Mayberry Movie Review: 'Juno'

blackthorne · 01-13-2008, 01:22 AM

If you're a cinephile/wannabe film buff like myself, then you've heard of this film. Roger Ebert has it as his personal favorite, and it's generated nothing but praise. Did it live up to the acclaim?

First off, a quick breakdown of the plot: Ellen Page (Hard Candy, the invisible chick from the shittastic X-Men 3) gets impregnated by Evan (the Superbad kid that nervously sings in front of a bunch of guys who look like they must be Nick Diaz fans). Juno decides to keep it, but instead of raising it, her plan is to give it up for adoption to this yuppie couple played by Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman.

For the most part, the film tries to play it straight. It tries to be a film that's perceptive about a teenager amidst a situation that's all too familiar- teenage pregnancy. Yes it's 'funny', but there are no gags, and the humor is played in a conversational way.

The problem? Pseudo-eccentric, desperate-to-be-hip dialogue. What I mean by that is everyone- from a corner store employee, to a 16 year old female, to the blue collar dad- has their own unique, hipster way of saying things.

How many people know 7 Eleven employees that sound like a character created from Kevin Smith?
How many 16 year old girls would continue to crack jokes amd make tongue in cheek references while meeting the parents looking to adopt her child in an unwanted pregnancy?
How many 16 year old girls use phrases like "shockingly cavalier" as mundanely as their ipods?
Is this how teenagers talk? By inserting obscure adjectives and adverbs into their comments to appear more clever than they are?

I know I know: 'but is it funny?'

Like I said, the movie plays everything straight so the humor is purely conversational. Yes the film is occassionally funny, but everything rings false. Some films can balance the humor with the drama- to see it done right watch Sideways. To see 'over the top' done right, watch Big Trouble in Little China- at least the latter film knows it doesn't exist in this world, and doesn't act hip and overly self aware to compensate.

Another problem is the music. I don't mind progressive rock, but that eccentric emo bullshit is just too much.

The positive? The actors are all very good. Especially Bateman. But Garner, Page, Cera, Simmons, and Juno's cute friend who has a thing for teachers (what typical jailbait doesn't?) are all great.

The movie's ok overall, but there's not a single genuine moment in the film (ok maybe one or two) despite how genuine it tries to be.

The movie is doing great given its relatively small release, and the word of mouth has gotten around given the fact that it's now number 2 at the box office. Just like Crash however, it's one of these "independent" films that has just enough to appeal to the 'indie' fanbas, and just enough to appeal to a commercial audience- a forumula that didn't work for Crash, and doesn't work for Juno IMO (Garden State, and Little Miss Sunshine were other 'offenders').

Just my two cents.

blackthorne · 01-13-2008, 01:25 AM

How the fuck did I miss Soulbane's thread?

Merge this if necessary mods. My apologies.

EmmanuelYarb · 01-13-2008, 01:28 AM

I liked your review better. Hillarious dialogue...but it seemed forced.

Execute · 01-13-2008, 01:29 AM

Am I the only person that liked Crash?

Soulbane · 01-13-2008, 01:37 AM

No worries man, but I'm happy to see that you have a totally different take on the film than me.

I Am Korean · 01-13-2008, 01:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Execute

Am I the only person that liked Crash?

People always say they hated Crash but I don't think a single person watched it at the theater and said "wow that was horrible." It's not the greatest movie of all time but it was still solid.

blackthorne · 01-13-2008, 01:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soulbane

No worries man, but I'm happy to see that you have a totally different take on the film than me.

Hopefully the two threads get merged, but I thought the film was decent as a piece of fluff entertainment. I didn't hate it, and it's certainly a smarter film than 75% of the stuff that's out there, but it's also not my cup of tea.

I didn't like Garden State, I don't like Wes Anderson films, and I didn't like Napolean Dynamite- a tone that Juno sort of shares with the aforementioned films- so it's a matter of personal taste for me really. I just can't get into films like that- though the Squid and the Whale was pretty decent.

Soulbane · 01-13-2008, 01:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackthorne

Hopefully the two threads get merged, but I thought the film was decent as a piece of fluff entertainment. I didn't hate it, and it's certainly a smarter film than 75% of the stuff that's out there, but it's also not my cup of tea.

I didn't like Garden State, I don't like Wes Anderson films, and I didn't like Napolean Dynamite- a tone that Juno sort of shares with the aforementioned films- so it's a matter of personal taste for me really. I just can't get into films like that- though the Squid and the Whale was pretty decent.

I love Wes Anderson films, but its really hard to get his really dry, and by dry, I mean really DRY, humor. It's just something you like or you don't.

Juno was great to me, because despite how much satire gets injected into the veins of this film, it still delivers an emotional point about a social problem.

Soulbane · 01-13-2008, 01:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Execute

Am I the only person that liked Crash?

It really depends on how you take the film.

If you're looking for realism and realistic dialog, you will without doubt, hate that film.

If you can appreciate exaggeration for what it does, in that it contrasts to other elements, than it's pretty solid, but I'd hardly say Best Picture of the year worthy.