Orphaned as children, Benjamin “Benny” Pearl (Aidan Quinn) and Juniper “Joon” Pearl (Mary Stuart Masterson) live in a modest house in Spokane, Washington. Benny owns a local auto shop, while the timid and mentally ill Joon lives vicariously through various hobbies such as painting. Her challenges sometimes cause headaches for Benny, but he remains very protective of her.

Joon plays a poker game one night with Benny’s friend Mike, who is hosting his shy, quirky cousin Sam while he’s in town. Without Benny’s knowledge, Joon loses her bet in the game and Sam has to stay with her and Benny. Benny is upset with his sister’s actions at first, but Sam’s quiet charm eventually wins him over, while a budding romance ensues between Sam and Joon. Maybe both Benny and Joon can find happiness on their own terms….

Despite its quirky premise and odd mix of drama and comedy, Benny & Joon received positive reviews and did well at the box office in 1993. It remains notable for its numerous references to silent films (the character of Sam has an obsession with Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin) and for its soundtrack, which features worldwide folk-rock hit “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” by the Scottish band The Proclaimers.

However, beneath the on-the-surface quirkiness and Johnny Depp being Johnny Depp in the best possible ways, this film is a genuinely heartwarming domestic drama. It’s about mental illness, which is frequently a topic in film that’s treated with kid gloves, so to speak. But Benny & Joon does accurately show how mentally ill people struggle, succeed, and everything in between.

Benny loves his sister and wants the best for her, even though she drives him crazy, but he’s convinced himself that letting her stay at the house all the time is the only way to keep her out of an institution. Eventually, Benny wants a personal life that doesn’t always revolve around taking care of Joon, and the film captures their struggles well. It’s only when Sam comes along that Benny begins to see a world where Joon can be happy and fulfilled. Sam has plenty of challenges himself, as he lacks social skills and frequently struggles to read, but he likes what he sees in Joon and wins her over with his whimsical charm and light-hearted attitude.

At the same time, however, Benny & Joon doesn’t take the easy way out. It’s not a dark, depressing, melodramatic take on the domestic issues that arise from mental illness. Nor is it an overly-cheesy empowerment anthem for people who’ve experienced tragedy and loss. Instead, Benny & Joon takes a lot of different themes and repackages them in a fun, quirky way with a good dose of drama, romance, and comedy sprinkled throughout. The film identifies a weighty issue and treats it in a way that few movies do, and that alone deserves brownie points.

Rating: 8.5/10

• Directed by Jeremiah S. Checik
• Written by Barry Berman and Lesley McNeil
• Produced by Susan Arnold and Donna Roth
• Starring Aidan Quinn, Mary Stuart Masterson, Johnny Depp, Julianne Moore, Oliver Platt, William H. Macy, Joe Grifasi
• Rated PG for thematic elements, a scene of mild sensuality and brief harsh language.

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