| | JunoI mentioned Ellen Page in a previous post, and mentioned finally seeing her movie, Juno. (Story about a teen who becomes pregnant and looks in the Pensive yds to find an adoptive couple. And finds what seem to be the perfect candidates.) Janitor stopped by and asked what I thought. Her goes:
I thought it was pretty vulgar. There were actually a few slangier descriptions of the body that put me w-a-y off. And I am not easily shaken by that sort of thing, but there came a point that I just wanted plain English. I know, we lower and lower middle class folk are thought to be pretty low brow, nearly dull normal, and we're all supposed to have a sort of freakish cant that we all understand and nod knowingly when we hear. T'aint so. Maybe it's just because I'm sick to death of the term, "funbags." I heard it years ago on British television and didn't like it then.
Before anyone thinks I just don't understand that sort of life, here are my creds: Dad was a truck driver. Mom worked in a plant that molded plastic buttons for calculators. Husband is a mechanic with repetitive motion injuries and grease stained hands. Me, I didn't go to college and I'm a smart-aleck. Does that sound like the makings of a sitcom or what?
Anyway, the character of Juno is 16-years-old, but she has the demeanor of a 20-year-old. And I am so tired of teenagers who have very highly refined tastes in movies. Juno loves spatter films and rattles off the qualities of an obscure director as she banters confidently with a 40-something character. And I know music is the language of adolescence, but she shuns current music fads in favor of music of 1977. I lived through that particular period and know that loving the periods is not refinement but an indication that counseling might be needed. (Of course a lot of it is indie music of the time. Music that no one in 1977 knew existed.)
I know, the quirk factor of regular teens is pretty minimal, but please spare me the wise-beyond-their-years-and-beyond-any-adults-present.
And I know, it's a comedy. Yeah, yeah, I got that.
It was a touching movie. The most honest parts were when the cobbled-together adoption looks like it's going to sink when the adoptive couple face divorce. (Which was a bit cliche as it was the husband who didn't want to grow up. Any man with that many crow's feet who says, "I'm not sure I'm ready to become a father," was giving off signs all along!)
Anyway, I'm glad I saw it, but I won't be buying it. Too much patter, not enough vulnerability. (Yes, she did cry when she gave up the baby. In fact, I liked both the Junos, the movie and the character, much better post partum. too bad it was pretty much over by then.
Take care--Susan Kaye
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