Adoptive Dad in Juno

We are first introduced to Mark and Vanessa Loring, played by Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner, when Juno, played by Ellen Page, answers their ad.

The Loring's want to adopt a baby. They have placed an ad in the weekly flyer.

As I watched the first shot of Vanessa as she puts cuff links in her shirt. The camera pans and we see an immaculate house. My first thought was oh, no, poor baby. Babies are messy. Children are even more so.

Then we watch as Vanessa emasculates her husband. He has a dream of playing rock on stage. He compromises and writes commercials. He has made a very good living at it. He is not happy. His wife relegates the things he cares most about in a small room in the house. She does not appreciate this part of who he is.

She discounts his dream. She tells him to grow up.

However, her dream is to have a baby. Her dream is not discounted. She will do anything to have a baby in her life.

Their relationship deteriorates to the point of separation and divorce.

At the end of the movie, we see how Juno and her boyfriend are doing. We see Vanessa happily embracing her baby. Will she emasculate her son as effectively as she did her husband?
However, Mark is not even mentioned. Did he try to reach his dream? We will never know. It feels to me that the writer’s also discounted him as much as his wife did.

What message are we telling men? That they serve only the purpose of providing and if they have their own dreams, they are selfish? Why were the choices of everyone else ok?
We are first introduced to Mark and Vanessa Loring, played by Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner, when Juno, played by Ellen Page, answers their ad.

The Loring's want to adopt a baby. They have placed an ad in the weekly flyer.

As I watched the first shot of Vanessa as she puts cuff links in her shirt. The camera pans and we see an immaculate house. My first thought was oh, no, poor baby. Babies are messy. Children are even more so.

Then we watch as Vanessa emasculates her husband. He has a dream of playing rock on stage. He compromises and writes commercials. He has made a very good living at it. He is not happy. His wife relegates the things he cares most about in a small room in the house. She does not appreciate this part of who he is.

She discounts his dream. She tells him to grow up.

However, her dream is to have a baby. Her dream is not discounted. She will do anything to have a baby in her life.

Their relationship deteriorates to the point of separation and divorce.

At the end of the movie, we see how Juno and her boyfriend are doing. We see Vanessa happily embracing her baby. Will she emasculate her son as effectively as she did her husband?
However, Mark is not even mentioned. Did he try to reach his dream? We will never know. It feels to me that the writer’s also discounted him as much as his wife did.

What message are we telling men? That they serve only the purpose of providing and if they have their own dreams, they are selfish? Why were the choices of everyone else ok?

Something to think about...

Love,
Laura
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