The Underlying Irony in Juno
In his 2007 film Juno, director Jason Reitman creates the world of Juno MacGuff, just another ordinary sixteen-year-old girl. That is, until she discovers that she is pregnant and her best friend Paulie Bleeker is the father. After brief contemplation, Juno decides to keep the pregnancy and finds a couple to have a closed adoption with. Juno is known for winning the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and for its highly acclaimed soundtrack. The soundtrack reached Billboard Number One in late January after the film was released in September, and it was the first Fox film to reach Billboard Number One since Titanic did in 1997 (Scaggs 16). Through the use of a carefully selected soundtrack specifically with
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For example, “Tire Swing” plays as Juno learns about her pregnancy and walks home, shocked and upset about the news, and pretends to tie a noose out of her candy rope. “My Rollercoaster” begins as soon as Juno tells Bleeker that she is pregnant and as she rides away on her bike. “Tree Hugger” plays in a different, more positive kind of pivotal way: the song begins when Bleeker discovers an inordinate amount of orange tic-tacks in his mailbox from Juno, finally allowing Bleeker and the audience to know of Juno’s love for him. “So Nice So Smart” begins as Juno’s water breaks and she rushes to the hospital, and “Anyone Else But You” plays as Juno sees her baby for the first time while giving birth. Every song of Kimya Dawson’s on the soundtrack plays during the important parts of Juno. Her lighthearted sound contrasts with each moment it plays during; when Juno experiences life changing events, the casual, happy-go-lucky music blares in the background. This creates irony that may make the audience ask: Why am I watching life-changing news, but listening to cheery music? The contrast between the events of the film and the music that plays lightens the mood of the reality that is happening, whether it be a good reality or a bad