Review of Benny & Joon (1993) by Joan S — 13 Feb 2011

The most endearing thing about Benny and Joon is that it seems to have been close to the writer's heart, a joy to act in, and a blast to direct.

The titular characters are Juniper (Mary Stuart Masterson), an intelligent but "mentally ill" young woman, and Benjamin (Aidan Quinn), her protective brother who has sacrificially taken care of her for years, since they were orphaned.

Their delicate balance is upset- for better or worse- by the arrival of Sam (Johnny Depp), an enviable role for any actor. Sam is almost as eccentric as Joon, but is spared her more alienating neuroses. He's a movie bough with a special flair for imitating the physical comedy of silent comedy film stars, e.g. Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton.

Everyone knows what's going to happen from here, but the movie somehow manages to surprise you, even while telling you the story you saw coming, by keeping the pace up and by mixing humor with seriousness.