If teenage girls are looking to movies for guidance on what role romance should play in their lives—and for the love of god I hope they’re not—they could do a lot worse than learning a thing or two from Juno. Here’s a girl who doesn’t exactly know how to define herself just yet but she’ll be damned if she lets anyone else define who she is for her. She’s defiant almost to an annoying point. Ok, maybe she approaches the line of irritating a few times, and steps over it more than many would like. That’s the spirit of the entire movie though, which I would contend consist of more of a strength than a weakness: it’s there saying it is what it is, so deal.
Like Silver Linings this movie ends on a really cute romantic note (*SPOILER* they play a lovely little song together on guitars, adorbness ensues) but there’s little indication this is where it’s leading. Instead we get a sense that Juno, like Pat, learns things about herself first, then she worries about romance. Or maybe more accurately, both of them are deluded or at least confused about one prospect of romance and then they’re shaken up and find a relationship that works so much better. In a way this is a template followed by a lot of romantic comedies, but usually without characters remotely believable or likeable or smart. Nor do they have romantic interests with as much hilarious charm and endearing awkwardness like Michael Cera as Paulie.
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