The Best Movie About a Portal into John Malkovich's Head Ever Made!

Rating: 10/10 (18 November 2010)

Being John Malkovich, directed by Spike Jonze, probably gets better every time you see it. Screenwriter Charlie Kaufman is a genius when it comes to subtle foreshadowing, as well as thinking up with metaphysical comedies like this. But you might be wondering: what is the plot of this bizarre and brilliant movie? Allow me to elaborate.
John Cusack is Craig Schwartz, an insecure puppeteer who gets a job working on the seven and a half floor (why would there be a floor that's only half as tall? "Well, the overhead IS low.") of the Merton-Flemmer building in New York City. There, he meets seductive co-worker Maxine (Catherine Keener), who he finds much more attractive than his plain wife Lotte (Cameron Diaz); and Dr. Lester (Orson Bean), his quirky, 105- year old boss who drinks lots of carrot juice. For the first twenty-five minutes or so, we don't even get a mention of Mr. Malkovich, until Craig discovers a small door hidden behind a file cabinet containing a portal. That portal lets you go inside the head of actor John Malkovich (playing himself); to see, hear, and feel all that he sees, hears, and feels for about 15 minutes before being spat out onto the side of the New Jersey Turnpike. Craig uses this fantastic discovery for personal gain with Maxine, and Lotte becomes fascinated too. But, once Malkovich himself catches on, things really start to get strange.
Yes, this movie is weird and slightly surreal. But Spike Jonze portrays it in a sort of quiet, low-key, realistic way, which makes the weirdness and comedy all the more memorable. If you're a fan of Charlie Kaufman (like me!), then you know that you do sort of have to suspend your disbelief while watching his movies. Granted, I found it a little hard to swallow that everyone in this movie believes Craig about the portal almost right away, but it's really just a stepping stone to keep the story moving along. The characters and acting are all great, and while I wouldn't really say that the humor is laugh-out-loud funny, it leaves you with a unique feeling and becomes more evident on every viewing.
The movie isn't just clever and witty, it's often beautiful, with great production values (even if it is apparent at times that it was filmed in Los Angeles rather than New York--when Lotte falls onto the Turnpike for the second time, look in the background for some very Southern Californian palm trees.). The scene where Malkovich goes through the portal into his own head (A.K.A. the best scene in the movie) proves through hilarious means what a low budget movie can achieve with special effects nowadays.
By the time the third act rolled around, I thought I had what was going to happen figured out pretty well, but then the already fantastic movie suddenly gives us a great antagonist and a great unexpected ending. Kudos to Kaufman, who makes sure no subplot gets left behind, not even one involving a chimpanzee.
As for the title character/actor, John Malkovich is funny and superb as himself, going through all this craziness. People often call him the most sympathetic character in the story, but I would have to give that honor to Craig. Of course, other people will give it to Lotte, or Maxine, or Lester, showing how deep and ultimately unforgettable Being John Malkovich is.