A funny, unique film!

Rating: 9/10 (7 July 2000)

IT'S A PLOT OUTLINE - THERE MIGHT BE A SPOILER!
"Being John Malkovich" has to be one of the most...different films that actually work. Charlie Kaufman deserved an Oscar for his screenplay - his ideas were so twisted, hilarious, and genius.
The parts were well acted, the dialogue was very funny. "Being John Malkovich" begins with a great opening scene - a puppet show. John Cusack who plays the puppeteer Craig Schwartz does this amazing realistic puppet show. It's great. Then we get to meet Cameron Diaz, his wife and a freaky pet lover that believes her chimp is having mind problems because he is a chimp. Since Craig isn't getting money from the puppet gig, he's forced to get work.
Craig gets work at as a filer at an agency on the SEVENTH AND A HALF FLOOR. The secretary he meets is hilarious. That scene is a great one. At work, he meets Maxine, played by Catherine Keener (who does the most superb work of the year!) Craig starts beginning to like her, trying to hit on her, but with her b*tchy attitude, it doesn't go well.
Then at work Craig drops a folder behind the cabinet. He moves the cabinet to find a door in the wall. It's very small. He enters and gets sucked through a tunnel. Then suddenly we are looking through the eyes of John Malkovich.
After fifteen minutes, Craig is spontaneously dropped by the side of the New Jersey Turnpike. He goes back to the office to tell Maxine - who doesn't believe him. Then he sends his wife (Cameron Diaz) through the tunnel. She looks through John's eyes...while he's in the shower. When he comes out she tells her husband that she's thinks she is a transexual. Maxine develops a plan to make $200 every time someone goes through, and it succeeds until John Malkovich finds out.
It's a great movie. Spike Jones does a great job directing such a magnificent and surrealistic picture. It is one of the best pictures of 1999!!!