What Do The Critics Say?

"Juno has smart teenagers, smart parents, and comedy all in the same movie. It doesn't happen often, so appreciate it while you've got the chance." Cherryl Dawson & Leigh Ann Palone THE MOVIE CHICKS "Juno, directed by Jason Reitman, is smart, witty, and engaging: three ingredients that, when applied to any film, comprise a recipe for success." James Berardinelli REELVIEWS "Definitely one of my favorite films of the last five years." Mike McGranaghan AISLE SEAT "A fresh, quirky, unusually intelligent comedy about a sixteen year old girl who wins our hearts in the first scene." Roger Ebert CHICAGO SUN-TIMES "Juno is hilarious and sweet-tempered, perceptive and surprisingly grounded. It's also a gust of fresh air, perspective-wise." Carina Chocano LOS ANGELES TIMES "Juno is a coming-of-age movie made with idiosyncratic charm and not a single false note." David Denby NEW YORKER "It's not often that you'll see a feel-good movie about teen pregnancy, but "Juno" pulls it off to such a degree that it's instantly become my favorite movie of the year so far. The script is funny, sad, heartwarming and real. Its characters are fully-developed human beings." Scott Nash THREE MOVIE BUFFS

"Hollywood's Woman of the Year is a pregnant 16-year-old, the incredibly hip, smart-mouthed and totally endearing heroine of the wise and witty Juno." Lou Lumenick NEW YORK POST "Actually, all performances are sharp, which shows what can happen when actors get to play characters and deliver lines that bristle with originality." Kirk Honeycutt HOLLYWOOD REPORTER "A coming-of-age crowd-pleaser that's full of life, laughter and tears" Susan Granger SUSANGRANGER.COM "Juno's disarmingly charming and completely real, and one of the best films of 2007." Rebecca Murray ABOUT.COM Lou Lumenick NEW YORK POST "It is certainly the feel-good movie of the season, and credit for that goes to the gifted [director] Reitman, novice screenwriter Diablo Cody and the film's sensational lead actress, Ellen Page." Jack Mathews NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

