Juno

Husband and I used to go to a movie almost every single weekend. Then we got Netflix, and a puppy, and we don't go out to see as many movies at the theater. We happened to have free passes to a local theater and Husband really wanted to see Jumper.

I tried my best to convince him to see Juno with me instead. I helpfully pulled up reviews of both movies to show him that Juno had much better ratings than Jumper. He read the reviews of Juno quietly then commented: "That sounds like about the most boring movie ever."

I won though, not on my logic, but based on the fact that Jumper wasn't showing at this particular theater anymore. (This backstory is relevant, I promise).

Anyhow, Juno is of course that one indie movie of the year that makes it big (Other examples of past such movies include Little Miss Sunshine and My Big Fat Greek Wedding). Juno MacGuff is bored one summer day and decides to enlist her best friend Paulie in an experiment: sex. At the beginning of the movie we watch her downing a huge carton of Sunny D as she works on her third pregnancy test of the day. "That ain't no etch-a-sketch. This is one doodle that can't be undid, homeskillet." sneers the clerk (played by Rainn Wilson of The Office). They exchange a bit of dialog so clever and snappy I was a beat behind trying to figure out what they meant. Thankfully, people talked more normally from then on. Kind of. Juno has got a smart mouth that doesn't quit, and though the supporting cast is great, she carries many of the scenes with her snappy comebacks.

After accepting the fact that she is instead pregnant, Juno decides to go to the local abortion clinic to handle her problem, but finds she can't go through with it. On to plan B. Along with her best friend, she searches the local Penny Saver for parents "desperately seeking spawn". She finds a family, Vanessa and Mark Loring, and everything is settled (or so it seems).

The desperate-to-be-a-mother is played by Jennifer Garner, and her husband (practically a child himself) by Jason Bateman. At first blush, their polished, expensive suburban life seems as different from Juno's as could be imagined, but Juno strikes up a friendship with them, especially Mark. I have to stop there because if I go any further I'd give away the entire ending. Let's just say that the movie doesn't let you down.

Diablo Cody is from my great state of Minnesota, and I enjoyed the references throughout the movie to different Minnesota locations. She wrote a funny, moving script. However, the real hero of this movie is the casting director. There was not a bad actor in the bunch. Ellen Page, who played Juno, managed to carry off lines that would sound ridiculous spoken by anyone else. I believed in her character completely. Her parents were not only supportive, but hysterically funny. Juno's sex buddy was played by Michael Cera, who has mastered the art of awkwardness. The movie could have easily cast an actor who is smooth, polished and muscular, but the tall, skinny Cera fit the role perfectly.

If you need further endorsement, let me add that my husband laughed hysterically during the movie and walked out quoting his favorite lines. When we got home, he googled "Juno quotes" to remember the best ones. Here. Check them out. They are pretty darn funny.