10 OKAY Movies Elevated By ONE Phenomenal Performance
4. Juno - Ellen Page
When Juno first came out in 2007, it seemed like a revelation. Teenage pregnancy was a hot button issue, it struck the right chord with the era’s jaded mentality and debut screenwriter Diablo Coady knocked the script into the stratosphere.
Without a doubt though, the star of the show was Ellen Page in her breakout role as the titular Juno. A young Page scored an Oscar nomination for her role, filling up Coady’s script with an eccentric, off kilter attitude that landed perfectly with every line. No other actress has been able to do the same since.
Juno is a spiky character who uses her natural humour to cover up her vulnerabilities; it requires subtlety too, and Page definitely delivers.
There is an excellent cast here too, but the other stars simply bounce off Page. Jason Bateman, JK Simmons, Michael Cera and Allison Janey have all done better elsewhere; Page was running the show here.
As the star of a dialogue heavy, very witty movie, the success of the whole thing lived or died on Ellen Page’s back. Coady’s followup, Jennifer’s Body, suffered from Amanda Seyfried and Megan Fox not really getting to grips with the attitude required.