The Inside Story "When I was twelve, my parents decided to adopt a child. I grew up in a very Loring-like residence with incense sticks, plexiglass enclosed tchotchkes, and framed portraits of my family posing all dressed in white (yup, that was us). One morning, we assembled in the living room where my sister and I were informed that we would be visited by a social worker that would deem whether or not we were an appropriate home for an adopted child," director Jason Reitman recalls. "It was an audition of how good a family we were. Of course, now I look back and realize we were a shoe-in: a happy loving affluent family who were adopting for all the right reasons. But at the time, I remember the pressure. Spending hours in front of this social worker, acting like I was in the British novelization of my own life." The story of Juno comes from debut screenwriter Diablo Cody’s childhood, when one of her closest friends in high school became pregnant and decided to take the baby to term. Often, she is asked what gave her the idea to make this into a movie. Cory says the first scene she ever thought of, the kernel of Juno, is that meeting at the Loring house, where Juno meets the potential parents of her child. At the end of the day though, Juno is not a movie about teenage pregnancy as much as it is about the delicate balance of these relationships. Somehow, Cory’s script is able to approach each and all of the characters with sophisticated realism and respect. It never preaches nor does it define the absolutes of experiencing teenage pregnancy. "I wrote the script back in Minnesota, a circumstance which should have logically counted as a strike against me. Sometimes I wrote at my kitchen table, sometimes I wrote at the local Target, sometimes I'd sneak a few blocks of dialogue during my precious fifteen minute breaks at work. "Juno" became my secret passion, and I anticipated our time together like a horny schoolgirl. I don't know if anyone believed that I could actually write a movie, and neither did I. Unlike the moist-browed screenwriters pimping their wares in cruel Burbank, I wrote in a comfortable vacuum," Cory notes. Born in the imaginative mind of novelist turned screenwriter Diablo Cody (real name Brook Busey-Hunt), Juno is a unique character unlike any of her screen peers from coming of age films in the past. She’s frank yet funny, charming yet self-confident. Whether sharing with Leah intimate details of losing her virginity or breaking the news of her pregnancy to her parents, Juno commands attention with her brutal honesty and sharp tongue. After being pressed to write a screenplay, Cory did a survey of recent teen films and found there was an opening for a little girl with a big attitude. "I was sitting in my house in Minnesota and I was thinking to myself, what’s a story that I haven’t seen," detailed Diablo. "So much of the stuff I was watching was totally derivative." Putting Juno on the page took Diablo back to a place she had experienced in her own youth. "It was incredibly natural," Cory said of pulling together the pieces of the story and the nuances of each character. "It was like breathing. I did see Juno as an extension of myself." Not to mention an extension of the conversations and situations she saw while growing up. Part of the film’s appeal is the frank and funny dialogue Juno and her friends have about sex, inspired in part by Diablo. "My friends and I were like Juno and Leah. We talked about sex all the time. That was an actual discussion I had with a friend of mine when we were sixteen. It may be shocking to some people but it’s quite realistic," Cory explained. For the film’s talented star Ellen Page, Juno is an atypical teen. "The part of Juno is an extremely well-written teenage girl, which is not the easiest thing to find. She is honest but original, completely devoid of stereotype, which is the most fantastic thing for an actress. My work is really just about connecting to her and trying to make her way of speech and her dialogue, and her relationships, authentic. I’ve found that comes through when you trust the people you're working with, and you just dive into it." "Juno" would not have made it to the page in the first place if it hadn’t been for the team of filmmakers who worked tirelessly to bring her to the big screen. It started with producer Mason Novick ("Red Eye") who, while surfing the Internet, discovered an Internet blog penned by Diablo Cody. He was immediately struck by her humorous writing, hailed for its singularly feminine, ultra-contemporary and utterly candid nature. "As a movie producer I read a lot that is supposed to be funny but is usually pretty terrible," Novick explained. "So every day for about six months I read her blog, and every day it made me laugh." Novak decided to called her out of the blue. "hey, I'm a producer, I live in Los Angeles, I read your blog every day and it makes me laugh. Have you ever thought about writing a screenplay?" Cory replied, "I've thought about it, but I've never, you know, never really done it." A couple of months later she called to tell him she had sent him a script. It was for "Juno". Novick recalls, "I read it in one sitting and I was blown away. The script we are shooting today is pretty much the script I read back then, which almost never happens. The heart of the story and the characters just all popped off the page." Novick brought the project to Mandate’s creative executive Jim Miller ("Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle") in May of 2005 and it was the recognition that this was a screenplay of extraordinary originality that spurred the commitment of Mandate Pictures Joseph 'Joe' Drake ("The Messengers") and Nathan Kahane ("Stranger Than Fiction") through all stages of production. It was Kahane, who along with Drake and Novick, brought the project to Mr Mudd Productions Lianne Halfon ("Ghost World"), Russell Smith ("Ripley's Game") and John Malkovich ("The Dancer Upstairs"). Together, Mandate, Novick, and Mr Mudd joined forces to find a director who would be the perfect complement to Cody’s screenplay. In August 2006 Jason Reitman was brought on-board to direct. "The decision to work with Jason was easy. His passion for the project was immense. What we discovered was a funny, soulful filmmaker who was wildly talented," says Mr Mudd partner Russ Smith. Cody was thrilled when she learnt Reitman was directing. "I just knew that when I handed this over I was going to feel this wonderful sense of security, and that's been the case. I don’t know what appealed to him about this script, but I'm really glad that it did." When it came to casting the film, the team faced a tough task finding the right actress to step into Juno’s narrowly complex shoes. The fit had to be perfect for audiences to not only know who she was but also to welcome her, flaws and all, with open arms. Jason Reitman knew that Ellen Page was that actress. "When you have great actors you want to get in there and let their faces tell the story. Ellen in particular does unbelievable, subtle little things with her face. I can give her one hundred and twenty notes on each take and she hits all of them perfectly," he explained. "What’s different about Ellen, is that she knows what Juno would do, say or feel at any given moment, and she can turn it on and off like a light switch. It’s incredible to watch." Her co-stars unanimously agree. "She's just a beautiful and incredible actress," praised Jennifer Garner. "She’s gonna just blow people out of the water; with this and again and again and again and again. She’s going to be a very important actress." "She reminds me of a young Audrey Hepburn. There is something beautifully feminine about her and yet she’s playing this incredibly tough, cool character," four time EMMY Award winning actress Allison Janney said. "She’s fearless. I’ve just been so impressed with her and I adore her. I wish I got to work with her longer; she’s amazing." 2005 Golden Satellite and 2005 Satellite Award winner Jason Bateman ("Arrested Developement") concurs that the filmmakers got it right when they gave Ellen Page the part. "The movie sinks or swims based on how interesting Juno is," he said, "And fortunately they’ve got Ellen Page playing her and so you kind of sit back and watch her and she’s our tour guide. She’s a very non-acting actor and she sets a very, very good and consistent tone and we all take our cues off that." Page, who acknowleges her career has been on an upward swing since appearing in "Hard Candy" as Hayley Stark, noted: "I’ve been really, really lucky lately. I’ve gotten to play so many different roles, even just this last year. It’s been great. The opportunities have been amazing." Juno’s pick as the lucky pair to adopt her baby are Vanessa and Mark Loring played by Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman. "I like that the characters defy convention and are people who make personal, as opposed to political, choices for themselves, just like in real life. Feminism has paved the way for Vanessa’s career, but ultimately Vanessa wants to be a full time mother," Bateman said. "I think a lot of women today who want to be mothers are really conflicted between that desire and everything they’ve put into their career." Juno's parents are played by J.K. Simmons and Allison Janney. "He’s played so many tough guys that casting him as the perfect dad really worked for this one," says Reitman. " In real life J.K. is a big teddy bear, a family man, and it was exciting to have the opportunity expose that side of him." Of Janney he says, "I’m a longtime fan. I loved her in "American Beauty" and on "The West Wing". She can do anything." Synopsis

