Johnny Stecchino
Seen it?1991 | 115 min | Comedy
Weeknight WatchWhy it’s a Weeknight Watch
It was a solid box office hit, but almost no lasting buzz and middling reviews (46% on Rotten Tomatoes) held it back. Fine if it's on; don't plan your night around it.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who wants a laugh. If you loved The Italian Job or Bullets Over Broadway, start here. Audiences love it more than critics do: a crowd-pleaser first.
- The mood
- Light and funny.
- The pace
- Breezy, at 1 hr 55 min.
- What might put you off
- It's in Italian, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
- Critics were cooler on it than audiences.
Good hearted but not very wordly-wise, Dante is happy driving the school bus for a group of mentally handicapped children, while feeling he is somehow missing out on life and love. So he is very excited when after nearly being knocked down by her car he meets Maria, who seems immediately enamoured of him. He is soon invited to her sumptuous Palermo villa, little suspecting that this is part of a plot. He bears an amazing likeness to Maria's stool-pigeon gangster husband and it would be convenient for them if the mobster, in the shape of Dante, was seen to be dead and buried.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsBelow par
46% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesSolid
7.3 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Reach & staying powerStrong
Streaming release that reached a solid audience; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactWeak
About 15K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
More like this
Analyze This
Sunday Safe BetAnother mob comedy, and a safe bet for a quiet night.
The Italian Job
Saturday SpecialAnother mob comedy, and a Saturday Special.
Bullets Over Broadway
Friday Night FlickAnother critically acclaimed mob comedy.
The Whole Nine Yards Weeknight WatchAnother mob comedy, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
Ladyhawke Sunday Safe BetAnother comedy, and a safe bet for a quiet night.
Want more like this, picked just for you? Get my picks
Cast & crew
Directed by Roberto Benigni
- Roberto BenigniDante Ceccarini / Johnny Stecchino
- Nicoletta BraschiMaria
- Paolo BonacelliD'Agata
- Franco VolpiMinistro
- Ivano MarescottiDr. Randazzo
- Turi ScaliaGiudice
- Loredana RomitoGianna
- Alessandro De SantisLillo
- Sal BorgeseIgnazio
- Gaetano CampisiPicciotto in auto