This sentimental stew is not without its flavors, and the cast tries hard to be winsome and adorably distraught.

This is a wisp of a movie, to be sure, but underneath all the absurd comic fringes and the much-abused crazies-are-really-sane theme beats the heart of a genuinely poetic love story.

Inconsequential as it is, Benny & Joon is that rare thing, a crazy-versus-sane movie that likes one kind as much as the other.

The film is blessed with a wonderful use of color and cinematography, stellar costume design and simple, but effective, set design.