Johnny Stecchino

R

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2h 1m

Comedy

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46%

Tomatometer

13 Reviews

85%

Audience Score

2,500+ Ratings

Dante (Roberto Benigni) is a sweet, bumbling school bus driver in Rome, beloved by all, but unlucky in love. That is, until he meets the gorgeous Maria (Nicoletta Braschi), who lures him to Palermo, Italy, with the promise of passion. But Maria is already married to a mob boss who looks just like Dante: Johnny Stecchino (also Benigni). With the Mafia after Johnny for turning snitch, Maria hopes they'll mistakenly whack Dante instead, so she and Johnny can disappear forever.

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Pamela Bruce

Austin Chronicle

Rated: 3.5/5

Jan 1, 2000

Full Review

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Johnny Stecchino is, I am told, the highest-grossing film in Italian cinematic history. I am not able to account for this.

Rated: 1/4

Jan 1, 2000

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Mark R. Leeper

rec.arts.movies.reviews

Rated: 2/5

Oct 21, 2008

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Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

Rated: 3/5

Dec 8, 2006

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Rated: 2/5

Jun 19, 2005

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Robert Roten

Laramie Movie Scope

Rated: 2/5

Apr 11, 2005

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Thomas F

Funny in any language. Jerry Lewis would be proud of this Italian rip-off. Watch out for Sicilian traffic-jams, all bananas, germs from your wife, government investigators, ministers with a limp and a nose for white candy, and never forget Santa Cleopatra.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/24/22

Full Review

Audience Member

This is one of those instances where critics like Ebert take themselves too seriously. This is a great screwball comedy. Watch it more than once - you'll keep seeing great little touches you missed previously. Note how Benigni has studied and makes use of Buster Keaton's silent physical comedy.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

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Audience Member

Absolutely brilliant....and laugh out loud hilarious. Maybe my favorite comedy, all time. Showcases begninis chaplinesque genius. This movie is very hard to find and so very much worth it if you can.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/22/23

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Audience Member

Perhaps those who have left negative reviews do not speak Italian. This in Benigni D.O.C. He's not even listed here as a main cast member! You have to click on "view all" to find Roberto. Whatever. This is a hilarious comedy.... A Benigni classic.. Try www.rottentomatoes.com/m/non_ci_resta_che_piangere /// He and Troisi were one of the best comedic partners ever....

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I'm actually shocked at how low the critics scored it, but the audience score is the real barometer of this film's genius. Roberto may not be everyone's cup of tea, & I'll say this as someone who scored this 5 stars; it's by far my favourite film of his. I don't think anything of his, including Life is Beautiful, even comes close. This film is pitch perfect. The writing is tight, the direction is lean & deft, & the performance is a tour de force. The film is sweet, side-splittingly hilarious, & so very Italian. But as Italian as it is, it's also perfectly universal in the same vein as a silent Chaplin or Keaton film. Benigni was the heir to the throne of physical comedy, from those silent greats. And not in the same way Jerry Lewis was, which, in my opinion, was tragically goofy & unpalatable, in that 1960's sort of way. Lewis' work does not age, Roberto's ages perfectly. I will make this one concession; it is a specific type of humour, & if it ain't yours, you just might not be on board. But if it's in your vein, it will be a treasured classic. For me, it's perfect, & certainly one of my top 10.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/27/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Years before his international recognition thanks to "Life is beautiful", Roberto Benigni notched up success after success due to a series of comedies that became remarkably popular in Italy. Johnny Stecchino is one of those forgotten gem and yet the Italian actor was at the peak of his art. Director and double-hatted actor in this comedy based on fruity misunderstandings (go figure!), Benigni leads the film by himself even though his loyal partner Nicoletta Braschi and Paolo Bonacelli help to give vivacity and rhythm to the film. Even if the humour is intentionally irreverent and it leads to absurd situations that draw a smile on the public, Benigni does not resort to mundane humour and he uses a simple misunderstanding with a banana to criticize the Sicilian mafia. A classic movie that, contrary to other comedies from the 90s, has won the race against time since it celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2016. Full review on our blog : https://losindiscretos.org/english/johnny-toothpick-1991-roberto-benigni/

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/15/23

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Roberto Benigni

Director

Roberto Benigni

Dante

Nicoletta Braschi

Maria

Paolo Bonacelli

D'Agata

Franco Volpi

The Minister

Ignazio Pappalardo

Cozzamara

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Synopsis

Dante (Roberto Benigni) is a sweet, bumbling school bus driver in Rome, beloved by all, but unlucky in love. That is, until he meets the gorgeous Maria (Nicoletta Braschi), who lures him to Palermo, Italy, with the promise of passion. But Maria is already married to a mob boss who looks just like Dante: Johnny Stecchino (also Benigni). With the Mafia after Johnny for turning snitch, Maria hopes they'll mistakenly whack Dante instead, so she and Johnny can disappear forever.

Director: Roberto Benigni
Screenwriter: Roberto Benigni, Vincenzo Cerami
Distributor: New Line Cinema
Production Co: Silvio Berlusconi Communications, Cecchi Gori Group Tiger Cinema
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: Italian
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 8, 1992, Original
Box Office (Gross USA): $623.5K
Runtime: 2h 1m