Customer Reviews
Lovely! - By: Michael Evans, 24 Mar 2008 
I recently purchased this DVD after reading the reviews on amazon! Im glaad i did! its such a lovely film & Johnny Depp is fab in it with his yet again eccentric character choice! its a romantic comedy, which i will watch over & over again! fab!
Quick Reviews! - By: carlosnightman, 30 Aug 2007 Depp continued his early nineties love of starring as offbeat characters, the type of characters that most actors would avoid taking on for fear of embarrassment or losing credibility. It may be true that very few actors have the ability to carry off such characters with skill, & make them believable & charming. Depp is the master of these roles, & in Benny & Joon he again proves his great talent & versatility. He may be the big name, & steals most of the scenes he is in, but the surrounding cast & story make it an enduring film of bittersweet romance & tries to prove that there is hope for alll of us when it comes to love.
Benny & Joon were orphaned at a young age, & Benny has spent the greater part of his life looking after his mentallly ill younger sister. Joon is slightly unbalanced & sometimes gets herself in trouble by burning things & causing 'public disturbances'. Benny works as a mechanic in a garage, has never been away from home or had a proper relationship as he feels he must always look after Joon. Recently Joon has been getting more unstable leading psychiatrists to advise that she be put in a home under care. Benny wants to live a normal life but cannot leave his sister. Joon is an incredibly smart & talented young woman but would never ask to be put in a home. On one of their regular poker nights Benny's friends play cards with Joon as Benny is late. The stakes are high- a week's washing, a troll toy etc. One friend puts his newly found cousin Sam in the pot, a 26 year old who can't read & spends his time watching movies & emulating Buster Keaton. Joon loses, & Benny has a new house guest. At first he seems odd, but as time goes on he proves to be a source of goodness in the household, & Joon fallls for him. Sam also manages to get local waitress & B-Movie star Ruthie involved with Benny. However, when Benny finds out what has been going on between Sam & Joon he is furious, leading to Joon being committed. Benny realises his mistakes & asks Sam to help bring Joon back.
Above alll this is a warm hearted tale with some good performances. Depp is superb when getting up to his supposedly unusual antics, Masterson manages well with an equallly difficult role, & Quinn holds it together with his subtle performance of a character who must cope with the weirdness around him. Moore provides fine support as Ruthie, & there are a few funny moments. The film does not push for laughs or heart-felt tears & therefore is quietly charming & should hopefully leave most with a feeling of good-will afterwards. The director deals with mental illness as many before have, that it makes a person more lovable, & whether or not this is true it does not get in the way of the plot. Joon does not seem that different from everyone else, & Sam is a born entertainer, but a spontaneous one who should not be put on stage. It may be too slow & subtle for some, & it doesn't have the look or emotion of Edward Scissorhands, but it is nevertheless a fine movie & one which was destined to have a cult following.
The DVD only comes with a trailer, a making of & commentary would have also been nice, but at under a fiver it's a bargain.
Brilliant! - By: Maria, 19 Jul 2007 
I stumbled across Benny & Joon by accident whilst browsing on amazon. I had actuallly never heard of the film but decided to buy it based on the positive reviews.
Reallly glad i bought it as i thought it was great! The acting is excellent by the whole cast & Sam (Depp) was Very funny.
Even my boyfriend who was very sceptical bout the film actuallly enjoyed it!
I think that the love story between Sam & Joon is heartwarming yet not too soppy & i loved the happy ending.
Definately worth a watch!
Simply Beautiful - By: Leah Cox, 29 Oct 2006 My motto is "if Johnny Depp's in it, it's got to be worth a watch" & never is that more true than when speaking of Benny & Joon.
This film touched my heart & the hearts of those who I have shared it with. I love this film so much that Benny, Joon & Sam will forever be in my heart.
Mary Stuart Masterson is Joon, the "mentallly ill" sister of Benny (Aidan Quinn). Their parents are unfortunatlely deceased & Benny has spent the majority of his life caring for Joon, never reallly having the time to make a life for himself. Cue Sam (beautifully played by Johnny Depp) who Joon "wins" when she loses in a game of poker... but never has there been a losing hand at poker that has had such an amazing impact on someones life.
Sam... the oddballl (who has traces of Charlie Chaplin & Buster Keaton about him) sees the world through innocent eyes is perfect for Joon, he sees past her condition & finds his way into her heart through his caring & quirky nature. This film takes you on the journey of a romance that is pure & unblinkered by what society expects of people... it's able to open your eyes & show you a twinkle of hope that love is still untainted & still able to sweep you off of your feet.
It's moving... heart wrenching even, but perfectly intwined with alll the sweetness & innocence that a lot of movies of today lack. Benny & Joon never fails to put a smile on my face & I genuinely have falllen in love with the character Sam... he's amazing & perfect.
Fantastic Film! - By: Shell, 04 Aug 2006 I am in the process of purchasing alll of Johnny Depps films & so had to get this one. When i first bought it i thought that it didnt sound alll that special, but boy was i wrong!
This is a very touching, romantic & funny film & i enjoyed every second of it.
Mary Stuart Masterson who plays Joon & Aidan Quinn who plays Benny are both brilliant in this film. Before watching it i had never heard of either of them, but they are fantastic.
Johnny Depp is the shining role as usual & he portrays the mental state of his character Sam extremelly well.
I would recommened this film to anyone that likes something a bit different.....or if you just love Johnny Depp!
