A strange yet funny film

Rating: 9/10 (11 May 2010)

Indie cinema is often known for some really quirky and strange ideas; but few can come stranger then Being John Malkovich, an excellent debut film for Spike Jonze and Charlie Kaufman.
Craig Schwartz (John Cusack) is a skillful, but unemployed puppeteer, living with his pet-obsessed wife Lotte (Cameron Diaz). Struggling for money Craig takes a job as a filing clerk on a strange, low-ceilinged 7 ½ floor in the Mertin Flemmer Building, New York City. He seems skills at the job, but he falls for another worker, Maxine (Catherine Keener), who do not share his feelings. Whilst working Craig finds a strange portal which allows him to be insight John Malkovich's (John Malkovich) head and his experience what he sees and feels for 15 minutes before landing by the New Jersey Turnpike. He tells Maxine who at first thinks he is mad but quickly sees it as a money making opportunity. Lotte too finds out and she uses the portal to live out her transgender fantasies. Quickly a three way conflict starts up and when Malkovich starts to have some very strange experiences he is thrown into the mix.
In the late 90s, early noughties, some American films took a very surreal turn, Mulholland Drive was an excellent example. But whilst Mulholland Drive was played pretty straight, Being John Malkovich took a much more comic approach. There were funny lines throughout, but Jonze and Kaufman use the surrealism for comic effort as well, like when Malkovich climbs into the portal inside his own head. Being John Malkovich is a cleverly written film that is looks at the psychology of what makes the mind work and the ideas of identity. This is also at times a very dark film with it characterisation and raises some dark moral questions at the end. But it works because it is a very intelligence and it was well directed by Jonze who knows his way around a set-piece.
There is a unusual cast in this film. Cusack is known for being a indie star, he is really well known for doing comedy. He was well casted as the lead character and shows his talent. Diaz was unrecognisable as sad, mentally confused wife who is the most tragic and sympathetic character in the piece: it also shows how a difference hair style and set of clothes makes to someone's appearance. Keener was decent as a bitchy, loathsome character for most of the film but at times her acting did slip. Malkovich also shows he has a talent to play himself. Politically he is a moron, but he is a very talented actor and I can set outside my political issues when watching him. Orson Bean too was very good as the mysterious Dr. Lester and he had excellent comic timing.
A very entertaining but strange film.