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What's After the Movie?
Romantic drama

Johns (1996): Cast, Box Office & Plot

Johns (1996) movie poster

Johns is a 1996 romantic drama directed by Scott Silver, starring Keith David as Homeless John, David Arquette and Arliss Howard. It runs 1 hour 36 minutes and earned $50,789 worldwide.

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Johns (1996) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 36m (96 min)
Director
Scott Silver
Genres
Drama , Romance
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Johns About?

The premise of Johns without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

On the eve of Christmas and the night before John’s 21st birthday, John works as a prostitute on Santa Monica Boulevard, hoping to spend the holiday and his birthday at the upscale Park Plaza Hotel. Meanwhile, Donner, a street newcomer, urges him to leave L.A. John spends the day wrestling with Donner’s sudden friendship and his own choices.

Johns Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • gay slur
  • gay prostitute
  • homophobia
  • homophobic violence
  • internalized homophobia
  • christmas
  • friendship between men
  • gay self loathing
  • denying homosexuality
  • gay kiss
  • gay hustler
  • beaten to death
+38 more
  • gay sex
  • gay crush
  • boyfriend boyfriend relationship
  • male prostitute
  • gay
  • homosexual
  • written by director
  • 21 year old
  • eavesdropping
  • stealing someone's shoes
  • camera shot of feet
  • camera shot of bare feet
  • barefoot male
  • stolen shoes
  • barefoot on street
  • chase
  • santa claus costume
  • foot chase
  • running barefoot
  • barefoot running
  • reference to santa claus
  • slow motion scene
  • hitchhiker
  • hitchhiking
  • told in flashback
  • cabriolet
  • sex scene
  • sex in a car
  • movie producer
  • film producer
  • sleeping shirtless
  • smoking a cigarette while driving
  • screenplay
  • film script
  • new shoes
  • lucky shoes
  • reference to frida kahlo
  • homeless man
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Cast & crew

Johns Cast & Characters

Keith David leads the cast as Homeless John, with David Arquette as John and Arliss Howard as John Cardoza. Directed by Scott Silver; 14 actors are credited in all.

From the director

More from Scott Silver

One more film directed by Scott Silver: The Mod Squad.

Full filmography
Plot

Johns Plot Summary

What happens in Johns from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

On a cold Christmas Eve in Los Angeles, John [David Arquette] is fast asleep in a city park when a thief slips off with his shoes—the very pair that guards the money he has scraped together. He wakes in a rush, chases after the thief, and fights hard but comes up empty-handed. The loss stings not just because those sneakers are lucky, but because he is trying to sew together enough cash to pay for an overnight stay in a fancy hotel to mark his Christmas birthday. Throughout the night, every time John manages to assemble money—whether through rough prostitution or taking from clients—someone or something rips it away again, either by robbery or as payback for a drug debt tied to a deal he once burned.

Full summary

The whole story of Johns, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

Johns Box Office

Johns grossed $50,789 worldwide.

1996 box office

Worldwide gross

$50.8K

US & Canada
$50.8K
Videos

Johns Trailers & Videos

The trailer of Johns.

Johns (1996) trailer - David Arquette, Lukas Haas
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Johns?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

In which city does the film's story take place?

Cars

Cars in Johns

19 cars on screen, including the 1994 Ford Aspire and the 1981 Ford LTD Country Squire.

All 19 cars
  • 1994 Ford Aspire in Johns 1994 Ford Aspire Important role
  • 1981 Ford LTD Country Squire in Johns 1981 Ford LTD Country Squire Important role
  • 1994 Ford Taurus in Johns 1994 Ford Taurus Important role
  • 1973 Plymouth Duster in Johns 1973 Plymouth Duster Important role

Seen Johns?

FAQ

Johns FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office and post-credit scenes of Johns, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Johns?

Johns runs 1 hour 36 minutes (96 minutes).

When was Johns released?

Johns was released on December 10, 1996.

Who directed Johns?

Johns was directed by Scott Silver.

More films by Scott Silver

Who is in the cast of Johns?

Johns stars Keith David as Homeless John, David Arquette as John and Arliss Howard as John Cardoza, among 14 credited actors.

How much did Johns make at the box office?

Johns grossed $50,789 worldwide.

Does Johns have a post-credit scene?

No. Johns has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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