"Ever Want To Be Someone Else?" - BEING JOHN MALKOVICH

BEING JOHN MALKOVICH
1999 - 112 minutes - Fantasy/Comedy
Director: Spike Jonze
Country: United States
IMDB: 7.8
Metacritic: 90
RT: 93%

CinemaChagrin's Rating: A

Watch this movie if you enjoy:

• Comic fantasies
• Unique and witty screenplays
• Totally meta films
• John Malkovich

Avoid this movie if you dislike:

• Contemporary fantasies
• Unconventional storytelling
• John Malkovich
• John Malkovich

(some mild spoilers below)

I must admit, the first time I saw Being John Malkovich, I didn't know exactly what to make of it. Well acted, directed, and written, for sure, but I just couldn't wrap my head around the thing. A second viewing completely altered my perspective. Not only is the film excellent from a technical standpoint, it remains perhaps the most original and creative film of the 1990s. 

It is an impossible task to summarize succinctly the plot of BJM, but it goes something like this: Craig Schwartz (John Cusack), a down-on-his luck puppeteer, gets a day job at the insistence of his wife, Lotte (Cameron Diaz). While on the job as a file-puller on the mysterious 7 1/2 floor of a Manhattan office building, Schwartz discovers a tiny door behind a filing cabinet. He crawls inside to discover that the door is actually a portal to the head of John Malkovich (played by himself). After 15 minutes in Malkovich's head, seeing through his eyes, Schwartz gets dumped out onto the side of the New Jersey turnpike. After telling one of his co-workers, Maxine, about the experience, the two decide to set up shop selling trips in Malkovich's head for $200 a pop. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Lotte (Cameron Diaz) and Craig (John Cusack) Schwartz

BJM functions on so many different levels. As a fantasy, the universe it establishes is enthralling (plus, Carter Burwell's dreamlike musical score helps a lot with setting the mood). As a comedy, it is absolutely hilarious, though typically not in a completely laugh-out-loud way (it also gets much, much funnier upon repeated viewings). The film raises insightful questions about self-identity, narcissism,  and human sexuality. Finally, it is super meta (self-aware), featuring cameos from several big-name actors and of course John Malkovich himself. It's difficult to imagine any other actor filling the role, as Malkovich is well-known enough to be recognizable, but not a superstar who would overshadow the entire film. Malkovich's stage and theater background also become relevant to the plot, as he becomes a puppet in a play larger than himself. (After reading the script for the first time, he reportedly asked the writer, Charlie Kaufman, why the film couldn't be called "Being Tom Cruise." Kaufman argued adamantly that he would never rewrite the screenplay with another actor to serve as the central figure.) 

Craig on the side of the NJ turnpike after his first Malkovich experience

Speaking of Charlie Kaufman, one cannot help but marvel at the creativity and originality of his screenplays. They are truly unlike anything else in Hollywood today. In addition to BJM, Kaufman has written perhaps the most inventive book adaptation ever put to screen, Adaptation, as well as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, a very unconventional love story. His irreverent and smart writing style in BJM ensures that the audience can never quite predict where the story is headed. So many exciting and unexpected twists and turns fill the plot, but it never becomes overwhelming. Dialogue between characters is both hilarious and appropriately crazy for the fantasy world the film creates.

An excellent screenplay alone does not a movie make, however. In his first feature film, Spike Jonze proved a competent and creative director. His camerawork manages to keep up with all the zany craziness of the plot, and does so in very satisfying ways. The viewpoints from inside Malkovich's head immerse the viewer in the film, as we are allowed to see the action both from within and outside him. Fortunately, Jonze does not rely on fancy editing and rapid cuts, unlike many directors who got their start in music videos.

Schwartz and his coworker Maxine (Catherine Keener)

Though the film's standout element is the screenplay itself, all the actors in BJM are at the top of their game. John Cusack plays the obsessive puppeteer Craig Schwartz with surprising sympathy, despite the nature of the character. Catherine Keener as Maxine is pitch-perfect as the antithesis of Schwartz in every way possible (she nabbed her first Oscar nomination for the performance). Orson Bean's performance as the CEO of Lestercorp is absolutely hilarious, a delight to watch. Finally, Cameron Diaz serves as the heart and soul of the movie as Craig's wife, Lotte. Practically unrecognizable under a frizzy wig, Diaz's naive and loving Lotte is the most sympathetic character in the film. After seeing her excellent acting skills in BJM, I am somewhat saddened that Diaz seems to have acted mostly in mediocre films since (with the notable exceptions of Shrek and Gangs of New York). 

The entrance to Malkovich

Of course there is one actor I haven't mentioned yet, an actor whose name happens to appear in the title of the film. John Malkovich delivers an astounding performance. He not only plays himself, but also the role of a puppet under the control of others. As the linchpin that holds the film together, Malkovich is an absolute joy to watch. Playing an actor being forced to act, he traverses all ends of the emotional spectrum with surprising physical intensity. The fact that the Academy passed up Malkovich for a Best Supporting Actor nomination for the likes of Haley Joel Osment is infuriating to me. And don't even get me started on the fact that The Sixth Sense was nominated for Best Picture and BJM wasn't. In the wise words of the late Roger Ebert: 

"Either Being John Malkovich gets nominated for Best Picture, or the members of the Academy need portals into their brains."

Well said, Roger. Apparently they do. BJM is easily the most creative film of the 1990s. It may not be the most expansive or impressive film of the decade, but in terms of sheer originality, I have yet to see any film that rivals it. It's definitely not for everyone - if you have trouble accepting fantastical premises for films set in the real world or prefer more conventional storytelling, then I would steer clear - but if you appreciate zany films that make you sit back and ponder, "What the hell did I just watch?", then you'll love it. Supremely enjoyable, infinitely re-watchable, and never dull, I highly recommend Being John Malkovich.

-CC

P.S. I think the trailer for the film spoils way too much, so here is my favorite track from the score to the film. I think Carter Burwell is an underrated film composer.