Life is about to change for sixteen year old Juno. Three home pregnancy test kits confirm her worst fear, that she is pregnant after a trip into the arms of her best friend Paulie Bleeker. It may have been a one night adventure but Juno's actions will have a profound effect on, not only her life, but those around her. The quirky, precocious, wise-cracking Juno, who is not just the delivery system for her child, but also the mouthpiece for wry observations in a language all her own, quickly discovers that pregnancy will force her to grow up fast. The biggest decision is that she won't be keeping her baby, instead she opts for placing her child with a family who will treasure having a child of their own. Juno settles for Mark and Vanessa Loring, an affluent suburban couple who are longing to adopt their first child. Accompanied by her supportive father, Juno sets out to size up the prospective adoptive parents.

The Verdict "A sharp, witty and wonderfully wacky comedy that wins you over from the very moment it appears on the screen. Ellen Page is a young woman with tremendous appeal and, the 'smarts'. Her performance as sixteen year old Juno MacGuff is one that should ensure the diminutive Canadian actress, who last appeared down under in "X-Men The Last Stand" (and has already won eleven awards for her acting), receives a nomination for this years Academy Awards even though she missed out in the Golden Globe Awards. Solid support cast includes "Superbad" star Michael Cera; Spider-man star J.K. Simmons together with Jennifer Garner, Eileen Pedde, Rainn Wilson TV Land Award winner, Jason Bateman. Look out for the smashing soundtrack (with songs from Kimya Dawson) in your local music store on the Warner Music label. Highly recommended. Totally entertaining. 4 1/2 STARS." Cast & Crew Bytes "JUNO" stars .......
Ellen Page ["Love That Boy", "Hard Candy" and "An American Crime"]; J.K. Simmons ["Thank You for Smoking", "The Astronaut Farmer" and "Rendition"]; 2007 Hollywood Film Festival Award winner Allison Janney ["The Hours", "Strangers with Candy" and "Hairspray"]; Chicago Film Critics Association Award winner Michael Cera ["Frequency", "Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind" and "Darling Darling"]; Jennifer Garner ["Catch Me If You Can", "Suddenly 30", "Elektra" and "The Kingdom"]; Golden Globe Award winner Jason Bateman ["Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story", "Smokin' Aces" and "The Kingdom"]; Eileen Pedde ["The Core", "Final Destination 2" and "Freddy vs Jason"] and Rainn Wilson ["America's Sweethearts", "Sahara", "My Super Ex-Girlfriend" and "The Last Mimzy"] as Rollo.
"JUNO" was .......
directed by Jason Reitman ["In God We Trust", "Consent" and "Thank You for Smoking"]; screenplay by Diablo Cody ["Juno"]; set decorator Shane Vieau ["The Final Cut", "The Butterfly Effect" and "Aliens vs Predator: Requiem"]; costume design by Monique Prudhomme ["Best in Show", "Snow Dogs", "The Lizzie McGuire Movie" and "The Final Cut"]; production design by Steve Saklad ["Thank You for Smoking", "Shadowboxer" and "Pride"]; edited by Dana E Glauberman ["Rain", "Thank You for Smoking", "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" and "Mean Girls"]; director of photography Eric Steelberg ["It's Not Unusual", "Gulp", "The Hand Job" and "My Wife Is Retarded"]; original music by Mateo Messina ["The Freak", "Missing Sock", "The Handkerchief" and "Jump!"]. Who's Who?

Ellen Page Allison Janney J.K. Simmons Michael Cera Jennifer Garner Jason Bateman Olivia Thirlby Eileen Pedde Rainn Wilson Daniel Clark Darla Vandenbossche Aman Johal Valerie Tian Emily Perkins Kaaren de Zilva Steven Christopher Parker Candice Accola Sierra Pitkin Lucas MacFadden Eve Harlow Kirsten Williamson

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Juno Bren Mac Paulie Bleeker Vanessa Mark Leah Gerta Rauss Rollo Steve Rendazo Bleeker's Mom Vijay Su-Chin Punk Receptionist Ultrasound Technician Guy Lab Partner Girl Lab Partner Liberty Bell Chemistry Teacher Tough Girl Nurse

Run Time 96 minutes Rated M [AUST] Copyright ©2008 - Fox Searchlight Films - All Rights Reserved ©2008 All Rights Reserved - Protected by Australian & International Copyright. Trademark Laws Apply.