Juno parents guide

Juno Parent Guide

Overall C+

When sixteen-year-old Juno (Ellen Page) discovers she is pregnant, she handles the delicate situation with youthful tactlessness and her own brand of humor. The unborn baby's father (Michael Cera), and her parents (J.K. Simmons and Allison Janney), lend various amounts of support as the unwed teen looks for a couple to adopt her child.

Release date December 13, 2007

Violence C+
Sexual Content D+
Profanity D+
Substance Use B

Why is Juno rated PG-13? The MPAA rated Juno PG-13 for mature thematic material, sexual content and language.

Run Time: 96 minutes

Parent Movie Review

Juno is fresh and quirky in much the same way as Napoleon Dynamite, another independent film from 2004. It too is about the bumps and pitfalls of adolescent life. But in this case it happens to be a pregnancy bump.

Whether out of boredom or sheer experimentation, long time friends Juno MacDuff (Ellen Page) and Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera) decide to do it one night. (We see the event in repeated flashbacks that include near nudity.) The reason for this change in their platonic relationship is unclear but the positive reading on each of the three pregnancy tests Juno takes at the local drugstore is certain. Realizing she can no longer deny the facts, the expectant teen, with support from her girlfriend Leah (Olivia Thirlby), finally confesses her condition to her dad (J.K. Simmons) and step mom (Allison Janney).

Although disappointed, they prove to be amazingly supportive of Juno, who has already decided to pass on an abortion and place her baby with a couple she found in the local ad rag. With her dad by her side, Juno makes the hour-long drive to the upscale suburban home where she meets Mark (Jason Bateman) and Vanessa (Jennifer Garner) Loring, a young husband and wife desperately hoping to adopt. With no more than a brief introduction and the discovery that Mark loves music, Juno is willing to sign whatever papers it takes to hand over her little problem. But even for a teen as slapdash as Juno, the decision isn’t without emotional complications.

Spouting off-the-cuff remarks, Juno’s character may be entertaining but is equally disconcerting considering the implications of her situation. Paulie, in his short shorts and sports headband, is a marginal doofus yet has enough goodness to make him likeable, even if he is largely indifferent about his role in conception. They, along with many of the film’s other actors, bring an engaging presence to the screen, which is likely fueling the film’s critical acclaim.

However, for family viewing, the movie has a darker side. Juno’s attitude about sex, pregnancy and the future of her child are unnervingly casual at times. The script implies that most, if not all, teens are sexually active and that the drawbacks are few as long as one avoids the inconvenience of an unwanted baby. Male anatomy and the sexual act are also discussed frequently, frankly and with plenty of crude dialogue. As well, the film hints at an unhealthy attraction between Mark and Juno.

Even with abundant family support, Juno, at 16, is mature enough to realize she’s in no position to raise a baby. Yet immaturity still plays a role in the actions of many involved in this high school drama. While Napoleon Dynamite creators took a humorous although plausible look at the juvenile actions of adolescence and gave audiences plenty to laugh about, this same offbeat approach to the emotional issues of sexual activity, teen pregnancy, abortion and adoption may give audiences more than they are expecting.

Starring Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman.. Running time: 96 minutes. Theatrical release December 13, 2007. Updated

Juno
Rating & Content Info

Why is Juno rated PG-13? Juno is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for mature thematic material, sexual content and language.

A teen pregnancy results from a one-night stand (depicted with near nudity) between Juno and Paulie. The ongoing crass and casual discussion of male body parts and sexual activity are included along with repeated profanities and strong sexual expletives. A brief comment on the abuse of prescription drugs and a bloody impaling scene from a horror movie are also contained in the film.

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Juno Parents' Guide

How does Juno’s pregnancy affect her in comparison to the effects felt by Paulie? Does he suffer any consequences for his involvement? What are the repercussions for Juno? What is the film’s overall attitude toward sexual activity among teens?

What difficult decisions does Juno have to face once she discovers she is pregnant? Are those choices realistically depicted? What other issues might arise for teens in this situation?

How does Juno’s family support her? How do you feel about their reaction? What kinds of agencies are designed to help in these circumstances?

Home Video

The most recent home video release of Juno movie is April 15, 2008. Here are some details…

Juno is delivered to the home entertainment market in three different packages.

The single disc DVD offers the movie in widescreen format (1.85:1 aspect ratio), along with commentary by director Jason Reitman and writer Diablo Cody, a cast and crew jam, deleted scenes, a gag reel, a gag take, and screen tests.

The two-disc DVD version of Juno bundles all the aforementioned bonus materials with these additional featurettes: Way Beyond “Our” Maturity Level, Diablo Cody Is Totally Boss, Jason Reitman For Shizz and Honest To Blog! Creating Juno.

The third choice is the Blu-Ray Disc—authored in BD-Java with AVC (MPEG 4 compression) on a dual-layer 50 GB disc with English 5.1 DTS HD Lossless Master Audio plus English, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital sound. This edition includes all of the above listed extras as well as two Fox Movie Channel Presents (World Premiere of Juno and Casting Session for Juno).

Related home video titles:

While films often portray teen sex without any consequences, the realities of pregnancy are brutally portrayed in Riding In Cars with Boys where an unplanned baby changes a girl’s dreams for the future. Jennifer Garner plays a more humorous role as a teen who wants to grow up fast in 13 Going On 30.