Last week, we
looked into the elements necessary to form “girl power,” determining in class
that the characteristic is created in a leading lady through five main
characteristics: she rejects boys, is social, is the lead, is complicated, and
is “real.” Dow’s article examined
several younger heroines on the Nickelodeon stage, but what about the older
girls? No doubt, high school is
tough. Everyone is dealing with their
own personal coming of age. The
transition from pre-teen to teen results in many striving to find their own
path and finding a role model to appeal to that mass of individuals can be
challenging. Who are these high school
girls looking at for role models? What
characteristics are the teenagers of the 2000s striving for?
In 2007, 20th
Century Fox released the movie Juno,
who’s poster starred a very young, pregnant girl. There is certainly controversy surrounding
the film, with the increase in the media’s attention to teen pregnancy spiking
afterwards (According to IMDB, MTV’s16
and Pregnant premiered in 2009). Criticis
point fingers at stories like Juno, saying
they sensationalize the struggles these girls go through when they become
pregnant so young. Surprisingly, the
Center of Disease Control reported that teen pregnancy rates actually dropped
following the release of the movie (Benfer, in the link below).
I am not making
claims about what the movie says or does not say about teen pregnancy, but I do
find it interesting that this unusual protagonist achieved such success. According to IMDB, Juno grossed $143,492,840 and is the 275th
highest earning film in US box office history.
For
this analysis, I’m using the version of the script found at this site:
I
really enjoy this movie. Maybe I just
fell trap to their off-beat lingo and catchy tunes, but (being, I believe a
freshman in high school at the time) I was a willing target audience
member. So, does the spunky protagonist
of this film, Juno MacGuff, qualify as an empowered “girl power” warrior? So let’s warm up with the trailer…
(Admittedly,
the stylized dialogue is a bit tired, but that’s probably largely in part to
the rate at which we’ve been quoting it in the past six years. Right, homeskillet?)
Rejects boys
(to a degree)
At school, Juno
is bothered by an obnoxious classmate, about whom she has to say (12):
Juno rejects
Steve, a potential suitor who sits higher than her on the popularity food
chain. She gives no spunky comeback to
his dipping-girls’-hair-in-the-inkwell style of flirting and although her above
voiceover could be an excuse to save face, the script confirms Juno is right by
having Steve look back for “a brief second with mixed feelings” (12).
Looking at the
rest of Juno’s peers, it’s no wonder she avoids a typical high school relationship. Pages 14-15 chronicle a dramatic fight
between Boy Lab Partner and Girl Lab Partner that plays out in front of Juno
and her main man, Bleeker. As the fight
plays out, the script notes, “Juno and Bleeker observe the argument like tennis
spectators, fascinated by the dynamics of a real couple” (15).
As far as model
relationships go: Juno is initially intrigued by the dynamic of the seemingly
happy Mark and Vanessa. Where her
intentions rest with Mark are a little shady and would involve a deeper
look. However, when this man—who makes
her laugh and shares many interests with her—makes a move on her, she draws
away. She says, “I wanted everything to
be perfect. Not shitty and broken like everyone else’s family. Listen, once I
have the baby, Vanessa is going to finally be happy, and everything will be all
right. Believe me on this one” (82). His
appeal, it seems, comes from the fact that Mark is part of the idyllic
un-broken home couple. In a later
conversation with her father, she says that she is looking for confirmation
that “it’s possible for two people to stay happy together forever. Or at least for a few years” (90). The couple who “had it all together” didn’t
last, so who could?
Juno’s
biological mother is long-gone with a new family including children who Juno
refers to as “replacement kids” (17).
But at home, Juno lives with her father and stepmom, who are in a long-term,
happy relationship (91). She is close to
her father, as seen in their witty banter as well as in their heart-to-heart
towards the end of the film. He provides
her with romantic advice, saying, “…the best thing you can do is to find a
person who loves you for exactly what you are. Good mood, bad mood, ugly, pretty, handsome,
what have you, the right person will still think that the sun shines out you’re
a**” (91).
The relationship between Juno and Bleeker is complicated. Just before she tells him about the
pregnancy, she has this conversation with Leah (8):
Juno avoids discussing her feelings for Bleeker, but is willing to
discuss or joke about their sexual relationship. Her conversations with Bleeker are extremely
nonchalant, including the announcement of the pregnancy. Then, we are allowed to know Juno really
feels with flashback memories of flirting in Spanish class and glimpses of the
important night in Bleeker’s basement.
We also know that Bleeker is holding onto feelings too by page 26, when
he’s seen staring longingly at her yearbook photo.
Competing for most casual non-couple of the year, the two get into
a fight over prom (oh man, high school) and who Bleeker should take (75). Neither of them want to be the first to admit
they want to be together. Bleeker, a
character who portrays very few “manly man” qualities, follows Juno’s every
wild whim like a puppy. Juno is too
proud of her independence and afraid of winding up hurt like everyone
else. It’s not until after Juno’s dad
clarifies what to look for that she’s willing to put it all on the line with
Bleeker. After apologizing to him for
the arguing, she tosses in the chance, “also, I think I’m in love with you”
(93). He responds positively and
finally, they talk about their feelings and we end with the classic making out
while flipping off the camera shot.
She’s social
Juno is a social
character, even though her intimate friends are few. There is the fun and ditzy Leah and Michael
Cera’s Paulie Bleeker. One of the most
telling indicators of Juno’s comfort level with a person is their
dialogue. She has a quick back and forth
with both characters, unlike the one-sided attempts from the sassy convenience
store clerk or that punk, Steve Rendazo.
The relationships
that Juno has in the script are healthy.
We start following Juno’s story just as she is finding out she is
pregnant for herself. She immediately
tells Leah and then Bleeker. Once she
knows that she plans on carrying out the pregnancy, she sits her father and
stepmother down to share. There is no
attempt to hide the pregnancy from those she cares about, knowing that they
will accept her.
Juno’s
interactions with her acquaintances are some of her best moments. Without a wingman to counter her sassy
dialogue, she leaves the people she runs into a little dazed. Juno is not cold to those she is not close
with—unless they deserve it, like the rude Steve. In fact, she is charismatic. For example, the classmate she runs into who
is protesting the abortion clinic she is about to enter. The situation is uncomfortable, as Su-Chin
obviously opposes what Juno is about to do.
Juno handles the encounter with a lot of charm (there are other words to
describe it, too) and leaves Su-Chin unable to confront her about the
topic. Here we see her smooth exit (19):
The word "boyfriend" is said in the script three times. The word "friend" is stated in the script twelve times, and said out loud nine times. Most of these "friends" occur in Juno and Bleeker’ confession of love in the last pages. The two are best friends first, lovers second.
The word "boyfriend" is said in the script three times. The word "friend" is stated in the script twelve times, and said out loud nine times. Most of these "friends" occur in Juno and Bleeker’ confession of love in the last pages. The two are best friends first, lovers second.
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