The fact that "secular" folk don't seem to mind the pro-life message and Christian folk don't seem to mind the vulgarity is amazing. There's some new paradigm here! Crudity is here to stay (for a while at least, until it suddenly becomes rude to be polite). I also think the fact that the screenwriter was a one-time stripper gave her impeccable street creds for secular folk. In an experiential culture, that's what it takes.
Backstory: the screenwriter had a teenage friend who got pregnant that inspired the movie.
By the way, fellow-Canadian to actress Ellen Page, director Jason Rietman is BRILLIANT.
Don't miss a quiet little scene where Juno goes upstairs in the home of the soon-to-be-adoptive parents of her baby. She tries on some face cream and perfume. It shows that she's still a mischievous kid, and is more interested in frilly girly stuff than she might be willing to admit.
Although at the beginning of the movie Juno focuses on "body parts," and gives us a rare cinematic glimpse of "women's needs/wants/desires," it's clear by the end that her focus is on the whole person: mind, will, heart, and, yes, body.
I don't know that this is necessarily a pro-life movie in that it didn't demonize those who made another choice (Juno's best friend Leah says "Want me to call for you...because I called for Becky last year" and it was just left at that--no comments later on about how Becky or the women in the waiting room were making the wrong decision)
ReplyDeleteThis movie is more about a young girl making a very personal--not political or religious, decision for herself, and one that today is relatively uncommon. This provides an interesting storyline, and one that (unfortunately) unlikely to come to such happy conclusions in the real world.
And even if she weren't secretly interested in pretty frilly stuff--why is that such a big issue?
I agree with heather. It's not really a pro-life movie, its more of what is the best way for a girl like Juno to deal with this situation. She didn't feel she wanted to abort... so she didn't.
ReplyDeleteBut one thing is true... you can show how not aborting can be positive WITHOUT going about it in a religious or political way.
I don't think it was all that happy... I mean its very middle america to me... slice of life... it wasn't some tragic oh she was raped or her parents treated her like shit... it was real.
That's why I love this movie.
I just saw Juno today and thought it was absolutely unique. It was hard to watch at times because it wasn't escapist but something like a story I could be part of tommorrow. There is a pro-life aspect in the credits. It was surprisingly cool to see the role of "ultra-sound baby" credited to, I believe it was, Matthew Sanders. I'd like to know if that's a first in the movies.
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