Benny and Joon from 1993 is a flawed but likeable film. Sure, it doesn’t really depict mental health problems in a subtle or realistic way (apart from June’s meltdown on the bus) and it’s all resolved far too easily, but it’s redeemed by beautiful performances from Mary Stuart Masterson as June and Johnny Depp as Sam. The raisin scene is wonderful. The dialogue,written by Barry Berman and Leslie McNeil , always makes me laugh. It’s so deadpan.
Sam: Do you like raisins?
June: Not really.
Sam: Why?
June: They used to be fat and juicy, and now they’re twisted. They had their lives stolen. Well, they taste sweet but really they’re just humiliated grapes. I can’t say I’m a big supporter of the raisin council.
Sam: Did you see these, these raisins on TV? The ones that sing and dance, and stuff?
June: They…scare me.
Sam: Yeah, me too.
June: It’s sick. The commercial people, they make them sing and dance so people will eat them.
Sam: It’s a shame about raisins.
June: Cannibals.
Hit The North 