Juno

"This is even better than Suspiria." Juno can’t avoid being compared to Knocked Up and Napoleon Dynamite. Which is being a little unfair to all three movies. One of them is similar in topic and the other seemingly “geek" in atmosphere, but otherwise they have practically nothing in common. Unlike in Napoleon, everybody is normal here, although a little eccentric here and there, and they deal with everyday problems. Unlike Knocked Up, this movie plays on a more serious note. Which doesn’t in the least mean that Reitman Jr. doesn’t entertain us with superbly apt humor, despite the serious topic. And it does this even without the help of a thousand and one pop-culture references. Unlike Judd Apatow. Juno is a very comely and pleasant picture which is paradoxically held back most by its most boasted asset. Ellen Page. I’m not saying she doesn’t play excellently, but sometimes she overdoes it a little. And purely personally, I was also disappointed that Paulie’s storyline was sidelined. That character is so likeable that I would most like to see this movie made through his Tic-Tac eyes. (01/22/2008)

The strong drama of the substance blends surprisingly well with Reitman's cheeky comedy, which I enjoyed in his short films and also partly in his previous cigarette satire. Yet I still can't shake the impression that the feature-length runtime forces it into an incomprehensible brevity that fails to answer many questions. It’s too bad that Cera's loser is still as unsympathetic as he was in Superbad because Page’s obnoxious brat has grown into a lovable brat and a real actress. 3 ½. (and the big question mark over so many Oscar nominations). (01/24/2008)

A light-hearted analysis of adult concerns in a well-balanced comedy with a dominating performance by Ellen Page, though the overall cocktail of scenes, dialogue and other actors is also decent. Indie-emo alternative to all those "real" and big films with similar themes that are taken so seriously. It’s not a cult-classic, but it can be watched in one go. (06/15/2022)

I don't think I've seen a better comedy about an (un)wanted pregnancy yet. Diablo Cody wrote a clever screenplay that simply had no flaws, and Ellen Page admirably portrayed the slightly eccentric protagonist, with it being worth noting that all involved supported her excellently. The overall positive atmosphere of the film was also contributed to by a fine soundtrack, which I would gladly listen to again. (85%) (07/28/2021)

one of those beautiful films about life with interesting characters on all fronts, with whom you can quite successfully identify. Excellently selected actors who deliver authentic performances, don't overact, don't rush unnecessarily and together create a functioning group that you simply enjoy watching. There have been quite a few similar films lately. (03/18/2014)