Benny and Joon
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Aidan Quinn, Johnny Depp, Julianne Moore, Mary Stuart Masterson, Oliver PlattBrand: TCFHE/MGM
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0; Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0; French (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0; Spanish (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 2.0
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dubbed, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 98 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2001-01-09
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Movie Reviews of Benny and Joon
Movie Review: "Some cultures are defined by their relationship to cheese."
Summary: 5 Stars
"Benny & Joon" ranks high on my list of favorite movies. The storyline is fairly unpretentious: Juniper "Joon" Pearl (Mary Stuart Masterson) is a slightly unbalanced young woman living with her overprotective brother Benny (Aidan Quinn). The two have been on their own since their parents were killed in a car accident years before. Joon requires constant supervision, as she has a tendency to light things on fire, but her sometimes volatile moods drive away one housekeeper after another. Juggling his life between work and looking after his sister, Benny has little time of his own. At last he must face a difficult choice - should he continue trying to find a housekeeper who can deal with Joon's eccentricities, or should he consider placing her in a group home, where perhaps others will do a better job of caring for her than he can?
Unable to find someone to look after Joon one night, Benny allows her to accompany him to his weekly poker game. And when Joon loses a hand, Benny suddenly finds himself saddled with an unexpected and not altogether welcome houseguest - Sam (Johnny Depp), the strange cousin one of Benny's friends can't wait to get rid of. Little do they realize how drastically this odd newcomer will affect their lives. Sam's quirky ways, particularly his unconventional method of making grilled cheese sandwiches, intrigue Joon as nothing ever has before. And having Sam around to look after Joon frees Benny up to pursue a romantic interest of his own with Ruthie (Julianne Moore), the pretty waitress at the corner restaurant. But as Joon's bond with Sam grows stronger, Benny finds himself torn at the idea that he may no longer be the central figure in his little sister's life.
It's a fun, cute, slightly off-beat romantic comedy, but it isn't all fluff. Unlike many others in the genre, this movie has some substance underneath. The emotions of the characters are genuine, and the brother / sister relationship between Benny and Joon is stressed just as much as the romantic one between Joon and Sam. Though the film contains quite an assortment of oddball characters, it manages to remain rooted in reality and stresses the important things in life. For all the funny, up-beat scenes, like Sam's hilarious physical comedy routines in the park, there are also some serious sequences. The scene on the bus where Sam gets his first real dose of the gravity of Joon's mental illness is probably the heaviest in the film.
We are never told exactly what is wrong with Joon. Seeing the movie for the first time, after hearing the terms "unbalanced" and "mentally ill" used to describe her, I had expected her illness to be more serious and overpowering than it actually appears to be. She's eccentric and moody, to be sure, but for most of the movie she seems to be quite sensible and sane, sometimes even more so than the other characters. However, she does sometimes hear voices, as we see in the aforementioned bus scene. My personal guess would be that Joon is mildly schizophrenic, and perhaps also somewhat manic depressive, to explain the volatile mood swings. But the important thing is that she does not see herself as "odd" or sick. It is the rest of the world, and Benny in particular, that must realize that perhaps Joon is capable of living a more normal, independent life than she has been allowed to so far.
The entire film is very well acted. I cannot think of a single cast member whose performance was not up to par. The stars of the show, of course, are Mary Stuart Masterson as Joon and the incomparable Johnny Depp as Sam. Masterson captures the nuances of Joon's character to perfection. One has no difficulty in believing her complex character to be genuine. And despite her oddities, she remains loveable throughout. Sam is just the kind of quirky character fans of Depp would expect him to play, and he carries it off beautifully as usual, here drawing heavily on the influences of Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin. His character is slightly more difficult to envision as an actual flesh-and-blood person than Joon's, but in the context of the movie it works. Aidan Quinn and Julianne Moore also turn in great performances, and smaller parts are contributed by Oliver Platt, C.C.H. Pounder, Dan Hedaya, Joe Grifasi, William H. Macy, and Liane Alexandra Curtis.
This is a film I imagine almost anyone could enjoy. It doesn't adhere rigidly to the typical romantic comedy formula, it's believable despite the occasionally far-fetched elements in its plot, and it is genuinely funny and moving by turns. It's also suitable for viewers of just about any age. Again unlike so many modern romantic movies, it does not depend on sex scenes to establish romance. In fact, the physical aspect of Sam and Joon's relationship is limited to just one fairly tame kiss. There's nothing here that parents need be concerned about having their little ones watch. The movie isn't overly long, either, clocking in at only 98 minutes.
The DVD special features are not overly impressive, though there is some worthwhile material. There are two deleted scenes. One is a sequence where Benny, impresed by Sam's physical comedy abilities, has arranged an audition for him with an agent. Unfortunately, there is no option to turn off the director commentary which is placed over the scene, so one can't actually hear the dialogue, which I would have liked. The other sequence is simply a full-size version of the horror movie scene that Benny, Joon, Sam, and Ruthie watch one night. Other special features include an audio commentary, a long series of costume and make-up tests, a stunt reel, the theatrical trailer, and a music video for the theme song "I'm Gonna Be" (a.k.a. "500 Miles") by The Proclaimers. In summary, this is a terrific, fun, feel-good movie with a decent DVD. Definitely worth adding to your collection.
Summary of Benny and Joon
Johnny Depp (Sleepy Hollow), Mary Stuart Masterson (Bed of Roses) and Aidan Quinn (Practical Magic) star in this wonderfully unique and delightfully offbeat romantic comedy. Joon (Masterson) is a little unbalanced. Sometimes, without warning, her sweet nature gives wayto odd behaviorincluding a penchant for setting fires! She lives with her older brother Benny (Quinn), who has spent his life taking care of her since their parents died. One night, while playing in a poker game with unusual stakes, Joon loses her hand...and wins Sam (Depp), a whimsical misfit who soon charms his way into Joon's heart. Now if they can only find the perfect mate for her overprotective brother.... With charm, humor and an outstanding supporting cast that includes Oliver Platt (A Time to Kill) and Julianne Moore (Hannibal), Benny & Joon is the perfect movie for everyone.An oddball love story about a fey loner named Sam (Johnny Depp), who falls in love with the mentally unbalanced Joon (Mary Stuart Masterson), who lives in the care of her protective brother Benny (Aidan Quinn). This 1993 story is hard to swallow, with its message that love can conquer a brand of mental illness that manifests itself in pyromania: Joon has a bad habit of going a bit around the bend and setting fires, but Sam's tender care apparently has the cure for what ails her. Still, if you want proof that Depp has significant chops as a physical comedian, give this film a try: He does note-perfect renditions of slapstick routines made famous by Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. --Marshall Fine
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