25 reasons why we still love Beetlejuice

Screenshot of official Beetlejuice trailer on warnerbros.com.

13. Juno, Their Case Worker

After the woman at the afterlife information desk, the Maitlands are introduced to their case worker, Juno, an older lady wearing a smart pantsuit and pearls. Like the receptionist, there are indications she got this gig due to committing suicide. Her neck is slit, and since she’s always got a cigarette dangling from her lips or fingers, smoke is spilling out of the wound. Also like the receptionist, she’s impatient and jaded, weary from dealing with newbie ghosts.

“I’d almost given up on you. I was about to leave. I do have other clients,” Juno says upon receiving them.

Confused as ever about how to deal with their death and especially the intruders in their home, Barbara and Adam ask Juno how she can help.

“I evaluate individual cases and determine is help is needed, deserved, and available,” she explains.

“Are you available?” Adams asks.

“No,” she replies tartly. Then, when the Maitlands say they’re unhappy, she drily responds, “What did you expect, you’re dead!”

Juno is blunt and sarcastic, the kind of person who could verbally eviscerate your enemies, but is not very helpful to lost souls. Though unlike the jaded receptionist, she throws them a quick haunting tip at the end of their brief meeting: “Start simply. Do what you know. Use your talents. Practice.”

Then, like many a bureaucrat, in response to asking how they can reach her if they need her, she simply disappears into a puff of smoke.