Lukas Haas, who I remember from “Witness,” has definitely grown up and is now doing more mature roles. "Johns" is his movie, and he’s quite good in it. David Arquette plays John, a character who's about to turn 21 on Christmas Day. He’s trying to spend his birthday at an expensive Los Angeles hotel and makes a living hustling. Haas portrays his friend, a newcomer working the streets. His father is a doctor but disowned him because he’s gay. Much of the movie follows John's attempts to gather money he owes to a drug dealer; his shoes are stolen early on, and that’s where he had hidden the cash. This initial scene also sets up a surprise ending that feels pretty contrived. The film’s thin storyline drifts through various encounters John has, some with other men also named John—hence the title—until it reaches its conclusion. Haas and Arquette are supposed to be leaving for Branson, Missouri on a bus, but Arquette wants to go out one last time. It's fairly obvious where that leads. The film is full of unusual characters that would probably appeal to fans of "Northern Exposure." Richard Kind plays a friendly hotel clerk, Keith David portrays an enigmatic homeless man, and John C. McGinley takes on the role of a Hollywood producer. Arliss Howard is a stuttering religious fanatic who becomes Arquette’s final date. Elliott Gould appears as a wealthy client of Arquette's. Even Arquette’s drug-dealing rival can’t do basic math. All these actors have little peculiarities and habits that I think the director intended to be charming. However, I only felt any connection with Haas; it seemed like too much time was spent on all those other scenes. Arquette feels a bit old for his part, and aside from Haas, the cast seems to just go through the motions of a story that borrows heavily from "Midnight Cowboy." The film tries to make a moral statement while also trying to be entertaining, but it doesn’t quite succeed. The director's work is better than the screenplay itself, and I have to give him credit for putting together an unusually diverse soundtrack, but ultimately “Johns” disappoints both Haas and the audience. If you want to see a genuine film about street kids, watch "Streetwise." That documentary makes this one seem like "Sesame Street.”

Source on TMDB