A delightfully dotty head trip

Rating: 10/10 (20 April 2007)

Being John Malkovich was one of the most bizarre films to ever emerge from the 90s. Its completely off the wall, its really out there and it seems to exist in a world parallel to our own. It's also one of the most original, intelligent and funniest of films I've ever seen.
Consider this; a struggling puppeteer Craig Schwartz (John Cusack) works as a file clerk in an office that looks like the designers had the Munchkins from The Wizard of Oz in mind when they created it. The office is so tiny you have to crane your head sideways to walk about. Craig discovers a tiny door behind a filing cabinet. And like Alice down the rabbit hole, when he goes through it, he emerges into a fantasy land. Or to be more precise, inside the body of the actor John Malkovich. Seeing the world through his eyes. For 15 minutes at a time before being spat out next to the New Jersey Turnpike.
What follows is a dizzying journey of identity crises, power trips and lots and lots of wackiness. I don't know when writer Charlie Kaufman dreamt up this joyous gem of a film, or how director Spike Jonze ever convinced A-list stars Cameron Diaz, John Cusack, Charlie Sheen (in a wonderful cameo) and most importantly Malkovich himself to play along, but you're glad they saw the genius in it. This is a truly extraordinary film!
Being John Malkovich must qualify as the quirkiest comedy to hit cinema screens since Groundhog Day. In fact the more I compare them, the more alike they seem. They both flow from a central conceit and we just sit back and watch the different possibilities that are opened up. And Jonze is completely engaged with the material right from the moment Craig discovers that portal into Malkovich's head.
As you watch the film, it slowly draws you into this oddball situation and somehow makes it all seem strangely plausible. Craig being a puppeteer is understandably enthused when he finds out that not only can he observe the world through John Malkovich, he can exert control over him too. And isn't that one of the greatest fantasies of our time? The opportunity to be a celebrity. Even if its only for a brief time. And bask in the privileges it presents.
The one question surely on all our minds is...why John Malkovich? What makes him so special? Of all the people in the world why was he singled out for this honour? Maybe because he's not an obvious choice. John Malkovich is a fine actor, and always puts in superb performances no matter what material he's asked to work with. But he's not quite the superstar say... Tom Hanks is. Or Tom Cruise. The fact that he's a little off the radar in real life makes him ideally cast.
We get to see him do simple, ordinary workings of everyday life. Such as eating toast. Taking a shower. Even checking his reflection. You wouldn't think such ordinary tasks would make for compelling viewing, but sometimes even the most ordinary gestures can be as absorbing as the greatest acting.
Another thing of continual delights is the wonderful screenplay Kaufman has put at our disposal. He manages to get some extraordinary mileage out of it. Perhaps because Being John Malkovich is a comedy of ideas. And the ideas just keep getting cleverer and cleverer.
I love it when Craig and Maxine (a delightfully vampish Catherine Keener), a woman he lusts for who keeps peeling him off her shoe opens up JM Inc. Where people are invited to inhabit Malkovich for $200 a pop. Or when Lotte (an astonishingly drab Cameron Diaz), Craig's wife enjoys being John Malkovich so much she develops feelings for Maxine too. Maxine is having sex with Malkovich at the time! Confused yet?!
The acting is super all over. Diaz and Keener are two sides of the same coin. They both love each other, but only as Malkovich! Cusack is a brilliantly dippy drip. And Charlie Sheen puts in a fantastic self-effacing cameo as Malkovich's friend. But of course, the real star here is Malkovich himself.
This surely must count as the finest performance of his career. And he's playing himself! Its a great star turn on his part, and shows off his real versatility as an actor. The poor bewildered Malkovich not only has to contend with people walking around his head without his knowledge, but has to contend with them taking over his body too. The way he captures Cusack's mannerisms is astonishing. His puppet dance is a real show stopper. But the crowning delight is the moment when he goes through that tiny door for himself, and sees what's on the other side. Its a scene of inspired lunacy, and showcases Malkovich's talents and range.
Some scenes are so surreal your head is spinning with the infinite possibilities BJM keeps dreaming up. Lotte chasing Maxine through the maze of Malkovich's subconscious is so conceptually dazzling it recalls the brilliance of the extraordinarily loopy Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Also penned by Kaufman. Talented man!
Being John Malkovich stands out as one of the finest comedies of the 90s. Its not nearly as complicated as it sounds. An accessible, incredibly heady experience so rewarding you almost wish there really were portals into other people's heads.
Quite brilliant!