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Although critics have raved about Juno, including myself, I have occasionally heard that it made a few people gag, and I've definitely heard mixed responses to the decidedly twee soundtrack. (I love that word. Twee! ...Not related, sorry.) Chicago Sun-Times critic Jim DeRogatis's rant about both the movie and the soundtrack is already making the blog rounds and iliciting quite a few responses.
Working an odd angle for a screenplay written by a tatted-up former stripper, DeRogatis calls the movie pro-life and "anti-rock", apparently just because Juno keeps her child, (hey, being pro-choice doesn't make abortion easy!), insults Sonic Youth and humiliates Jason Bateman's character - a 30-something quietly having a mid-life crisis and planning to abandon his wife and future child. The use of the word actually in the sentence "Juno actually mocks the would-be adoptive father, Mark Loring (Jason Bateman), for championing the Melvins and Sonic Youth", speaks volumes about DeRogatis's own musical tastes, which really shouldn't have anything to do with a movie review. Pointing out the lack of respect for these bands is pretty ironic as well, considering he calls the tone of the movie, disparagingly, "sarcastic-hipster". Hmm. We can debate about the word hipster till kingdom come, but I think most of us would agree, they like Sonic Youth.
It's odd how personally offended the critic seems by Bateman's character, in fact. This part is spectacularly bitter:
"His stunted growth is illustrated by the fact that he’s nostalgic for that passe and played-out alternative rock, and he regrets quitting his touring underground band to write commercial jingles. Silly old Gen X’er; doesn’t he know Generation Y has rejected the very notion of “selling out” in the mad rush to buy iPhones, Uggs and Wii consoles?"
DeRogatis's suggestion that Loring makes a better rebellious character than Juno is absurd, since a) Rebellion isn't exactly a major theme in the movie, and b) Why should we root for a 30-something who is more rebellious and less responsible than a 16-year-old? Isn't that kinda, you know, sad? And regardless, the treatment of Loring is actually a bit more delicate than DeRogatis makes out - you don't hate the guy in the end, especially since his own needs really have become second to his wife's desire for a child. He certainly doesn't get punished for his actions either.
I will agree with DeRogatis however, that it's hard to imagine how a character as quick-witted and intelligent as Juno would forget to use a condom, and yes, it's odd that she claims to love The Stooges yet "rocks a Harmony" acoustic and sings folk songs with Michael Cera, but these were my only issues with the movie, and they aren't serious. DeRogatis also claims that Juno's dialogue is unconvincing for a teen, and cites MTV's Daria as a better example, but I call bullsh*t on that one. I was a huge fan of Daria in high school, mostly because she was so much more clever and funny than anyone I knew at that age, just like Juno. Example Daria conversation:
Jane - "Did we just see a U.F.O.?"
Daria - "You're getting paranoid. It's probably just an informal get-together of local stalkers. You know, hang out, swap stories, try out each other's skeleton keys."
Anyway, DeRogatis also rails on the movie's soundtrack, calling it "saccharine" and even "intentionally primitive and infantile". By now most people recognize the name Kimya Dawson, and the name of her former band The Moldy Peaches, from the success of the movie and the cute closing song "Anyone Else But You" (video clip of Cera and Ellen Page singing). Friday, you can see Kimya Dawson perform at Amoeba Music at 7pm, and form your own opinion, or watch the live webcast here.
Image via Amoeba.com
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Same guy apparently likes to say that the doors suck, so between this and that, I think it's safe to say he's a douche.
...and he apparently weighs a metric ton.
Look, pal, don't take out your fatty aggression on Jim Morrison and Jerry Garcia.
De Rogatis is one of my fave reviewers, even tho he's a Jersey boy who works for the vaunted Sun Times. Sure, his Juno-bashing sounds like it comes from the Jay marriotti side of the Sun Times, but personally I was shocked to see this soundtrack climb to #1.
And for all the apparent Sonic Youth-bashing in the flick (I haven't seen it), they do have a cut on the soundtrack.
Go figure.
Wow, That sounds suspiciously like Teg Baehr's Movieguide review of the movie "Pro-life. Questionable morals."
They had no official stance on Sonic Youth.
this movie was so fucking cute, almost too cute. nobody i know would ever admit to that, and i've felt ostracized for even having any sort of opinion other than "it was amazing"
that being said, jim derogatis is an embarrassment to music journalism, he's like lester bangs minus anything remotely edgy or "cool"
I didn't completely dislike it, but in the beginning I was ready to walk out. Fortunately it stopped trying to impress me with its hipster cred.
To refer to the hipster post earlier in the week, this movie--to me--defined what Elise was getting at.
The movie was definitely "cute". (after the annoying first ten minutes) The Moldy Peaches song worked great for the movie, but sounds silly every time I hear it out of that context.
As for Sonic Youth, Jason Bateman's character says that their cover of The Carpenter's Superstar is the best song ever. It's kind of an endorsement, but it's hard to tell whether his character would be able to debate which was a better album - Sister or Goo. (correct answer = Daydream Nation)
The movie has some good musical references, but sometimes they don't ring true. Maybe De Rogatis was reacting to that. Or maybe he saw himself in the Bateman character, and was offended when he turns out to be kind of pathetic.
Realizing rightly that the doors do in fact suck large does not have anything to do with his douchiness.
Also, I haven't read the Teg review in question but despite the fact that I'm a fan of Juno, I am disturbed by the way Abortion is dealt with in the movie. Not nearly as much as I was by Knocked up, however...
HeatherBiter, you nailed it - He was offended that the character he related to the most turned out to be a megadouche. What a baby.
@Neckbiter - I'm with you, I feel like that episode of Seinfeld where everyone goes nuts over "The English Patient". DeRogatis has some good points - mostly that you're watching Diablo Cody's heroically idealized version of a 15 year old.
Personally, I liked Lars And The Real Girl much better.
Haven't seen the film but the Moldy Peaches stuff I've heard is like the Napalm Death of fey, coy, cutesy and twee. Death by a thousand kittens licking the skin off your face.
Extreme Twee.
ExTweeM.
DeRogatis has attacked Sonic Youth with great venom in the past, there's obviously some personal beef going on, maybe that they got famous while his MUCH BETTER band languished.
what's with the "even tho' he's a Jersey boy," Andy? do you put Jersey girls in the same category? and what is that category?
all these years I thought the noble thing was to be from Jersey, then leave, like Patti Smith, Bruce Springsteen (well, he lives there again, but that's for the kids), Jack Nicholson, (and please don't bring up Bruce Willis). that said, how can you hold the state accountable for the quality of the natives? actually I like DeRogatis maybe half the time.
and while I'm ranting, what's with the Lester Bangs-bashing? what is rock and roll without nutso anarchist critics?
RE:
"all these years I thought the noble thing was to be from Jersey, then leave..."
It is.
I liked the movie for the most part, but felt like the soundtrack was totally innappropriate and forced onto the story.
Everytime one of Dawson's songs came on I found myself cringing. It was like a long music video. Poor form, if you ask me.