If you love someone, set them free

My girlfriend kept nagging to see this movie. She kept bugging me, telling me how great it was and I just had to see it. So finally one Sunday she brought the video over and we watched it together.

Mary Stuart Masterson (Fried Green Tomatoes) plays Juniper “Joon” Pearl, a mentally ill young woman who falls in love with Sam (Johhny Depp-Sleepy Hollow, Edward Scissorhands), an eccentric young man who cannot read, is an old movie fanatic, and models himself after Buster Keaton. Aidan Quinn (Legends of the Fall) plays Benny Pearl, Joon’s overprotective older brother.

Benny has been taking care of Joon on his own for 12 years, since their parents died in a car accident. All he wants is the best for Joon, although she can be hard to handle at times. When Joon gets angry she likes to burn things. They have been through a number of housekeepers because Joon sometimes goes off in a rage when she is down, and also sometimes she hears voices. Benny cannot be with her all day because he owns a garage and he has to be there to run it.

One night when Joon goes with Benny to one of his poker games, where, instead of betting money they bet items they own or services they are to perform for the winner, Joon decides to play some poker when not all of the guys come to the table. Joon loses the game and ends up having to take home the winner’s cousin Sam.

Johnny Depp is great in this part. He is very funny, but also can be touching at times. Benny at first does not like the idea of having to take Sam home, but eventually he comes to like him. One of the best scenes in the movie is when Sam does a whole Buster Keaton type routine in the park, and here Benny realizes that Sam is really a rather amazing guy, has a real talent, so he decides to try to get Sam a job using his talent. Benny then finds out that Sam and Joon have been together, and is not very happy.

This is a wonderful movie and I am glad that my girlfriend got me to watch it. We all want what is best for our loved ones, but we also need to know when it is time to let them go, let them have their freedom.