Juno (2007)

Movie · 2007 · Comedy, Drama, Romance · 1h 36m · PG-13 · English

Curator score: 7.3/10 (2M ratings)

A comedy about growing up… and the bumps along the way.

Overview

Faced with an unplanned pregnancy, sixteen year old high-schooler, Juno MacGuff, makes an unusual decision regarding her unborn child.

Ratings

Director

Jason Reitman

Production

Mandate Pictures, Mr. Mudd, Fox Searchlight Pictures

Cast

Elliot Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, J.K. Simmons, Allison Janney, Olivia Thirlby, Eileen Pedde, Rainn Wilson, Daniel Clark, Darla Fay, Aman Johal, Valerie Tian, Emily Perkins, Kaaren de Zilva, Steven Christopher Parker, Candice King, Sierra Pitkin, Cut Chemist, Eve Harlow

Curator Review

Verdict

A sharp, offbeat coming-of-age dramedy that balances teen wit, emotional honesty, and a surprisingly tender look at pregnancy, adoption, and growing up too fast. Its style is very much of the late-2000s, but the performances and writing still land.

Best for

  • fans of witty indie comedies
  • viewers who like bittersweet coming-of-age stories
  • audiences interested in teen pregnancy narratives with warmth and humor
  • people who enjoy awkward, deadpan dialogue and character-driven ensemble films

Skip if

  • you want a realistic social drama with a naturalistic tone
  • you dislike heightened quirk or era-specific indie style
  • you prefer romance plots that stay central throughout
  • the subject of teen pregnancy is too sensitive for a lighter approach

Overview

Juno is one of the defining indie comedies of the 2000s: smart, fast, funny, and emotionally more generous than its snarky surface suggests. It takes a difficult premise and turns it into a story about responsibility, identity, and the messy ways people care for each other when they are not remotely ready to be adults.

Worth noting

What gives the film staying power is the cast chemistry and the script’s ability to move between joke and vulnerability without losing momentum. The title character’s voice is unmistakable, and the movie’s supporting players help it feel like a lived-in suburban world rather than a gimmick.

Bottom line

Some of its quirks now read as very much of their moment, and that can be part of the charm or part of the friction depending on taste. Even so, it remains a funny, humane, and surprisingly affecting coming-of-age film with a strong emotional core.

Top Letterboxd reviews

Robin (4★) · 41318 likes

Every time Juno is alone with Jason Bateman I have the police on speed dial

brandon (4★) · 20126 likes

imagine giving birth to michael cera's child

𝖏𝖊𝖉 (4★) · 16751 likes

me: not pregnant, not 16, not straight, not played by elliot page also me: This is the most relatable film i have ever seen

freya. (5★) · 16191 likes

the funniest part about this film is the idea that we are expected to see michael cera as a serious athlete

Jaxi (4.5★) · 12884 likes

it's so 2000s quirky that it almost feels like a period piece

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Topics

indie comedy, coming-of-age, dramedy, teen pregnancy, quirky dialogue, suburban setting, bittersweet, 2000s, character-driven

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