"Uhhh, I hate it when adults use the term 'sexually active.' What does it even mean? Am I gonna like deactivate some day or is it a permanent state of being?" - Juno
How could you not love Juno? Call it cheesy, unrealistic, sarcastic. It is still a very real story. A young girl learning to deal with the problems that go along with teenage pregnancy. Not to mention, Micheal Cera in one of his best “awkward teenager” performances. But this film has even more to offer than its story in the form of diegetic elements. Diegesis, as my textbook Looking at Films states, is "the total world of the story—the events, characters, objects, settings, and sounds that form the world in which the story occurs." For instance, the recurring motif of runners. Several times throughout the film, we see a pack of red and yellow joggers running by Juno. We learn early that these runners in their short shorts always forces Juno to imagine them naked. She remarks, “all I see is pork swords.” I'm a huge fan of this motif. Runners show up in the most random spots during the movie and often Juno is walking in the opposite direction of them. Because of Juno's statement earlier in the film, we are also reminded of “pork swords” at these moments. This allows the viewer to be put in the head of the character. The runners become less of a group of people and evolve into a symbol. Juno cannot control her thoughts just as she could not prevent her pregnancy. The motif also is a reminder of Paulie Bleeker who we do not see much of between the beginning and end of the movie. His cross country team is present, showing up when Juno subconsciously realizes her need for Bleeker.
Another diegetic element is the character's choice of shirt. These shirts give us more information about the character which provides a further insight into their motives and interests. For example, Juno is seen wearing a shirt that reads “Slinky, It's fun for a girl and boy.” This shows that Juno is still young and wants to take her pregnancy with a grain of salt. Of course this is difficult to achieve as everyone around her is constantly reminding her of the seriousness of her situation. The tagline “It's fun for a girl and boy” is telling too because “nookie” is also “fun for a girl and boy.” Juno had fun her one night with Bleeker but the resulting months give her a great deal of stress. She wants to go back to her childhood, before she was “sexually active,” when a boy and girl could hang out and slang Slinkie. The greatest thing about these shirts to me is how they could easily go unnoticed. Only once or twice are shirts actually pointed out by characters. Instead shirts are on screen and it is up to the viewers to interpret what they mean.
Another diegetic element is the character's choice of shirt. These shirts give us more information about the character which provides a further insight into their motives and interests. For example, Juno is seen wearing a shirt that reads “Slinky, It's fun for a girl and boy.” This shows that Juno is still young and wants to take her pregnancy with a grain of salt. Of course this is difficult to achieve as everyone around her is constantly reminding her of the seriousness of her situation. The tagline “It's fun for a girl and boy” is telling too because “nookie” is also “fun for a girl and boy.” Juno had fun her one night with Bleeker but the resulting months give her a great deal of stress. She wants to go back to her childhood, before she was “sexually active,” when a boy and girl could hang out and slang Slinkie. The greatest thing about these shirts to me is how they could easily go unnoticed. Only once or twice are shirts actually pointed out by characters. Instead shirts are on screen and it is up to the viewers to interpret what they mean.
While Juno is chalk full of diegesis, the non-diegetic elements serve different purposes to the film. For instance, the classic soundtrack. On a sidenote: I have quite a background with this soundtrack. I have seen Juno probably 3 or 4 times but heard the cd hundreds. My mom has a 5 disc dvd player and I can almost guarantee that if I looked in there now, the Juno soundtrack would be there. So the tracks definitely have non-diegetic meaning for my life. I associate many of these songs with specific times that I heard them. Back to the review: Although characters do not hear this music, each song adds more emotion to each scene. In the opening credits, the song "A Well Respected Man" by the Kinks, shows that Juno is a quirky, young girl that disregards what others think of her. She lives in her own world where respect for herself is all she really needs.
Later, we hear more lovey-dovey songs such as "Anyone Else but You" by the Moldy Peaches. These romantic songs signal that Juno needs someone else and his name is Paulie Bleeker. This eventually becomes the couple's song. In a genius way, the song is converted from non-diegetic to diegetic. In the final scene, Juno and Bleeker recognize the song that only the audience had previously heard and in fact perform it themselves. Now that "Anyone Else but You" is apart of the film's world, the song is an example of diegesis and the audience, including me, shed's a joyful tear.
Later, we hear more lovey-dovey songs such as "Anyone Else but You" by the Moldy Peaches. These romantic songs signal that Juno needs someone else and his name is Paulie Bleeker. This eventually becomes the couple's song. In a genius way, the song is converted from non-diegetic to diegetic. In the final scene, Juno and Bleeker recognize the song that only the audience had previously heard and in fact perform it themselves. Now that "Anyone Else but You" is apart of the film's world, the song is an example of diegesis and the audience, including me, shed's a joyful tear.
Works Cited
Looking at Movies by: Richard Barsam and Dave Monahan; Norton Text, 4th Edition;
Juno. Dir. Jason Reitman. Perf. Ellen Page, Michael Cera. 2007. DVD.
Classroom pic: http://moviefilmreviews.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/juno_500.jpg
Slinky pic: http://www.respect-authority.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/juno.jpg
Bleeker pic: http://www.hotflick.net/flicks/2007_Juno/007JNO_Michael_Cera_002.jpg
Guitar pic: http://fencingwithink.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/juno-5.jpg
Looking at Movies by: Richard Barsam and Dave Monahan; Norton Text, 4th Edition;
Juno. Dir. Jason Reitman. Perf. Ellen Page, Michael Cera. 2007. DVD.
Classroom pic: http://moviefilmreviews.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/juno_500.jpg
Slinky pic: http://www.respect-authority.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/juno.jpg
Bleeker pic: http://www.hotflick.net/flicks/2007_Juno/007JNO_Michael_Cera_002.jpg
Guitar pic: http://fencingwithink.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/juno-5.jpg