Genius

Rating: 9/10 (28 April 2002)

I'm at a loss for words with this film. How does something so odd, so unique not get any mention in the annals of brilliance and genius. Hollywood maybe has seven or eight types of movie ideas that are repeated ad nauseum, but Being John Malkovich somehow managed to stay away from those predetermined molds. Spike Jonz made a fine effort in his film debut, and the whole conundrum of the film created an interesting question. This film could easily have been some cornball flick called Being Tom Cruise or something. Yet it stayed true to its form, commenting on our obsessiveness to be someone else, to be something greater than our 9-5 jobs and big screen TVs. So many things to talk about, and so many things to look at a second time.