Benny and Joon (and Sam)

 

by Pa Rock

Film Fan

Johnny Depp is a young man of sixty years who has used his brief time on Earth to appear in more than a hundred feature movies, usually as the star of the film, and always in roles that are captivating and memorable.   I am an unabashed fan of Mr. Depp's film work, and, in particular, I harbor a great enthusiasm for some of his quirky earlier works.  This past week I came across one of those cinematic gems as it was streaming on Amazon Prime.  "Benny and Joon" hit theaters thirty years ago in 1993, and this week marked the first time that I have seen it in at least the last twenty years.

"Benny and Joon" is a film that has held up very well.

There were certain iconic images that had been well stored in my porous, old brain.  I remembered well, for example, the Buster Keaton routine in the restaurant in which Depp deftly shuffled plates full of food in front of a pair of hungry customers, or when he was chasing his has around the cafe floor.  His ability to perform physical humor was well showcased and a focal point of the movie.  I also remembered the unique imagery of Depp sitting in an almost fetal position in a tree and watching the world go by down below.

(The movie also contains some memorable food preparation short-cuts such as when Depp's character shows Joon how to make grilled cheese sandwiches using an electric iron set on "Rayon," and when he makes mashed potatoes by walloping peeled, boiled potatoes with a tennis racket.)

What I didn't remember as well was Depp's position within the film.  although he was clearly the star of the production, he was not one of the title characters.  Benny is a working class young man (Aidan Quinn) who has trouble entering into relationships because of his self-imposed task of looking after his mentally disabled sister, Joon (Mary Stuart Masterson).  Johnny Depp's character is Sam, an extremely odd young man whom Joon acquires through a losing poker hand.  Sam is such a unique and colorful character that Joon quickly falls in love with him, a situation which scares her brother and who then overreacts.

"Benny and Joon" is a great movie that has a lot to say about people struggling with mental and emotional issues, and those who are responsible for their care and well-being.  It is positive and uplifing and well worth the physical expenditure of sitting in front of the small screen for a couple of hours.

And then, if "Benny and Joon" hits your emotional sweet spot, and I think it will, be on the lookout for another Johnny Depp film classic from the same year.  "What's Eating Gilbert Grape"  (1993) features Depp at the height of his magical years, along with a very young and relatively unknown co-star by the name of Leonardo DiCaprio.  It, too, has a lot to say about life, love, and functioning in a family that some would see as non-standard.

If you are in search of an interesting diversion or an enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours, "Benny and Joon" (and Sam) might be just the ticket!