‘Benny & Joon’ by director Jeremiah Chechik
is the story of Benjamin Pearl, an Automotive Mechanic who faces the struggle of taking care of his sister Juniper Pearl who suffers from schizophrenia. The trouble arises when Joon is no longer able to keep a housekeeper because she is too much for all of them. This changes when we meet Sam, a colorful character who connects well with Joon and falls in love.
Through the actions of Sam, the Film does an excellent job of portraying the theme that love can be found in strange places. At one point in the film, Sam refers to Joon as being normal despite her mental disability. I think he says this because his definition of normal is different because of his unique personality and colorful character. Therefore, this is also why Joon and Sam connect so well.
Sam also has a significant impact on the life of Benny through the means of interrupting his day to day routine. Before Sam, Benny was stuck in his small world, taking life one day at a time, but through the introduction of Sam, we find that Benny has aspirations. Mixed in with this is the element of fear that Benny has for his sister and as a result we see that, again, Before Sam, Benny is stuck trying to balance his profession with the care of his sister.
Even though the film is well put together, I felt little emotional attachment to the characters and the story itself. The conflict felt weak and it seemed like the obstacles that the characters faced were overcome way too easily. I am not saying it is a bad movie, I just feel like it had more potential for the given plot. Nevertheless, I would recommend this film because it sends some powerful messages and the characters are relatable.
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