Movie Title: Being John Malkovich

Movie Title: Being John Malkovich
Rating: 9
Reviewed By: Being John Malkovich

Review:

Very, very odd are the first words to come to mind when I think of the sort of dark comedy that is Being John Malkovich. Now I do say this, but it is not meant as a knock against the film, just what first came to mind after watching this film. Of course the film is also very funny, and has some great acting to go with its bizarre premise.

The premise of this picture is that Craig Schwartz (John Cusak) is an unknown puppeteer who has to get a day job, and he does on the 7th and a half floor of an office building in New York. Here Craig discovers this portal into the head of John Malkovich, which when entered allows one to see the world from inside Malkovich. Then after about fifteen minutes the person is ejected and falls out of the sky and alongside the highway in New Jersey.

Well Craig wants to share this with Maxine (Catherine Keener), an attractive lady who works on the same floor as Craig, and whom he is very attracted to. And as it turns out Craig's wife Lotte (Cameron Diaz) is also very attracted to Maxine. Then add that Maxine is in love with Lotte, but only when Lotte is inside John Malkovich. Again, I repeat, a very weird plot.

Well anyway Maxine and Craig form a business to exploit this portal, but eventually Craig becomes the ultimate puppeteer and starts to control Malkovich, and then become Malkovich. All the while Craig's boss Dr. Lester (Orson Bean) is aware of the portal and has been for several generations. You see Lester uses the portal to take control of the people in order to live forever. Again, I repeat, a very weird plot.

This really is as they say, only just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the complex plot of Being John Malkovich. Spike Jonze does a great job directing this great cast in this Charlie Kaufman written film. Besides those already named, the film also includes John Malkovich (duh), Charlie Sheen, Mary Kay Place, and Byrne Piven.

As you probably guessed, I do like Being John Malkovich. Though not the funniest film I've ever seen, nor the most complex, but I think it is the best combination of the two. So I give the film a score of nine on the About-Movies.com scale. Till we meet again.