Clever Conceit Runs Away with the Film

Rating: 6/10 (29 June 2010)

"Being John Malkovich" announced the arrival of Charlie Kaufman as a major new talent among screenwriters, and though I've been resistant to much of his work, including this film, I can't deny that he's certainly established himself as a presence.
"Being John Malkovich" is a case of a film being too clever for its own good. The premise is a hoot -- a nerdy dude (John Cusack) discovers a portal that allows those who pass through it to live inside John Malkovich's head for a while. His mousy wife (Cameron Diaz) and new-found fling (a fetching Catherine Keener) want in on the action too, until word is out and there's a virtual stampede of people wanting to be Malkovich.
The film is nothing if not original, and it's engaging to a point, but the screenplay gets ahead of Kaufman and the whole thing spins out of control.
Malkovich plays himself and gives a performance so grotesque that it was almost unwatchable for me.
Grade: B-