own high school experiences: She dated a tic-tac-loving boy similar to Paulie, she was best friends with a cheerleader like Leah, and she used a hamburger phone identical to the one that appears in the film. After writing the screenplay over seven weeks in the Starbucks section of a Target store in Crystal, Minnesota, Cody compared writing to breathing, seeing Juno as an extension of herself.