Juno – the Lessons in Life

I went to see the movie "Juno" with my best friend the other day. While it wasn't a movie that showed particularly realistic acting or extreme special effects (both of which I like), it struck a chord with me.

16-year-old Juno MacGuff (Ellen Page), after three pregnancy tests, is finally convinced she is almost nine weeks pregnant by her friend Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera). While she appears slightly disappointed when it is 100% certain, she takes it surprisingly well. No crying or pity-seeking.

Juno decides to have an abortion but changes her mind at the last minute when she gets to the abortion clinic and a school-mate tells her babies have fingernails and the receptionist tries to give her blueberry flavored condoms. Juno decides to make plans to have her baby and give it to a couple who really want one. With the help of her best friend Leah (Olivia Thirlby), Juno searches in the local newspaper and finds a couple, Vanessa (Jennifer Garner) and Mark (Jason Bateman) Loring, who she feels will provide a suitable home for her baby.

Having decided to have the baby, Juno has to tell her parents. You would expect them to be slightly pissed off about it, maybe a little angry. While they both hoped she was going to tell them she was expelled when she sat them down, they seem surprisingly supportive.

As autumn turns into winter, Juno strikes up a friendship with Mark as she discovers they share common interests in music, film and pop culture. Mark is a commercial composer who has a childhood dream of being a rock star. He has had to set aside his dream for a more conservative life with Vanessa, who wants a child more than anything.

As months pass Juno wages an internal war against her feelings towards her baby's father, Paulie. Meanwhile, Paulie gently expresses his feelings towards Juno and tells her he very much hopes that when the pregnancy is over they can start up their band again and maybe even get back together. At the time, Juno suggests Paulie go out with another girl from their class but when Paulie takes her up on her suggestion, Juno finds herself extremely upset. Could it be that she actually likes the gentle and caring Paulie?

While Juno seemed completely un-bothered by the fact that she was the size of a whale, and the general gist of the story was very left of centre, the morals of the story still managed to sneak around the back and bite you on the nose just as the movie was ending. It was a little bit "in you face" because of the fact that Juno's character was so bluntly honest and rebellious but the main points definitely came across. When you are young and irresponsible the way Juno was, you will most likely get pregnant and have to deal with it. If you decide to be pregnant (and during school at that), students will talk about you behind your back, you will draw attention to yourself, you will get big, you will eat lots, you will have aches and pains and then you will have to deliver the baby. And then towards the end of the movie we also learn that the people who love you for who you are (beautiful, fat, old or hairy) are those worth sticking with.