While too many movies suffer the fate of creative bankruptcy, Being John Malkovich is a refreshing study in contrast, so bracingly original that you'll want to send director Spike Jonze and screenwriter Charlie Kaufman a thank-you note for restoring your faith in the enchantment of film. Even if it ultimately serves little purpose beyond the thrill of comedic invention, this demented romance is gloriously entertaining, spilling over with ideas that tickle the brain and even touch the heart. That's to be expected in a movie that dares to ponder the existential dilemma of a forlorn puppeteer (John Cusack) who discovers a metaphysical portal into the brain of actor John Malkovich.

The puppeteer's working as a file clerk on the seventh-and-a-half floor of a Manhattan office building; this idea alone might serve as the comedic basis for an entire film, but Jonze and Kaufman are just getting started. Add a devious coworker (Catherine Keener), Cusack's dowdy wife (a barely recognizable Cameron Diaz), and a business scheme to capitalize on the thrill of being John Malkovich, and you've got a movie that just gets crazier as it plays by its own outrageous rules. Malkovich himself is the film's pièce de résistance, riffing on his own persona with obvious delight and--when he enters his own brain via the portal--appearing with multiple versions of himself in a tour-de-force use of digital trickery. Does it add up to much? Not really. But for 112 liberating minutes, Being John Malkovich is a wild place to visit. --Jeff Shannon

While too many movies suffer the fate of creative bankruptcy, Being John Malkovich is a refreshing study in contrast, so bracingly original that you'll want to send director Spike Jonze and screenwriter Charlie Kaufman a thank-you note for restoring your faith in the enchantment of film. Even if it ultimately serves little purpose beyond the thrill of comedic invention, this demented romance is gloriously entertaining, spilling over with ideas that tickle the brain and even touch the heart. That's to be expected in a movie that dares to ponder the existential dilemma of a forlorn puppeteer (John Cusack) who discovers a metaphysical portal into the brain of actor John Malkovich.

The puppeteer's working as a file clerk on the seventh-and-a-half floor of a Manhattan office building; this idea alone might serve as the comedic basis for an entire film, but Jonze and Kaufman are just getting started. Add a devious coworker (Catherine Keener), Cusack's dowdy wife (a barely recognizable Cameron Diaz), and a business scheme to capitalize on the thrill of being John Malkovich, and you've got a movie that just gets crazier as it plays by its own outrageous rules. Malkovich himself is the film's pièce de résistance, riffing on his own persona with obvious delight and--when he enters his own brain via the portal--appearing with multiple versions of himself in a tour-de-force use of digital trickery. Does it add up to much? Not really. But for 112 liberating minutes, Being John Malkovich is a wild place to visit. --Jeff Shannon

A street puppeteer turned file clerk accidentally discovers a portal into the brain of actor John Malkovich; he, his wife and his office mate hatch a plot to charge $200 for others to make the journey.
Genre: Feature Film-Comedy
Rating: R
Release Date: 1-APR-2003
Media Type: DVD

I enjoy "deep" movies, but sometimes "deep" movies appear deep without truly being deep. This is one of those movies. It was at times thought provoking, but the so called twists and paradoxes, to me, had no deeper meaning other that to have them so people who professed to understand them could feel more intelligent than the rest of the population who did not. Maybe it is sour grapes, but to me if they had cut out some of the "deeper" idioms the movie would have sustained the true depth and thought provoking ideals it was looking for.

I love the combination of scifi existentialism, reality in the fact that John Malkovich plays himself, and subtle comedy.

There are scenes in this movie that stick in my head and make me chuckle when I think of them long after seeing it.

I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a lot of quirkiness in their movies.

[first lines]
Lotte Schwartz: Craig, honey, it's time for bed.
[fade out and in]
Orrin Hatch the bird: Craig, honey, time to get up, Craig, honey, time to get up, Craig, honey, time to get up, Craig, honey, time to get up,
Craig Schwartz: Lotte...
Lotte Schwartz: I'm sorry. I didn't know Orrin Hatch was out of his cage.

A puppeteer discovers a portal that leads literally into the head of the movie star, John Malkovich.

Craig Schwartz: Nobody's looking for a puppeteer in today's wintry economic climate.

Craig discovers that LesterCorp is on the 7 1/2 floor of the Mertin Flemmer building by seeing a "7 1/2" on a building directory in the lobby - at the 7 1/2-minute point of the film.

Dr. Lester: Any questions?
Craig Schwartz: Just one. Why are these ceilings so low?
Dr. Lester: Low overhead, my boy - we pass the savings on to you! But seriously, that'll all be covered in the orientation.

The play that Craig was performing with his puppets (when he gets smacked by an angry parent) is based on the letters of Abelard and Heloise, written between 1115 and 1117 AD, which were found, copied and abridged by Johannes de Vepria, a 15th century Cistercian monk, into "Ex Epistolis duorum amantium" ("From the Letters of Two Lovers"). This became a classic document of early romantic (tragic) love used by many artists in their work including William Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet. In addition, screenwriter Charlie Kaufman's later project Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) took its title, and no small amount of inspiration, from Alexander Pope's "Eloisa to Abelard."

