Juno MacGuff (Ellen Page) is sixteen, smart, sassy  and not above deflowering her best friend Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera). Unfortunately their tryst leads to Juno getting pregnant and facing the prospect of motherhood. Ever the pragmatist, she decides on finding a couple who are looking to adopt a child. Things may not always go to plan but they do tend to work out in the end.

I’m really pleased this won the best original screenplay as I’m a big fan of the sassy one liners that pep the script throughout. I know it tends to stretch the credibility of the  characters if they’re all capable of punching out a funny line, but I think that’s acceptable in a smart comedy. I’m also glad that the drama is kept to a minimum. I’m not sure I would have wanted to watch a lot of teenage angst. It was kind of refreshing that Juno just gets on with things.

Page is excellent as Juno and a lot of fun to watch throughout. Garner is perfect as the uptight woman desperate to become a mother and Bateman is okay as her seemingly trapped husband. It’s also good to see J.K. Simmons pop up as Juno’s dad, although it’s hard not to instantly think of him as Spiderman’s J. Jonah Jameson even without the trademark hair. Michael Cera is probably the one actor that could have benefited from a bit more to do than look slightly bemused from time to time.

The only minor gripe I have with this film is that no character really gets to grow apart from Juno.  It would have been great to see how Bleeker would have coped with the prospect of fatherhood, rather than having him on the outside looking in.  I was also left wondering what the adoptive couple saw in each other in the first place. They seemed  such a mismatch from the start that it was hard to see how they had ever gotten together. For a young married couple it’s kind of scary to see them drift apart so quickly.

I thought this movie was funny from start to finish. Perhaps not as well rounded as I was expecting but I think it builds on the jokes to make an entertaining glimpse into Juno’s world. I don’t think this film set out to be the coolest movie on the block, it just went it’s own way and couldn’t have turned out much better. A lot of fun and very entertaining.  It’s a must watch movie for me.