DON at Juno

So I went to a screening of Juno last night in connection with the AFI Festival in Hollywood. Director Jason Reitman spoke about making the film, following his successful Thank You for Smoking, and how important it was to him. He began by saying he wanted to write something, but couldn't (due to the writer's strike...har har), but went on to say how thankful he was to make it to the Dome, such an important Hollywood theater.

He brought up some of the films stars, J.K. Simmons, Ellen Page (tiny, uncomfortable little thing...she looked like she wanted to go home so badly), Jason Bateman (really skinny and with a really weird haircut...must be for a role. He was adorably protective of Ellen, holding on to her and walking her around on his arm), and stripper-turned-screenwriter Diablo Cody. Jennifer Garner is busy on Broadway in New York. Not sure where Michael Cera or the equally wonderful Olivia Thirlby were. (Sidenote: Ellen Page and Olivia Thirlby co-star again in their next project, Jack and Diane, about two young lesbians...one of whom is a werewolf?)

The film was great. It's like an indie take on a Lifetime movie, with Ellen Page as a sarcastic, doesn't give an f, sixteen year old. The dialogue is hilarious - at one point she earnestly tells Paulie (Michael Cera) "You're so cool without even trying" and he responds, "Actually I really hard" in a way only he cool pull off. Standing in the lobby afterwards and talking about the film, I realized Jason Bateman was standing right next to me. I didn't want to flip out on him (I love Arrested Development so much) so I just kind of listened to him discuss the film with some suits, marveling at how surreal it is to stand in a theater lobby with somebody who was in the film you just saw. Hollywood...I love it.