Dr. Lester: I've been very lonely in my isolated tower of indecipherable speech.

The 1990 Steppenwolf Theatre building in Chicago (Malkovich was one of the first members of Steppenwolf, and remains one today) includes a half-floor used for storage.

The original script has Kevin Bacon in place of 'Charlie Sheen' , as Malkovich's actor friend.

John Malkovich: Ma-Sheen!
Charlie Sheen: Malcatraz!

The play that John Malkovich is rehearsing on stage is Shakespeare's "Richard III." The lines "Was ever a woman in this humour woo'd? / Was ever a woman in this humour won?" are I.ii.239-240, where Richard is gloating over his use of power, lies and crime to obtain the woman he desires, Lady Anne. This rehearsal scene is immediately followed by the first time that Craig makes love with Maxine via Malkovich.

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Maxine: Tell me a little about yourself.
Craig Schwartz: Well, I'm a puppeteer...
Maxine: [turns to bartender] Check!

Several characters in the movie remember Malkovich as having played a jewel thief, even though, as he correctly points out, he never did. However, Malkovich did eventually play a jewel thief in Johnny English (2003).

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Craig Schwartz: You don't know how lucky you are being a monkey. Because consciousness is a terrible curse. I think. I feel. I suffer. And all I ask in return is the opportunity to do my work. And they won't allow it... because I raise issues.

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[last lines]
Craig Schwartz: [voiceover] Maxine. Maxine, I love you, Maxine. Oh, look away. Look away. Look away. Look away. Look away. Look away. Look away. Look away.

"Allegro, from Music for Strings"
Written by Béla Bartók
Performed by The Cleveland Orchestra
Conducted by Christoph von Dohnányi
Courtesy of The Decca Record Company Ltd.
Under license from Universal Music Special Markets

"Song of the Soul"
Composed by Patrick Hawes
Courtesy of Promusic, Inc.

"Minuetto"
(from Concerto in C major for Oboe, String Orchestra and Basso Continuo)
Music by Antonio Vivaldi
Courtesy of Promusic, Inc.
"Amphibian"
Written by Björk
Performed by Björk
Produced by Björk, Valgeir Sigurðsson & Mark Bell

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Maxine: You're not someone I could get interested in, Craig, you play with dolls.

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TEN FILMS THAT PERTAIN TO BEING JOHN MALKOVICH IN SOME OBSCURE OR DIRECT WAY

Adaptation (Superbit Collection) (2002) Charlie Kaufman wrote this script besides Being John Malkovich. Meryl Streep? Not too shabby. Contains a fictional account of the making of Being John Malkovich as part of a movie within the movie.

Bound (1996) Jennifer Tilly is Violet and Gina Gershon is Corky. Schwing!!!

Steppenwolf (1974) Max von Sydow is Harry Haller, the Steppenwolf, Pierre Clémenti is the enigmatic Pablo, and Dominique Sanda is Hermine. Based on the book by Herman Hesse, it was also the name of the theater company joined by John Malkovich, as well as the band who gave us Born to Be Wild.

Boys on the Side (1995) Whoopi Goldberg, Drew Barrymore, and Mary-Louise Parker order a grilled cheese sandwich with a pickle on the side.

Grosse Pointe Blank (1997) Cusack is Martin Q. Blank, an everyman, a warped John Q. Public.

Roberto Benigni's Pinocchio (2002) Roberto Benigni followed up his Oscar win with Pinocchio, the worst received puppet show since Craig Schwartz performed The Letters of Abelard and Heloise.

The Grifters (1990) Cusack is Roy Dillon, a grifter, son of Angelica Houston, another grifter, and Annette Benning? Grifter.

There's Something About Mary (Widescreen Edition) (1998) Cameron Diaz plays Mary Jensen, right down to her hair gel.

Johnny English (Widescreen Edition) (2003) Pascal Sauvage, the Greedy Frenchman, and Malkovich finally does play a jewell theif after all.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Charlie Sheen: Truth is for suckers, Johnny Boy.

Craig starts as a nobody Puppeteer until one day he finds himself as a well-mannered actor after discovering a miniature doorway where he works. It is a portal that leads to the mind and body of John Malkovich. For 200.00 Craig and his hard-to-get co-worker lets anyone access the portal; where love making with wild women and his daily habits can be experienced. Unfortunately for most it only last 15 minutes. This movie plays on many philosophical and psychological abstracts such as mind, consciousness, sub consciousness and private thought and diffuses them out with humor and sexual wits.

Malkovic?

If you don't mind the exceedingly creepy idea of your wife leaving you for another woman whilst occupying the body of a man (John Malkovic to be precise) then this movie is for you.

It's completely absurd, abstract and entertaining, if only for the fact that you will see Cameron Diaz at her absolute worst in terms of image (although quality acting).

Certainly a very entertaining way to spend a couple of hours!

The HD-DVD version isn't the best or worst transfer out there, it just is what it is, so if you like the movie, go and buy.