The movie’s title is Juno which is a comedy-drama film written by Diablo Cody and directed by Jason Reitman. I downloaded the movie from you tube and watched it on 19thNovember, 2010.
Movie Characters
Juno MacGuff –She is an independent high school teenager who confronts an unplanned pregnancy and the subsequent events that put pressures of adult life onto her teenage life. She makes a choice not aborting but giving the child up for adoption.
Paulie Bleeker- He is the father of Juno’s unborn baby. He is in love with Juno who feels the same way but is reluctant to reveal her true feelings to him. However, later at the end of the film, Juno admits to loving Bleeker.
Mac MacGuff- He is Juno’s father who fully supports his pregnant teenage daughter and allows her to make her own decisions.
Vanessa Loring- The adoptive mother to Juno’s baby. She is left by her husband Mark, who claims that he is not ready to be a father.
Mark Loring- Vanessa’s husband who develops romantic feelings towards Juno. This realization leads to the falling apart of Vanessa and Mark’s marriage.
Leah- Juno’s supportive friend
Bren- Juno’s stepmother.
Movie Plot
A Sixteen year old Minnesota high school girl, Juno MacGuff discovers that she is pregnant with a child whose father is her longtime admirer and pal, Paulie Bleeker. At first, Juno decides to have an abortion but later on changes her mind and decides to make plans for the unborn child’s adoption. Leah, Juno’s friend helps Juno to search for the advertisement in the Penny saver and this leads them to finding a couple that may provide a suitable home for Juno’s unborn child (Miller, Vandome and McBrewster, 2010).
Juno’s father, Mac and stepmother Bren are extremely supportive. Hence, together with her father, Juno meets Mark and Vanessa Loring, the couple to whom she expresses her desire for a closed adoption. Vanessa seems to be excited with the arrangement but at the same time anxious that Juno may change her mind. At some point, Juno and Leah happen to see Vanessa in a shopping mall being totally at ease with a child. This incident makes Juno to let Vanessa talk to her baby in the womb, where it responds by kicking for her (Miller, 2010).It is also later revealed that Juno easily forms a friendship with Mark and hangs out with him during her visits to the house. Bren is against the act of Juno hanging out with Mark since he thinks that it is inappropriate for Juno to spend too much time with a married man. Juno seems to be struggling with the emotions she fells for Paulie, her baby’s father. Her attitude towards Paulie is outwardly indifferent though deep inside she has feelings that she can not admit (Miller, 2010).
Just before her baby is due, Juno visits with mark and at this point their interaction turns to be filled with strong emotions. The revelation that Mark and Vanessa’s marriage was to come to an end greatly horrifies Juno. The revelation also meant that Juno had developed romantic feelings toward Juno. The falling apart of Vanessa and Mark’s marriage prompts Juno to make a decision of letting Vanessa be the sole adoptive mother to her child.Juno’s acceptance that she loves Paulie follows a heartfelt discussion with Mac, her father. It is evident that Paulie feels the same way about her. After a while, Juno goes into labor and then gives birth to a baby boy. Though Paulie was not informed about the incident, he figures it out and rushes to the hospital where she finds Juno crying and having already given birth to their son. Next, Vanessa comes to the hospital and claims the newborn baby boy as a single adoptive mother. The end of the film is in the Summerland with Juno and Paulie singing together, followed by a kiss (Miller, 2010).
Relevant Concepts
Pro-life concept
This concept has been illustrated by Juno’s decision not to abort the baby but instead, give it up for adoption. The film seems to bring a clear message that abortion should never be condoned.
Pro-choice
The concept of pro-choice is also evident since Juno seems to be an independent girl who makes her own decisions. Some of the decisions she makes include decisions regarding the adoption of her child and the decision to be with her baby’s father, Paulie.
Feminism
Juno has been labeled as a feminist due to the fact that she has been portrayed as an intelligent and confident teenage girl. There is also portrayal of irrelevancy of men, especially fathers. This is seen when Vanessa takes the responsibility of a single adoptive mother of Juno’s newborn boy.
Independence
This is one of the key concepts portrayed in this film. Juno has been portrayed as an independent character that makes her own decisions irrespective of what other people think about her. For instance, she decides to maintain her friendship with Mark, ignoring Bren’s warning.
Love
Love is the other concept that clearly comes out in this film. Juno has true love feelings towards Paulie. She eventually decides r be with Paulie after realizing that she loves her. Mark also claims to have fallen in love with Juno and this leads to the falling apart of his marriage with Vanessa (Miller, 2010).
Critique and Reaction
The social and family issue that the movie focuses on is teenage pregnancy. According to the movie, teenage pregnancy seems to be highly accepted. This is due to the fact that Juno becomes pregnant and is given a full support by her father and her stepmother. He father even helps her find an appropriate adoptive couple. This shows that the movie brings out the themes of pro-life and pro-choice. Juno is a teenage girl who is allowed to make her own decisions regarding the adoption of her child and even the man he wants to be with.To address the issue of teenage pregnancies, I think the movie should have had a plot that does not seem to support the whole issue. It would have been appropriate if Juno’s parents showed some strictness and harshness against teenage pregnancy. In this film, they seem to be embracing teen pregnancy by giving their daughter a full support.
Reference
Miller, F. P., Vandome, A.F., & McBrewster, J. (2010) Juno (Film): Comedy-drama
Jason Reitman, Diablo Cody, Ellen Page, Title Role, Michael Cera, Olivia
Thirlby, J. K. Simmons, Allison Janney, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman
Alphascript Publishing.
