A Little Bit Critic
To be furniture in Jason Bateman's Life
Editor’s Note
I have had too many conversations this past month and will no longer take part in them for at least one month. I will try not to take part in them. Bombay will make that easy.
Life has no right to be so chaotic. It has no right to repeat history but here I am, back in the position I was in June 2022. At the end of a great professional project and wondering if I need to jump into the next one right away. One of the many conversations I had here was about how professional validation is a reason for the rise of hustle culture. Money is no more for survival but to feed our social status. While I was a loud voice in this conversation, I was the only one who is still in the rat race. The only one in the room who is not employed and in the prime of her chase.
It is so scary to return. I do have 2 weeks of rest in the nest but Kolkata can only delay the inevitable for some time. Then I am back to commuting from one office to another and one scary thought to one disappointing action. Fun.
Tirthan was such an invigorating experience. My mind is back alive. It was also an aesthetic movie theatre. Actually fun.
Movie Review
Juno (2007)
Coming of age, what an interesting genre of movie. Such a simple and universally relatble genre. One that plays to the nostalgia and emotions of the viewers. Whether it is the older audience who nod approvingly to the scenes as they have lived it or to the kids who will soon be in such a position. Such films hold the responsibility of being honest and vulnerable. To not make life too unrealistic.
Juno is somewhere in between. It isn’t a coming of age as we know it. Named after the titular character, the movie is about a 16 year old girl who is pregnant. Her pregnancy doesn’t mean she needs to grow up too early, it does mean that she will interact with more adults now. Her parents who took the news pretty well, her baby’s adoptive parents and her baby-daddy’s mother (who doesn’t know she is baby’s grandmommy).
Elliot Page made quirky and way-too-cool-for-school Juno so authentic. He did not overplay the quirks and let the rough edges be something that even the audience is discovering through the movie. Much like Juno, we are not sure of much apart from giving the child up for adoption.
The reason why I won’t box it in coming of age is, because Juno has not come into the world of adulthood at all. The pregnancy did not lead to any drastic life changes. She did not have an ground shattering realisation and she did not have a personality upheaval. Even at the end of the movie, she is singing a song that is both really sweet and something only a teen like her could write.
Micheal Cera has a magic to him that straight boys need to study. Before Pete Davidson, during Pete Davidson and even after him, only Micheal Cera has a hold on women that no one can understand. He and his character, Bleeker are an absolute sweetheart that I would totally be head over heels for if they went to my school. He is a runner, musician and does homework that you can copy from. Elliot and Micheal’s doe eyed looks to each other in the movie was so cute.
Coming to the adults. None were black and white. You couldn’t point at the any of them and be like yes, they are the ones who mess her up. none were shining beacons of moral light and they didn’t strive to be so. Jason Bateman’s Mark was probably the one furthest away from good but even he was decent. Jennifer Garner felt stiff but she is barely given screen time.
my favourite was J.K. Simmons. The absolute adorable father. He nailed the concerned and cut-off balance for Mac and there were many moments where he made you aww (pity and cute).
It does one have concerning “gay” joke but the fact that Elliot Page’s Juno makes that should end up appeasing the woke people.
I loved the movie to its bits. The soundscore was mellow and at the same time mirrored Juno’s love for rock. It is a simple story of a young girl who just wants to pretend smoke her pipe and play music. Her pregnancy is unexpected but it isn’t a full stop. It deserved the Best Original Screenplay Award.