What the Manolo Is…
Manolo says, it is Tuesday, time to see what the Manolo is…
The Manolo found this Juno movie to be exceptionally annoying, more than the little manipulative, and yet also somewhat moving.
The worst and falsest part of this movie was the first ten minutes, in which the Office man pretended to be the sharp-tongued pharmacist who engaged in the witty banter about pregnancy tests with the precociously annoying Juno.
Note to the budding screenwriters: please, keep this sort of thing to yourself. The Manolo does not require more ironically ironic irony to be piled onto the heaping helping that various “hip” artists have attempted to serve him over the past decade.
Go away and come back with something authentic, something that fully takes advantage of the remarkable talents of the magnificent Jennifer Garner.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:55 am
We actually just saw Juno last night, and I agree about the first 10 minutes. I ended up really liking the movie, but that first 10 minutes was a little rough. There were parts thoroughout the film that I found obnoxious as well, but all in all a great film.
February 19th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
I loved Juno, saw it Valentines Day. I think the writing was fresh and funny and yes, probably it was trying too hard, but it was so different than anything out there recently so I gave it big kudos. It was heart-warming.
February 19th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
Everyone seems to think that the style choices in Juno (clothes, dialog) were a misstep. I see them as hyperbole- an amped version of teen culture, not tied to any time or place. No street thugs in Britain talk or dress like the droogs and ptitsas in A Clockwork Orange, no teens or store clerks talk like the folks in Juno. The technique worked for me. Slight removal from reality can heighten emotional content.
February 19th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
Actually I know teens who talk like the teens in Juno. Right here in Minnesota. Which is where the film’s writer was living when she wrote it. So…I dunno, it didn’t bother me, at least not any more than the actual teens who talk that way bother me.
February 19th, 2008 at 7:48 pm
I love you the Manolo! I went to see Juno expecting great things but was also annoyed by the aggressively quirky dialogue. Everyone, including the Oscar people, seems to love it. What is up with that?!?
February 19th, 2008 at 7:55 pm
Manolo! I knew you had superb taste, but that you share my love of the magnificant Jennifer Garner takes my admiration of you to even more exalted levels!
February 19th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
That’s funny because I thought Jennifer Garner was the weakest part of the movie. I think I was distracted by how much I hated her character! I couldn’t tell whether the movie was underusing her or whether she was underusing her screen time.
February 19th, 2008 at 11:51 pm
My feelings exactly! I was so uncomfortable and squirmy in the beginning, and then it somehow won me over. Agreed that Jennifer Garner was probably the best part of the movie. She made me cry. I also thought that Michael Cera was underused. That line about him trying to be cool was unexpected and wonderful.
February 20th, 2008 at 7:44 pm
God, I love countertenors.
February 20th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
“Exceptionally annoying, more than a little manipulative, and yet also somehow moving.” Yes, yes, YES exactly. My annoyance and pain have been given voice and now I can let the stupid movie go. Thank you for helping me heal.