Perhaps I have a wacky sense of humor or I look too deeply into things. Either way, I found the recent award-nominated movie, Juno, disconcerting. While I didn’t even chuckle, I noticed others in the theater laughing. My fear, and the purpose of this response to Alex Bethke’s sprinkled synopsis of the movie published in the Jan. 23 edition of The Collegian, is that the vast majority of the public will see Juno as nothing more than a comedy.

Bethke presents the reader with a clear idea of the not-so-detailed plot, but also leaves the audience expecting a “delightfully light-hearted comedy.” Because I am unfortunately (or fortunately) not a mind reader, I cannot say if Diablo Cody, the play writer, created this movie simply for the humor or for the serious issue that is the story line. But I would like to believe she used the comedy as an avenue for conversation to begin about the situation and decisions of Ellen Page’s character, and 21st century American teenagers.

This is a great film: great casting, great acting, great topic, and I believe people should see this movie. But it is not a movie a group of friends should go see on a Friday night before going out on the town. I believe, and I hope others agree, it is a movie a group of friends should see, even laugh along with, and then seriously consider the topic at hand and the state of today’s American high school students.

Emily NoemSDSU Graduate Student