Benny and Joon

The film Benny and Joon directed by Canadian Jerimiah Chechik is a must see.  No doubt, it will be one of the best movies of the summer and, maybe, of the year.

Benny and Joon is a wonderful story about a beautiful, mildly insane, young woman named Juniper (Mary Stuart Masterton) and her relationship with a shy, illiterate, and almost mute young man, Sam, who is masterfully played by Johnny Depp.

Following a chance meeting, the two fall in love with each other despite the initial outrage of Joon’s brother Benny (Aidan Quinn) who has taken care of her since childhood after their parents were killed in a car accident.  Benny has grown overprotective and, besides stifling Juniper’s attempt to grow up, he isolates himself from the rest of society.  Fortunately he realizes the error of his ways sooner rather than later.  This paves the way for a beautiful ending.

Much laughter throughout is provided by Sam’s imitations of his idol Charlie Chaplin which are truly unforgettable.

This film is suitable for everyone except perhaps very young children and it is definitely worth a visit to the local theatre or video store.