As enjoyable as it was to watch Johnny Depp deal with a mentally challenged person in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, it’s even more fun to watch him play a mentally challenged person in Benny and Joon. It may sound strange to say that a mentally handicapped person is amusing – but in this case it is. And intentionally so. In fact, the film is almost a celebration of the loving, playful side of the abnormal mind.

The title characters, Benny and Joon, are brother and sister. Benny (Aiden Quinn), an auto mechanic, has been taking care of his sister Joon (Mary Stuart Masterson), for the past twelve years, since their parents died. Benny is getting tired of taking care of Joon, who cannot be left alone for a long period of time because you never know what she’ll do (like go out into the street and start directing traffic), and is making life complicated. This complication hasn’t been too much of a problem until recently, as Benny has been trying to develop a relationship with Ruthie (Julianne Moore).

Benny considers putting Joon into a mental home until Sam (Johnny Depp), a playful character who appears to be able to write nothing more than his name (but can read), comes along and makes things interesting. Sam and Joon like each other and Benny likes Sam as well – until he finds out the two of them are in love with each other – and then he refuses to allow them to see each other.

It’s never really clear what Sam and Joon’s mental problems consist of. They aren’t exactly mentally slow, they talk and interact just fine. But they both act like children most of the time. On the other hand, I don’t think it really matters. What’s important is that these guys are innocent and childlike, yet deserving of respect.

And this, it appears, is the primary problem with Benny. He doesn’t respect his sister. What it is exactly that causes Benny’s change of heart, however, is beyond me. In the sequence where the change apparently occurs, Benny walks around to the tune of some light alternative music and contemplates life for a moment. We’re never told what he was thinking, or what led to his change of heart; but apparently something happened, because he’s fine with Sam and Joon being together in the next scene.

Sam’s Buster Keaten routine is fun, and it makes you wish there was more of that and less of Benny. Joon is less funny but frequently amusing. In fact, Benny and Joon doesn’t even feel like it’s aiming for the out loud laughs at all. It’s more directed towards having fun with its characters in a way that, although never powerfully affecting, is still affectionately amusing.