Johnny Stecchino
A naïve Sicilian school-bus driver is mistaken for a gangster double and swept into an absurdly dangerous romantic conspiracy.
Overview
A simple bus driver finds himself caught in a web of crime and deception when he meets a mysterious woman.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- absurd
- warm
- lazy sunday
- comedy night
What critics said
Critics generally recognize the film's energetic comic performance and mafia farce, while finding its humor uneven and its satire less consistently sharp.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Dante's resemblance to Maria's gangster husband drives the plan to substitute him for the mobster.
The plot places a naïve school-bus driver inside a Sicilian mafia conspiracy and uses that danger for comic distortion.
Dante is a good-hearted, naïve bus driver whose longing for love makes him vulnerable to Maria's manipulation.
Maria's immediate attraction and invitation to her Palermo villa are presented as elements of a plot against Dante.
Films like Johnny Stecchino, and why
The Pink Panther
shares broad physical comedy, mistaken identity, romantic deception, and an innocent protagonist caught in criminal schemes
Life Is Beautiful
shares italian comic sensibility, absurd social satire, and a foolish but endearing man navigating escalating misunderstandings
The Man with Two Brains
shares doppelgänger plotting, farcical criminal intrigue, and an innocent outsider manipulated by powerful figures
Movie Details
- Director
- Roberto Benigni
- Release Date
- 1991-10-24
- Runtime
- 115 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (1083)
Cast
- Roberto Benigni
- Nicoletta Braschi
- Paolo Bonacelli
- Franco Volpi
- Ivano Marescotti
- Turi Scalia
- Loredana Romito
- Alessandro De Santis
- Sal Borgese
- Gaetano Campisi
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video
- Buy
- Amazon Video
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Johnny Stecchino about?
- A naïve Sicilian school-bus driver is mistaken for a gangster double and swept into an absurdly dangerous romantic conspiracy.
- What is Johnny Stecchino like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Johnny Stecchino as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Johnny Stecchino violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Johnny Stecchino as mild.
- What did critics think of Johnny Stecchino?
- Critics generally recognize the film's energetic comic performance and mafia farce, while finding its humor uneven and its satire less consistently sharp.
- Which films are like Johnny Stecchino?
- Films with a similar feel include The Pink Panther, Life Is Beautiful, and The Man with Two Brains.
- How long is Johnny Stecchino?
- Johnny Stecchino runs 115 minutes.
- Where can I watch Johnny Stecchino?
- In United States, Johnny Stecchino is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video.
