DramaRomance

Johns

- This ain't no 90210

It's the day before Christmas, the day before John's 21st birthday. He's a prostitute on Santa Monica Blvd in L.A., and he wants to spend that night and the next day at the posh Park Plaza Hotel. Meanwhile, Donner, a lad new to the streets, wants John to leave the city with him. John spends the day trying to figure out how to deal with Donner's friendship.

Release Date : 1996-12-10

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : First Look Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : John

Original Name : David Arquette

Gender : Male

Character Name : Donner

Original Name : Lukas Haas

Gender : Male

Character Name : Danny Cohen

Original Name : John C. McGinley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Homeless John

Original Name : Keith David

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mikey

Original Name : Wilson Cruz

Gender : Male

Character Name : Santa Claus

Original Name : Tony Epper

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Richard T. Jones

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nikki

Original Name : Alanna Ubach

Gender : Female

Character Name : Junkie

Original Name : N'Bushe Wright

Gender : Female

Character Name :

Original Name : Elliott Gould

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jimmy the Warlock

Original Name : Terrence Howard

Gender : Male

Character Name : John Cardoza

Original Name : Arliss Howard

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mix

Original Name : Nicky Katt

Gender : Male

Character Name : Prostitute

Original Name : Nina Siemaszko

Gender : Female

Reviews

Charles Tatum

@CharlesTatum

2023-09-30

Lukas Haas, the little kid from "Witness," was all grown up and taking some serious adult roles. "Johns" is his film, and he does a great job here. David Arquette plays John, who will be turning 21 on Christmas Day. He is a hustler who is looking to stay on his birthday in a fancy L.A. hotel. Haas is his best friend, the new guy working the street. His father is a doctor, but kicked him out for being gay. Most of the film concerns John's efforts to collect money he owes a drug dealer. His shoes are stolen in the opening moments of the film, and we find out that was where he stashed his cash. This opening also sets up a failed surprise ending that is really forced. The film's sparse plot meanders through John's encounters, some with other men named John, hence the film's title, until the end. Haas and Arquette are ready to leave for Branson, Missouri on a bus but Arquette wants to do "one last date." You can probably see where that is going. The film has enough quirky characters to make a "Northern Exposure" fan drool. Richard Kind is a kind hotel clerk. Keith David is a mysterious homeless man. John C. McGinley is a Hollywood producer. Arliss Howard is a stuttering Bible beater who becomes Arquette's last date. Elliott Gould plays a rich client of Arquette's. Arquette's drug dealing nemesis cannot add and subtract. All of these actors have little quirks and tics that I think the film maker wanted us to find endearing. You only have sympathy for Haas, so I felt the film wasted too much time showing us all the other scenes. Arquette is five years too old for this role, and except for Haas, everyone goes through the motions of a story that liberally borrows from "Midnight Cowboy." The film wants to make a moral point, but try to have fun doing it at the same time, and this does not work. Silver's direction is better than his script, and you have to give him credit for coming up with one of the most eclectic soundtracks I have ever heard, but eventually "Johns" fails both Haas, and us. If you want to see a real film about street children, watch the documentary "Streetwise." That film makes this look like "Sesame Street."