Being John Malkovich (1999) [Directed by Spike Jonze]

Rating: 10/10 (5 December 2002)

Yes, it's twisted. Of course its bizarre. But let's not forget that it's also plain brilliant (if it's at all possible for brilliance to be plain). It is simply one of the most unique movies ever made, and it couldn't have come along at a better time. The story is about a struggling puppeteer with an animal-crazed wife (John Cusack and Cameron Diaz, respectively) who finds a portal in his office leading to the mind of John Malkovich. He discovers that by crawling through it, he can actually BE John Malkovich for fifteen minutes, after which he is spat out on the New Jersey turnpike. And if you think THAT'S weird, what happens next will blow your mind: he and the woman he works with -- Catherine Keener in her Oscar-nominated performance -- decide to sell tickets to the portal for $200 a pop. Things go terribly wrong, however, when John Malkovich uncovers the scheme, transforming what was at first a wildly funny fantasy into one of the most thought-provoking meditations on existentialism ever brought to the screen. Because aside from being a comedy, Being John Malkovich has equally tragic parts. The finest example of this concept (SPOILERS AHEAD) is the ending: as Cusack's character is trapped in the sub-conscious of the daughter of the woman he loved, he stares at her and tries to force himself to look away, forever doomed to watch the world through someone else's eyes. It's not just the story and the ending that are great, though; every aspect of the film is fantastic. The screenplay and the direction are perfect (both of which received Academy Award nominations) and the movie itself is truly intriguing -- and strangely re-watchable. While not for everyone, Being John Malkovich is a spectacular piece of work and one of the best films of the nineties.
Grade: A+