Juno was a groundbreaking film at the time of its release in 2007 for many reasons. Its frank and un-precious depiction of teen pregnancy was witty and crowd-pleasing; the screenplay, by newcomer Diablo Cody was laugh-a-minute while also maintaining a soulful gravity; and the performance of its lead, Ellen Page was acclaimed as honest, authentic, and funny.
Page stars as the eponymous Juno, a precocious teenager who, with the help of her classmate and best friend Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera), gets pregnant. After having last minute doubts about an abortion, Juno decides to carry through with her pregnancy and looks to find a couple willing to adopt her baby. Complications, drama, and hilarity ensue when Juno's pregnancy and the adoption go through quite a few trials and tribulations.
Upon release, the film was met with widespread critical acclaim. Roger Ebert wrote of the film, "[Juno] is just about the best movie of the year. [...] Has there been a better performance this year than Ellen Page's creation of Juno? I don't think so." The film garnered four Academy Award nominations and grossed over $230 million on a $7.5 million budget, cementing its legacy as one of the most financially successful independent films of all time.
