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in media res
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Posted: Fri Jan 25th, 2008 07:19 pm |
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Did anyone see this movie?
I have my own feelings about it, but I would love to hear from some others. Mine were negative - although all the performers were just terrific. How could you not like anyone? I loved the beginning of it how it was shot, etc.- until her "predicament" was revealed. Did this movie ring true to you or did you feel as if you were being manipulated into untruthfulness by the writer? I never felt Juno had a mind of her own. She had the mind of the writer that was forcing her to say these things.
Was it charmingly, cleverly done? Yes. Did I enjoy it? Yes, in many ways. Again with those actors, how could you not? Was it truthful? I did not think so.
Anyone else?
best,
in media resLast edited on Fri Jan 25th, 2008 07:21 pm by in media res
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RLN
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Posted: Mon Feb 4th, 2008 04:35 am |
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It was total rubbish. Juno had choices, but no conflict, because nothing was especially difficult for her. This is the writer's fault. No matter what you think about teenage pregnancy, adoption, or abortion, it's not always piece-of-cake to be pregnant and in school.
Did she ever have to leave class for an ob/gyn appointment, and found that a disapproving teacher gave her a lower mark? Was she bullied? Did any of the boys decide that this made her publically sexually available? Might she go into labor in class rather than while lounging at home? What if she, rather than the boyfriend, had been an athlete? What if she needed an athletic scholarship to attend college? Or had a part-time job that required manual labor and had no maternity pay scheme for part-time workers?
Any or all of these things could have added realism & urgency by acknowledging possible conflicts. But Diablo Cody chose style (the witticisms and obscure-pop-culture references) over substance.
Plus, how come such a "smart" girl wasn't using any kind of contraceptive? You don't need to be a rocket scientist to figure out that condoms are useful, right?
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DWolfman
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Posted: Mon Feb 4th, 2008 04:44 pm |
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I've tried to respond to this topic for the last two days and am horrified that I can't get "Leave it to Beaver" out of my head. A nice, homey comedy in which, no matter what the consequences of the young peoples' actions, with the help and support of their cute family, cute friends, and cute quips everything will be alright by episode's end.
While Beaver (as far as I remember) never dealt with a situation this momentous and world shattering for all the people involved, "JUNO" the movie handles it with much the same clever sanitization. And, while Beaver fully admitted he never had the answers to the resolution, Juno the character (as pointed out by IMR) clearly was the silver screen conduit for the writer's machinations.
Overall, it was a pleasant if shallow meandering through current teenage culture and idiom without having to explore the reality of the outcomes (as pointed out by RLN). It also feeds a dangerous trend in current American mentality that the kids are the center of the universe and they can do what they wish without responsibility, leaving everyone else to pick up the pieces.
-DW-
Last edited on Mon Feb 4th, 2008 04:47 pm by DWolfman
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