Review :: Juno

I have heard of this movie since early fall when I was won over by its approach to teen pregnancy and its whimsical story. So I went in with high expectations and they were blown away...blown far, far away.

Many have compared "Juno" to last year's indie crowd-pleaser "Little Miss Sunshine" and rightfully so in many ways. They both have spunky outsiders with dysfunctional families (whose isn't?) dealing with adversity. They both have an all-star lineup at the top of their game and memorable moments a plenty. But "Juno" can stand on its own without any comparison no problem.

The world created by first-time screenwriter Diablo Cody, although far from any reality you and I may be living in, is believable on the screen for 90 minutes. Ellen Page's depiction of the unexpectedly pregnant Juno left me smiling and laughing throughout...spunky, confident, vulnerable. She has her own lingo, makes pop-culture references constantly and I (and my wife, for that matter) couldn't help falling in love with her. "Juno" has found itself now on my top 10 comedy films.