Longing for a romantic Hollywood film that will make your heart leap but not have you reaching for the sick bucket? Try Benny & Joon. Few mainstream US films manage to walk the thin line between emotion and schmaltz, but here is one film that pulls it off admirably. In the wrong hands the concept of marrying love and mental illness could have been a disaster but, as with the low-budget British film Some Voices, Benny & Joon manages to extract genuine humour and warmth from the subject. As the brother and sister of the title, the relationship between Aidan Quinn and... Mary Stuart Masterson is central to the story, Benny desperately trying to keep home and job together while looking after the sick Joon. Their lives take an unexpected turn with the arrival of Sam, a brilliantly comic turn by Johnny Depp, as gradually the characters learn that the happiness that all thought beyond them is within their grasp. Depp adds yet another character to his liturgy of slightly odd outsiders but plays it with such panache, this time drawing heavily on Buster Keaton, that you cannot help but fall for him. Indeed, there is not a single character here that you would not wish well. On the DVD: The usual scene selection and a very clear audio track, given the film's musical moments a huge boost. Few will probably be able to resist The Proclaimers' "(I'm Gonna Be) 500 Miles" which opens the film. Excellent picture quality too. --Phil Udell [show more]
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Please note this is a region 2 DVD and will require a region 2 (Europe) or region Free DVD Player in order to play. Johnny Depp, Mary Stuart Masterson and Aidan Quinn star in this wonderfully unique and delightfully offbeat romantic comedy. Joon (Masterson) is a little unbalanced. Sometimes, without warning, her sweet nature gives way to odd behaviour, including 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 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... Actors Johnny Depp, Mary Stuart Masterson, Aidan Quinn, Julianne Moore, Oliver Platt, Dan Hedaya, William H. Macy, CCH Pounder & Joe Grifasi Director Jeremiah Chechik Certificate 12 years and over Year 1993 Screen Widescreen 1.85:1 Anamorphic Languages English ; French ; German ; Italian ; Spanish - Dolby Digital (2.0) Stereo Subtitles Danish ; Dutch ; English ; English for the hearing impaired ; French ; German for the hearing impaired ; Italian ; Norwegian ; Spanish ; Swedish Duration 1 hour and 34 minutes (approx)
Joon (Mary Stuart Masterson) is a mentally-disturbed young woman who spends her time painting. She lives with her over-protective brother Benny (Aidan Quinn), who cares for her while ignoring his own needs. One day Sam (a Buster Keaton-impersonating Johnny Depp) enters their lives and falls in love with Joon. Suddenly forced to compete with another for his sister's attentions, Benny is also faced with the dilemma of whether to send Joon into residential care.
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