Rent Benny and Joon (1993)

Quirk Zone - Benny and Joon review by Steve

This is one of those Hollywood romances that feature mental illnesses which are photogenic and tasteful and responsive to the needs of the plot. Which is to say it's fake, and maybe even offensive to those who suffer from such conditions... However, if you accept the rules of screen love affairs, then this is charming, and optimistic and blessed with likeable star performances. 

Mary Stuart Masterson portrays a teenage schizophrenic with a fondness for the tactile application of oil on canvas in a modernist style. This is mostly seen in a montage set to I'm Gonna Be 500 Miles by The Proclaimers. While irascible carers come and go, the possibility of love for her put-upon brother- a hunky, kindly mechanic played by Aidan Quinn- is passing him by.

What they need is a miracle! And that comes in the guise of Johnny Depp as a benevolent oddball whose life is a sort of visual tribute to the legendary comedians of the 1920s, mainly Chaplin and Keaton. This is from a period across the 1990s when Depp became a major star for several borderline magical performances outside the range of every other actor in Hollywood.

The cast are all appealing enough to carry the impossible premise.  But JD lifts it to another level, with his gift for making the extraordinary so relatable. And his virtuoso routine drawn from the silent comics is adorable. Maybe an eccentric Buster Keaton impersonator and a psychotic abstract impressionist don't have a realistic shot at happiness. But that's for the sequel...