Benny and Joon
About the Film
Benny is a hard-working mechanic whose whole life revolves around caring for his mentally ill younger sister, Joon, a gifted painter prone to unpredictable episodes. Their fragile routine is upended when Benny loses a poker bet and inherits Sam — an odd, sweet, near-silent young man obsessed with silent-film comedy.
Sam moves in as an unlikely housekeeper, communicating in Buster Keaton pratfalls and Chaplin routines, and he and Joon fall gently in love. As their romance blooms, Benny must learn to loosen his protective grip and let his sister — and himself — reach for a life of their own.
Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp plays Sam, a gentle, illiterate eccentric who speaks mostly through physical comedy. Depp learned and performed the routines himself — homages to Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd — in one of his most charming early roles (which earned him a Golden Globe nomination).
Cast & Crew
Cast
SamJohnny Depp
Juniper “Joon” PearlMary Stuart Masterson
Benny PearlAidan Quinn
RuthieJulianne Moore
EricOliver Platt
Dr. GarveyCCH Pounder
ThomasDan Hedaya
Crew
DirectorJeremiah S. Chechik
ScreenplayBarry Berman
MusicRachel Portman
CinematographyJohn Schwartzman
ProducersSusan Arnold, Donna Arkoff Roth
“Benny, Benny, um thanks for the couch… Mike made me sleep under the sink.”
— Benny & Joon
Filming Locations
- Spokane, Washington
- Metaline Falls, Washington (opening train scenes)
More about this film
Trivia
- Johnny Depp performed the silent-comedy routines himself, inspired by Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd.
- The film helped popularise The Proclaimers’ “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” in the United States.
- Depp’s performance earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor (Musical or Comedy).
Awards
- 1994 Golden Globe nomination — Best Actor, Musical or Comedy (Johnny Depp)
- 1994 MTV Movie Award nominations — Best Comedic Performance; Best On-Screen Duo
