Personal Response
This movie almost made me cry. Juno had to watch her baby’s future family fall apart before the baby was even born. It was inspiring to see that she didn’t go out searching for a new family. Somehow she knew that Vanessa was the mother, and she chose to stick with her. She understood that no family is perfect, but she also recognized that Vanessa was ready to be a mom, and she didn’t take that away from her. That was incredibly moving.
Also, what is wrong with Mark? We can clearly see that Juno’s own family situation is bad, divorced parents, a messy emotional environment, and she was hoping her baby could have a functional family, something she never had. And it’s heartbreaking to realize that she chose her baby’s destiny before he was even born. He was never going to have a traditional, functional two-parent household. From birth, he would be an adopted child raised by a single mother. But still, she had to trust her intuition. Even without a strong connection with Vanessa, something inside her just knew.
The screenwriting is nothing but creative and clever. I especially loved the misunderstandings and double-meaning lines. For example, when Mac asks Juno, “Who’s the kid?” obviously referring to the guy who got her pregnant, and she replies, “I don’t know much about him. He has fingernails,” meaning the baby. It killed me. The way she talks about the baby like he’s already a full person just lying in there is so clever and hilarious.
Then there’s the subtle tension between Juno and Mark, almost like an attraction, very light but definitely present. They’re dancing, and Mark asks, “Does it feel like there’s something between us?” And the truth is yes, they both feel something, but unfortunately he’s referring to her baby bump. That moment was so awkward to me. I almost wanted to scream to the tv.
Overall, I love Juno’s behavior. In some ways she’s incredibly mature for her age, making the decision to give her baby up for adoption is huge. But at the same time, she still talks and acts like a 16-year-old who curses, is disrespectful with adults, and can be careless. I love the contrast between her maturity and her teenage behavior. It makes her feel real, layered, and human.