Directed by Spike Jonze
1999/USA
Gramercy Pictures/Propaganda Films/Single Cell Pictures
First viewing
#961 of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
IMDb users say 7.8/10; I say 7.0/10
[box] Craig Schwartz (in John Malkovich): You see, Maxine, it isn’t just playing with dolls.
Maxine: You’re right, my darling, it’s so much more. It’s playing with people![/box]
This was a well made picture but it just wasn’t for me. Puppeteer Craig Schwartz (John Cusak) lives a vaguely eccentric but unexciting life with his wife Lotte (an unrecognizable Cameron Diaz) and a menagerie of animals. Craig starts work at a strange company owned by Dr. Lester (Orson Bean) and located on the 7 1/2 floor of an office building where the ceilings are about four feet high.
While working there, Craig becomes infatuated with Maxine (Catherine Keener), who is definitely not interested. Then Craig discovers a portal that will take anyone into the mind of actor John Malkovich for 15 minutes. Craig and Maxine parlay this into a paying business but the enterprise doesn’t last long after Lotte discovers she can’t get enough of being inside the actor, especially when he is inside of Maxine. Craig finds a way to win Maxine and fulfill his ambitions, while Lotte bides her time.
I must start out by saying that I would pay money not to spend any time in another person’s head, so the concept of the film was not too intriguing to me. I have to admit the story was very inventive, with oddball characters and situations at every turn, but I kept having the feeling that it was a big joke on the audience. I hate movies that laugh at me. After watching the supplements on the Blu-Ray, I feel I may have a better handle on what the film makers were possibly trying to communicate about celebrity and escapism. The most reassuring point was in the interview with Malkovich in which he said that Generation Xers tend to respond to the movie while baby boomers (me) do not.
I was very impressed by the acting in this film, especially that of John Malkovich, who was required to play several different parts while also playing himself. Everybody else was also very good. I like John Cusak in almost everything he is in. The music was nice.
Trailer
I liked this more than you, but I agree that the film falls a little short of being a truly profound statement on identity and consciousness, and, as you mentioned, celebrity. It’s like it comes close to some really awesome message, but backs away from it at the last minute. Crazy awesome creativity, though.
I saw one review today that said that this was science fiction. I thought that was a useful way of thinking about it. Not that I’m a big fan of science fiction … Ah well, I’m glad I watched it.
I really didn’t get this film……….I had mixed feelings about what the director was trying to get across. But if a film has John Malkovich, it is OK by me. I absolutely fell in love with him in “Dangerous Liaisons” where many people think he was miscast……not me, I thought he was perfect. But this film was not for me.
I see we are once again in the same boat on a movie.
There is a lot I don’t remember about “Being John Malkovich.” I like screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, though, a very interesting guy. He has a website appropriately called, “Being Charlie Kaufman.” http://www.beingcharliekaufman.com/
Thanks for the website. I think I liked it more than Being John Malkovich!
I’ve seen eternal sunshine billed as sci-fi too, but that makes a little more sense
Though it doesn’t “feel” that way exactly, I don’t think Malkovich can be anything other than sci-fi or fantasy. Unless it’s a dream … But that would just be wrong.