JUNO revisited

[thehefner]

Fuck it, I'll give my further JUNO thoughts their own entry.

I've reevaluated my opinion on JUNO, especially now that it's a mainstream smash hit. My main complaint is how it seems to try too hard to be "cool" in places. Certain scenes felt forced, particular the first meeting with Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman. Juno's character in that scene did absolutely not ring true, spitting out unprovoked one-liners to the delight of the audience but having no real thematic reason to do so, from what I could tell. Was Juno purposely pushing her outrageous snark attitude to cover her own insecurity? Maybe so. And maybe for all the wrong reasons.

Maybe I'm just projecting my own experience with people saying that THE HEFNER MONOLOGUES are better when I'm not trying to be in "stand-up comic mode" but when I'm just being honest and myself, but that's sort of how I felt about JUNO. It seemed insecure about its own heart and quality, hiding behind indie "quirk" stuff and the snarky snappy "outsider-hip" dialogue.

("Mad tunage?" "Hells yeah"? That's what's passing for realistic teenage dialogue? Granted, real-life teenagers aren't exactly paragons of eloquence nor original thought, but still...)

Furthermore, it felt like the screenwriter was putting a bit too much of herself into the character; I'm sure there are plenty of teenage outsiders who closed-mindedly think Dario Argento and Iggy and the Stooges are the greatest artists of all time, but it never rang true for Juno's character. Not with me, anyway, and I'm clearly the minority.

Really, the overwhelming popularity of JUNO just reinforces the realization that I'm just particularly adverse to teenagers (not to mention indie culture, which often seems to have the exact same sensibilities), but even I agree it's a good--perhaps even great--film.

It's akin to real-life teenagers like Juno herself: once you get past the superficial cynicism, the everyone-else-is-an-idiot-but-me snobbery, and the oh-so-cool glib snark disguised as real wit... there's actually a real heart, depth, and humanity to be found.

And that's what ultimately made me like JUNO, even with all my complaints. In fact, I liked it a hell of a lot.

So yeah, while it very much is this year's NAPOLEON DYNAMITE and LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE--the indie movie mainstream audiences can go see to feel cultured for seeing an indie movie--it's a great sight better and smarter than either. That said, I sure as heck don't think Diablo Cody deserves an Oscar nod.




Oh, and Thing # 827 I loved about THERE WILL BE BLOOD: Daniel's delivery of the line, "That makes you my... compet-it-torrr."

He says "competitor" as if it's the name of a Decepticon. Magnificent.

I've also been very tempted to just constantly repeat the "milkshake" monologue to anyone who will listen. Just an average day for Heffie.

Comments

[yancentric.livejournal.com]

Wow, totally disagree on the first meeting with Bateman and Garner. I thought her one-liners were awkward and purposefully added discomfort to an already uncomfortable situation. Snappy lines in other movies would've been excuses for some quick, cool, comedy, but Reitman did a great job of balancing out her "cool" with the weighty, awkward seriousness of the rest of the room. It was her way of overcompensating for all of that, and she failed. I don't think for a second the "cool" was anything but a shield from everything else, and her move upstairs to the bathroom was nothing but an escape from it all.

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

Well, that's why I put the line up there allowing the possibility of it being purposely done for a deeper character (and story) reason rather than purely for the sake of comedy coming from awkward situations.

Am I making sense? There's a distinction there.

So no, I don't think we totally disagree. I haven't entirely made up my mind on it yet, just giving my impressions.

[little-dinosaur.livejournal.com]

I liked the movie, but the truest part for me is the part about jocks wanting librarian-type girls. That was the only "been there" moment I had during it.

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

I believe it.

Honestly, though, I'm tempted to wonder why your average student wouldn't find Juno attractive. But then I remember that I 1.) am attracted to geeky tomboys, and 2.) don't at all ascribe (is that the right word?) to the Playboy model of beauty.

Damn it, Ally Sheedy in BREAKFAST CLUB was way hotter before they gave her the makeover!

[civilbloodshed.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen it, but I can personally vouch for teenagers using "hells yeah" with about 93% sincerity. But since it's usually followed by 'bitches' I think the irony of lame catchphrases used by teenagers is just part of the "superficial cynicism" they tend to wallow in. And by "they" I mean "me and my peers", because it was only up until a few months ago that I still was a teenager.

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

Well, there we go, it's settled. I dislike it because it is authentic, as I dislike actual teenagers.

Oh dear, did I ever let that prejudice leak out while you still were a teenager? I didn't realize you were, honestly! *scrambles* Clearly, you are one of the unspoken exceptions, obviously, totally.

[civilbloodshed.livejournal.com]

Eh, I never took offense. You're completely justified in your prejudice, seeing as how most teenagers are in fact complete tools.

[jellied.livejournal.com]

THANK YOU! (I've been espousing the same viewpoint re: Sheedy over and over again)

[jellied.livejournal.com]

You and I could never hang out then. I still talk like 13 year old skate rat straight out of Fresno. Hells yeah!

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

Eh, the differences with you are:

1.) You are not scripted

2.) I'm fairly certain you're more mature than the average teenager

3.) I could actually potentially make physical contact with you, which will never ever happen with Ellen Page, (unless I can get her to play Tammy in THE HEFNER MONOLOGUES movie.)

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

Damn skippy!

To a lesser extent, I was similarly pissed about Clea Duvall in THE FACULTY.