Dorkgasm Gonzo Is God

Juno
By
Cassie Rains

            I have to admit, this movie had my parents a little wary. They were afraid that it promoted premarital sex, and did not look down upon teen pregnancy. The fact is that it happens. Teens get pregnant, whether it is intentional or not. This movie, while not disapproving of Juno’s pregnancy, relates to the audience the emotions of coping with the feelings of a girl so young who is bearing a human life in her belly.

            Juno is a typical sixteen-year-old girl. She is not popular, does not have many friends, and does not lead a fairytale life. I found her very relatable, as she is true to herself and can identify with the emotions that teens go through. She is scared to find out that she is, indeed, pregnant, and her best friend (Leah, played by Olivia Thirlby) is the first to receive a phone call. Anyone who is around the age of sixteen would have to admit that their parents would not be the first people they would go to to deliver the news. Getting pregnant is not Juno’s first intention, but is something that she is forced to deal with. The only thing that seems out of place is the fact that her parents are totally supportive of her.

            Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera), the father of the unborn child, does not know how to react when he hears the news. He is stunned, but also confused on what the next step is. Juno is set on having an abortion. There is no question in her mind. This kind of took me aback for a while. I couldn’t decide whether I thought it was surprising, given her character so far, that she comes to this conclusion so quick. When Juno decides that an abortion is not for her, she decides to answer a first-time adoptive parent’s ad in the weekly pennysaver. At this point, I was glad. No matter how much of a parent I sound like right here, I was glad that she was taking responsibility for her actions and carrying the baby, giving it a more sturdy and well-grounded life. Juno realized that she was not ready to be a parent, which is a big step.

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            During the adoption process, Juno begins to grow closer to the baby and to the adoptive father. They share a bond of musical interest, and their friendship grows on that connection. Another thing that makes Juno so relatable is the fact that she makes friends with an older person, and her parents are very cautious upon hearing that. I personally do not think it is a problem for two people of different ages to connect on a level where they share interests. However, the friendship between Juno and the adoptive father gets a little more intense in the respect that the man starts to have feelings for Juno instead of having feelings for his wife. Juno realizes that she is getting into adult situations that she is not ready to deal with. Everything becomes overwhelming, yet Juno continues to grow into a woman.

            Witnessing a fight and thinking she has caused a divorce, Juno is forced to deal with many more situations than she initially planned. Finding out that the adoptive father is not exactly who she thinks he is, she steps into the adult world. While I cannot say that I have actually witnessed this exact feeling personally, every teen can associate with the feeling of defeat against ones self. It seems as if no one is there to help you and you are dealing with things that should wait twenty years. In the end, Juno decides to give the baby to the adoptive mother, as she will give him or her a grounded upbringing.

            This movie may be attractive due to it being so real, or it may be that Juno lives a life out of the norm. People search for uniqueness, and that is exactly what they find while watching this film. They find a sixteen-year-old girl, searching for herself, growing up, making mistakes, and learning to deal with the consequences, whatever they may be. It is a very believable story, which makes it so compelling and easy to connect to on such a high level. If you ask me, this is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a really long time. It captured my attention and never let go!

Editors Note: Being that she IS a sixteen-year-old girl, we at Dorkgasm appreciate Ms. Rains' unique perspective on this film. See the movie and you'll laugh, but you'll also be reminded of life at that age, no matter how old and crusty you are now...