Juno

The Indian audience for English, i.e. mostly Hollywood, films never seems to amaze me. I say ‘amaze’ because the audience almost always seems to celebrate mediocre films, like Die Hard 4, filling up the seats to packed halls, while completely overlooking the great ones, like Michael Clayton.

Invariably, the English films I like the most seem to be the ones which run in near-empty halls and end up Box Office washouts. This year, Juno was one such great film which was left stranded at the Box Office by the Indian film-going audience. If you’ve missed this film on the silver screen, get the DVD and see it. It’s worth every minute of it.

Juno is a coming-of-age film; culturally undeniably Western. It’s about teen pregnancy and, hence, a little difficult to digest by Indian moral and social standards. However, it’s perfect for the modern urban Indian. The film is engaging and funny, without a big hoo-hah about sex. In fact, it’s treated sensitively and rather neatly by its director, Jason Reitman.

In the lead character is 16-year-old intelligent independent-minded unpredictable guitar-playing Juno MacGuff (played admirably by Ellen Page) who wants to have sex like any other American teen: curiosity and for the experience; at least once. She chooses her timid and geeky boyfriend, band- and school-mate, Paulie (played by Michael Cera), as her partner; and, before she knows it, she is pregnant.

Backing out from abortion (after an unnerving episode in a clinic), Juno decides to go through with her pregnancy. Although her parents (J K Simmons and Allison Janney) are reassuring and supportive, Juno, with help from her friend Leah (Olivia Thirlby), decides to give away her baby for adoption to a young caring childless couple, Vanessa and Mark (Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman).

So begins Juno’s acquaintance with the adopting couple, as she ‘grows up’ pregnant, trying to cope with herself, her family and her friends at school. At times her emotions come to the fore, but for a pregnant 16-year-old teenager, I would say she is amazingly mature. And, therefore, in the end, no matter how unpredictable life seems to Juno, everything works out well.

Juno is a wonderful film – funny and poignant at the same time. Its appeal is universal and I’ve recommended it to everyone. The film direction is great – but, after seeing Thank You For Smoking last year, I wouldn’t have expected anything less. What is even more refreshing about Juno is the perfect script by Diablo Cody, about whom I know absolutely nothing. But, I’m certainly going to find out more.