How far do the American films you have studied for this topic express similar messages and values to one another?


Juno, one of the American films we have studied for this topic, depicts a girl’s life from the moment of conception and follows her through the journey she undergoes until soon after the moment of birth whilst displaying a number of messages and values along the way.

Primarily, the audience are presented with the issue of teenage sex, which leads to underage pregnancy and abortion in America. The film exhibits two teenagers with very parent dominated lives and from the opening scene the audience sees that Juno drinks a large bottle of Sunny Delight to be able to use the pregnancy test showing a large amount of irony at the how childlike she is whilst being close to becoming a mother.

This can be related to the idea of the “American Dream”, however it is warped by the example of Vanessa and Mark, whilst having a perfect house in the suburbs, two cars and a seemingly happy marriage. However, they lack the child to complete a nuclear family, although, Juno has the ability to create that dream occur. This can be related the family seen in Rebel Without A Cause, the other film studied for this topic in which the audience is presented with a several children’s desperation for a real family as opposed to adults craving children to achieve the family they desire.

Jim Stark manifests his frustration at the beginning through alcohol and absolves himself to the policeman so that the audience recognises the issues he faces. In comparison with Juno, the father figure in Rebel Without A Cause is weak willed and lets his son and wife walk over him whereas Juno’s father takes control of her pregnancy and provides support along the way. Both fathers also show change in the film as they grow to help their children as in RWAC Jim’s father becomes the