Don Juan DeMarco

Wholly different the usual fare Hollyood dished up in the nineties, DON JUAN DEMARCO is charming and disarming. The screenplay seems lovingly crafted around the two stars, Marlon Brando and Johnny Depp. They share scenes of relating, discovery and moving, personal respect. Mr. Brando shows easily, why he is still one of America's leading thespians. Faye Dunaway as his wife, is marvellous beyond words. The interplay between these three characters is a spirit lifting tour de force, that will leave you holding hands long after the screen has gone dark.

What a lovely way to spend an afternoon. The thing I liked best about this film was that it set up the question of whether Johnny Depp was really (a) Don Juan DeMarco or (b) a troubled youth from Phoenix. The film then made you realise the question was utterly irrelevant. I loved the way the film advocated using your imagination, and then allowed you to do so within its ending.

Who else could play Don Juan other than Johnny Depp? I thank him for the roles he chooses to play. Marlon Brando was also good, but I thought Faye Dunaway was a real standout. How beautiful she is.

I also loved the orchestration of "Have you ever really loved a woman?"

My mom and I have been trying to see more Johnny Depp movies since we saw his biography, we've seen the main movies that highlighted his career, but never the little one's along the way. Don Juan DeMarco, I don't remember hearing much about it when it was released, I think it was one of those small success films. But the thing that was interesting is that so many people who compared Johnny Depp to Marlon Brando on his diverse roles and character acting methods, they finally got to work together in this movie and bonus, they had great chemistry on screen. Don Juan DeMarco isn't by any means my favorite Johnny Depp film or a great film, but it's a good one that I think had a decent story and is very watchable at least one time. Johnny and Marlon just deliver the story so well and were so charismatic on screen. Johnny truly became Don Juan DeMarco.

Dr. Jack Mickler is a psychiatrist who is on his last few days before his big retirement. He meets a suicidal man who is claiming that he is the legendary Don Juan DeMarco, he is put into the hospital. He begs Jack to take the time to tell him his story and that if he can convince him that he is Don Juan, that Jack will let him go. He agrees and Don tells him his story. But Don's grandmother tells Jack a different story, is Don really Don or just some crazy guy who is desperately in love with a woman? But Jack believes him and even becomes a Don Juan at home with his wife.

Don Juan DeMarco is a cute film and is definitely worth a look. There's nothing wrong with the film, I just wasn't into it as much as I am usually thrilled with Johnny or Marlon. But I think this was one of those films they could be more relaxed with and they were already very much established as great actors, so they could do a movie like this. It didn't matter that it wasn't a box office success, it's just a cute movie that I'm sure you'll enjoy. It definitely leaves a smile on your face and makes you feel good, so I would recommend it for a fun little comedy.

7/10

This is simply another great film by Johnny Depp. In the film, he plays a delusional man who believes that he is Don Juan. When I first watched the film I was actually waiting for another film to begin. However, I'm glad that I watched it. It has just the right balance of comedy and drama to make it a very unique film. As the movie progresses, Don Juan is telling his life story to his psychiatric doctor. As Don Juan commences, his doctor is also affected in many ways. The movie is directed very well, the ending is well done as well. I definitely recommend this movie to those who are fans of Depp's other works or just for anyone who hasn't seen a good film in a while.

Unless you understand these 4 secrets, you will miss what the film is all about:

1. The film is NOT about Don Juan !

2. The film tells us how to rekindle love in our lives, even if we are old and gray-haired. This is so very important!!

3. If we do not have a good dose of fantasy, of rich imagination, of beautiful dreams in our lives, then we will become 'burned out' by the harsh boredom of reality-as-we-perceive it. We are also challenged by the question "What really is real?"

4. If we have too much fantasy and not enough reality, then we cannot cope with the rest of the world. Also, society will not be able to cope with us and we will be isolated, perhaps in a mental institution or at least in our own twisted world.

Oh - did I say that this film is not about Don Juan? Well, in a sense, I lied. It is and it is not. See the film and think about it.

Superbly well acted by Johnny Depp, Marlon Brando, and Fay Dunaway (what an incredible beauty even at her age!). An amazing script and a very original story. Unless you understand the meanings above, or if you have a cold heart, you'll probably rate it a 5 or 6.

I give it a 9 out of 10!!