Totally demented--I loved it

Rating: Null/10 (20 November 1999)

When Terry Gilliam's film adaptation of "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" was released last year, J. Hoberman loved it and wrote in the Village Voice (approximation) "Brilliant, original, and insane. How did this movie ever get made?" Much the same could be said of "Being John Malkovich," which ranks with "American Beauty," "Three Kings," "Bringing Out the Dead," "After Life," and "Run Lola Run" as one of the best films of 1999. Although I am in the minority with regard to the visual style--I wish Jonze had been more flamboyant (like the aforementioned Gilliam)--as opposed to the "realistic" look he used, I can still understand why he took that route. Charlie Kaufman (the writer) and Jonze tosses off more ideas in ten minutes than most movies do in their entire running length. It also happens to be laugh-out-loud funny in some parts. There is a slightly misogynistic bit about a woman getting locked in a cage, but the character who does this definitely gets his comeuppance. To sum up: this film is demented, twisted, hysterical, poignant, and wacky, with brilliant acting, great writing, a fabulous score by Carter Burwell, and fine direction. See it. You won't regret it.