Movies: Juno

Juno McGuff is a smart, off-beat 16 year old girl, who after a night of curiosity with her smitten best friend, discovers she is pregnant. Now there is nothing funny about teen pregnancy, but this movie is so refreshing and charming, you can't help but enjoy her journey through the trimesters.

Rarely has a movie been so perfectly cast, and it is a testament to Ellen Page that the lippy and quirky Juno is so endearing when she could easily be smart-arsed and annoying. She deserves an Oscar nod at the very least. She is nothing short of outstanding. Fans of recent US comedy, (the good stuff) can indulge in the performance of two Arrested Development alumni and even Dwight from The Office appears, albeit briefly. Allison Janney, my favourite West Wing actor, turns up as Juno's not-wicked-at-all stepmother, and Jennifer Garner doesn't suck in her best role since Alias, but that's not saying much.

Viewers may be put off initially by the quirky language of the script (foschizz). It's like Buffy -speak times Veronica Mars. But it falls quickly into place and it is vital to the charm of the movie. It's not cry-with-laughter hilarious like that other indie hit that it will inevitably be compared to, Little Miss Sunshine, but it is consistently funny and heart-warming. One of the most enjoyable movies I've seen in a while.