Highly Original & Wildly Inventive Being John Malkovich a Close Call

Rating: Null/10 (3 January 2000)

Critics are praising "Being John Malkovich" and this film is on many a top ten lists, so I guess I am in the minority. Although "Being John Malkovich" is one of the most original and inventive films ever, it just did not stir me that much nor did I find it hugely entertaining nor very funny. Maybe this film was just too bizarre for me, but once I accepted the concept, it still did not make me walk out of the theater saying "wow". This doesn't make sense to me since it has much going for it.
John Cusack plays Craig Schwartz, a brilliant puppeteer who just can't seem to make a living at a craft that he loves. After his wife Lotte (Cameron Diaz, almost unrecognizable), suggests that he find some other means of work until the puppet thing takes off, Craig finds himself working for a filing company, LesterCorp, which is located on floor 7 ½ (a great concept in itself). One day at the office, Craig finds a small hidden doorway behind a filing cabinet. Naturally curious about it, he enters or should I say crawls through this space only to find out that it is a portal into the mind of actor John Malkovich. This portal allows the traveler 15 minutes inside Mr. Malkovich as he goes about his everyday business until eventually spewing the person onto the New Jersey Turnpike roadside (another great concept). Eager about the prospect, Craig informs his co-worker, the ice queen supremo Maxine (Catherine Keener) of his discovery and soon the two become partners in JM Inc., which provides the public 15 minutes of being John Malkovich for $200 a pop. Once Craig's wife Lotte takes the Malkovich spin, she begins to question her sexual identity and her and Craig begin to battle for Maxine's affection through John Malkovich's conscience. (Yes, it sounds totally bizarre and it is, but it all makes sense somehow). I just wished I had enjoyed it much more than I actually did, because it is not only original, but very cleaver. It just did not do much for me.
Spike Jonze, who was one of the soldiers in the film, "Three Kings" does a great job in creating a highly conceptual film that has a lot to say about the public's fascination with celebrities, how we relate to people and how we force ourselves to fit into certain situations. Credit also goes to screenwriter Charlie Kaufman and also the acting here, which is very good. John Cusack and Cameron Diaz do fine work and both have their appearance altered from their usual norm, especially Diaz who downright looks like she need a big time scrub (and that hair, it's hysterical). Cusack has captured the down and trodden performer who has to swallow his pride to take such a meaningless job. His mannerisms are wonderful, all the right little tics. Diaz does a complete turnaround compared to her very strong-willed and tough as nails performance in "Any Given Sunday". She takes a role that could easily been a caricature and turns it into a complete and believable character. John Malkovich does a good job as what else John Malkovich and he is definitely a good sport about the whole thing, but what the hell, you get to have a movie named after you. But the standout here goes to the wonderful actress, Catherine Keener, who always does excellent work ("Living in Oblivion", "Your Friends & Neighbors"). To be able to make even such an ice-cold character as Maxine likable is an accomplishment. It's a very good performance.
So here is a picture that is original, imaginative, witty, well-directed, well acted, but yet I just was not crazy about it. For me all the parts just did not add up to a very satisfying whole although I did enjoy the 2nd half of the film much better than the first and got more involved in it at that point. Check it out though if you want to see something totally unique and original. A hit and miss recommendation. × × × out of 5