Juno was cute, funny, and quirky. Now, in 2014, it is still all of those things, but more others.
As an adult, you realize that Juno is the perfect scripted teenager. She is idealistic, generally happy, confident, funny, individual and independent, and self aware. She is the coolest teen to adults, and quotable and likable still to the youth.
Juno asks questions which seem funny at first, but are more honest than anything.
Her relationship with Brenda is civil, open, and respectful. Juno's fight with bleaker was as big a deal as it is for teenagers, but is handled with grace and honesty. She experiments with liquor and sex, and her relationship with her father keeps it responsible and safe. We all respect Juno.
And we identify with her, still, 8 years later. But what changes is that Jason Bateman isn't the bad guy, Melissa is more sympathetic than you could have imagined, Brenda and her dad remarkable and yet not remarkable at the same time. What changes is that when Juno, distraught, cannot understand how people fall out of love, you only shake your head sadly.
You realize that Jason was roped in, but at the same time it is not that simple, not that forgivable to leave an expectant mother. But it is understandable.
Melissa, infertile, feels inadequate and cheated, unnatural for motherhood. It isn't fair for Melissa, but in the end I am moved to tears how birthed or not, she looked no less scared than the pregnant mothers because she is a mother. It is understandable that she worries about cold feet.
The divorce was civil, and we are left with Juno, Bleaker, and love on all fronts. We may never know if the right person will believe the sun shines out your ass, but as an adult it is safe to say this movie is more genuine and layered than it was before.
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