Father and child sit together smiling while looking at a smart phone.

Want more recommendations for your family?

Sign up for our weekly newsletter for entertainment inspiration

Parents' Guide to

Benny and Joon

By Joly Herman, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 11+

Quirky comedy is edgy for a PG movie.

Movie PG 1993 98 minutes
Benny and Joon Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

See all
age 10+

Based on 5 parent reviews

dvdgirl
dvdgirl Adult
December 16, 2018
age 12+

its movies like this that make me feel better.

I suffer from OCD and when you watch a movie like this or As Good As It Gets you feel better knowing your not alone with a mental illness. the characters are good for each other. they should have ended up together.

This title has:

Great messages
Too much swearing
Jay C.
Jay C. Adult
June 24, 2018
age 11+

Good Movies

See all 5 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Benny (Aidan Quinn) is a mechanic whose adult life is anchored to his sister Joon (Mary Stuart Masterson), a passionate, talented artist who happens to be mentally ill. As Benny notices that opportunities in his life are slipping away, he begins to contemplate sending Joon to a group home. Enter Sam (Johnny Depp), who comes into their lives via a card game, and shows the siblings that his talents for caring for Joon run deeper than anyone expected. When Joon and Sam begin to fall for each other, Benny is furious, causing the two to take drastic steps in order to be together.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (5 ):
Kids say (8 ):

Johnny Depp earned a Golden Globe nomination for his incredible physical performance in this movie, and viewers will understand why. His takes on old Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton skits are breathtaking, illustrating how gifted Depp is as a comedian. The life-before-Facebook romance provides a hip but unhurried view of romance in the early '90s. And the world that these quirky characters inhabit is not centered on being popular or cool, but rather being true to themselves. Tweens will love seeing Depp play an illiterate oddball before his Jack Sparrow days. Adult Gen-Xers will appreciate the kind of talent and creativity their peers bring to the screen.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the medication Joon relies on to keep her mental illness in check. These days, prescription drugs are advertised on television and in magazines. How does this effect our view of medicine? When is medication truly necessary? When is it abused?

  • Benny gets very upset when Joon and Sam admit that they have begun an adult relationship. Why is Benny so upset? Did he think that Joon should not be having sex because of her age or because of her mental illness, or because of the fact that she was not married?

  • Sam is an adult who cannot read. How can that be? How does illiteracy hinder him? How has he compensated?

Movie Details

Inclusion information powered by

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended movie lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate