JOHN ANDERSON - MOVIE REVIEWS: JUNO

Juno, which arrives in theaters in New York and Los Angeles today (Wednesday) following much positive buzz stirred up at film festivals, has charmed critics in those cities. A.O. Scott in the New York Times writes that he "was shocked to find myself tearing up at the end, since I'd spent the first 15 minutes or so gnashing my teeth and checking my watch." The film deals with a 16-year-old girl who discovers that she is pregnant, and Scott says that much of the credit for the film's success belongs to "the poised, frighteningly talented Ellen Page," a 20-year-old Canadian actress "who is able to seem, in the space of a single scene, mature beyond her years and disarmingly childlike." Carina Chocano of the Los Angeles Times reacted to the movie in much the same way as Scott. "Deceptively superficial at the outset, the movie deepens into something poignant and unexpected," she says. Jack Mathews in the New York Daily News calls it "the feel-good movie of the season." He, too, praises Page, who, he says, "takes charge of this movie the moment she appears, and though the supporting cast is near flawless, she never cedes control." John Anderson in Newsday writes that not only is the movie "sweet, romantic and irony-free," but it's also "inspiring." Claudia Puig in USA Today concludes: "With its original performances that can't be reduced to simplistic labels, Juno is charming, honest and terrifically acted." And three sentences into his review, Lou Lumenick in the New York Post advises: "For maximum enjoyment, you should probably stop reading now and get in line at the nearest theater showing Juno."

05/12/2007