Sixteen and pregnant; a classic drama portraying the irresponsibility of our youth. This is not the template story line you get from the movie Juno. Although the main character, Juno MacGuff (Ellen Page), is sixteen and pregnant, she does not handle the situation in a traditional fashion. Her wit and trivialization of the situation make this melodrama one that will make you want to console the awkward couple, Juno and Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera), despite their being poor decision-making teens.
The downplay of this seemingly dramatic situation is mainly attributed to the slang that is used throughout and the casual relationship Juno shares with everyone, using phrases such as "silencio" and "honest to blog," which is something her best friend exclaimed when she told her she was pregnant. These phrases, along with other cinematic elements, are fairly new to this generation of the film industry. For that reason, this film has set a new expectation for a genre that will proceed it.
The structure of the story line is a unique rising action plot. Typically, a rising action story will start with an exposition and continue with events that lead to a climax. From there, a conclusion is brought to the plot. What's different about the plot in Juno is, while basically a rising action plot, it also derives writing styles of an episodic plot. This is because of the structure of the three acts which are presented as fall, winter, and spring.
The story is written as if each act contains it's own rising action plot within. Fall is a time when things seem to pass before us. It's also when Juno and Bleeker fool around, a climax being her discovering that she's pregnant. Winter is a time of distress and dismay. The climax here is when Juno leaves a note on the doorstep saying, "Vanessa, if you're still in, I'm still in." I also view this as the climax of the overall plot line. Spring is a time of growth and rebirth. In this act, Juno has the baby and her and Bleeker rediscover their love for one another.
Other remarkable elements of the film are the set and color pallet designs. These elements are displayed in a manner that would not initially be perceived as professional film quality. While the dingy furniture quality in Juno's house does play a role in her family's appearance, it also attributes to the image of indie films. Everything looks as though it was purchased secondhand.
Lastly, the soundtrack is an element that adds to the freshness of this production. The songs used in this film are all recorded by Ellen Page and Michael Cera, serenading one another with simple, yet endearing metaphors that would probably be inside jokes between their characters.
The structure of the story line is interesting, something different from most rising action plots. With quirky humor, earthy color pallets, an appearance of low budget set design, and “unique" recording techniques used on the simple soundtrack recorded by some of the stars themselves, this movie was a monumental marking of the indie film genre. Putting these in perspective of longevity, I would not expect the movie to age well.
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| Juno's best friend, Leah, on the phone in her bedroom |
The structure of the story line is a unique rising action plot. Typically, a rising action story will start with an exposition and continue with events that lead to a climax. From there, a conclusion is brought to the plot. What's different about the plot in Juno is, while basically a rising action plot, it also derives writing styles of an episodic plot. This is because of the structure of the three acts which are presented as fall, winter, and spring.
The story is written as if each act contains it's own rising action plot within. Fall is a time when things seem to pass before us. It's also when Juno and Bleeker fool around, a climax being her discovering that she's pregnant. Winter is a time of distress and dismay. The climax here is when Juno leaves a note on the doorstep saying, "Vanessa, if you're still in, I'm still in." I also view this as the climax of the overall plot line. Spring is a time of growth and rebirth. In this act, Juno has the baby and her and Bleeker rediscover their love for one another.
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| Juno's note to Vanessa |
Other remarkable elements of the film are the set and color pallet designs. These elements are displayed in a manner that would not initially be perceived as professional film quality. While the dingy furniture quality in Juno's house does play a role in her family's appearance, it also attributes to the image of indie films. Everything looks as though it was purchased secondhand.
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| Juno with the family's living room set |
Lastly, the soundtrack is an element that adds to the freshness of this production. The songs used in this film are all recorded by Ellen Page and Michael Cera, serenading one another with simple, yet endearing metaphors that would probably be inside jokes between their characters.
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"You are always trying to keep it real.
I'm in love with how you feel.
I don't see what anyone could see
In anyone else
But you."
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The structure of the story line is interesting, something different from most rising action plots. With quirky humor, earthy color pallets, an appearance of low budget set design, and “unique" recording techniques used on the simple soundtrack recorded by some of the stars themselves, this movie was a monumental marking of the indie film genre. Putting these in perspective of longevity, I would not expect the movie to age well.
Works Cited
Barsam, Richard Meran., and Dave Monahan. Looking at Movies: An Introduction to Film. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2010. Print.
Juno. Dir. Jason Reitman. Prod. Lianne Halfon, John Malkovich, Russell Smith, and Mason Novick. By Diablo Cody. Perf. Ellen Page and Michael Cera. Fox Searchlight Pictures, 2007.
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