Being John Malkovich (1999)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Manu G

  
  Be All That Someone Else Can Be Excellent FIlm! I enjoyed it alot! Great acting and storyline, funny, clever and insane film. Don't worry if this all sounds a little strange to you, it should do, it's probably the most surreal film ever made. Go see it! Craig, a puppeteer,… More
  Be All That Someone Else Can Be Excellent FIlm! I enjoyed it alot! Great acting and storyline, funny, clever and insane film. Don't worry if this all sounds a little strange to you, it should do, it's probably the most surreal film ever made. Go see it! Craig, a puppeteer, takes a filing job in a low-ceilinged office in Manhattan. Although married to the slightly askew Lotte, he hits on a colleague, the sexually frank Maxine. She's bored but snaps awake when he finds a portal leading inside John Malkovich: for 15 minutes you see, hear, and feel whatever JM is doing, then you fall out by the New Jersey Turnpike. Maxine makes it commercial, selling trips for $200; also, she's more interested in Lotte than in Craig, but only when Lotte is inside JM. JM finds out what's going on and tries to stop it, but Craig sees the portal as his road to Maxine and to success as a puppeteer. Meanwhile, Lotte discovers others interested in the portal.

• Albert K

  
  Freakin weird movie. John Malkovich is always entertaining to watch and the movie has some very original plot elements but there are some big pacing issues. Nevertheless, "Being John Malkovich" is worth watching.

• Graham J

  
  A hilarious and smart film that features strange but great performances. It does seem to run out of steam though by the end.

• Tyler C

  
  Boosted by Charlie Kaufman's supremely original and clever script, along with great performances and stylish direction by Spike Jonze, "Being John Malkovich" is one of the strangest, oddest yet astoundingly clever comedy I've seen in quite a long time. Could be a… More
  Boosted by Charlie Kaufman's supremely original and clever script, along with great performances and stylish direction by Spike Jonze, "Being John Malkovich" is one of the strangest, oddest yet astoundingly clever comedy I've seen in quite a long time. Could be a potential all-time favorite, too!

• Jameson W

  
  Excellent excellent film, brilliant concept, perfect execution!

• xGary X

  
  An out of work puppeteer finds an accounting job in the 7 1/2th floor of an office building where he finds a doorway into the mind of John Malkovich in which he decides to squat in order to win the affection of a co-worker. Being John Malkovich is just strange; not Donnie Darko or… More
  An out of work puppeteer finds an accounting job in the 7 1/2th floor of an office building where he finds a doorway into the mind of John Malkovich in which he decides to squat in order to win the affection of a co-worker. Being John Malkovich is just strange; not Donnie Darko or Eternal Sunshine strange. Waaaay past that! It's one of those films that you're either going to love or hate because it's so "out there" it's purely a subjective matter of taste. I usually find odd ball films that are deliberately "wacky" such as this terminally irritating (yes, I'm looking at you, Anderson) but Being John Malkovich is so likeably weird and genuinely amusing I couldn't help but love it. John Malkovich shows himself to be a real sport (as does Charlie Sheen and Brad Pitt in cameos) and although I wouldn't try to read too much into it, it's an enjoyably bizarre ride into the imagination of one of the most original script writers around.

• moon r

  
  Charles Kaufman's insightful exaggeration about the cult of celebrity, and the cult of self(fishness). Never conventional and very witty, a comedy of neuroses delivered by a cast that give their all.

• Taylor R

  
  A brilliant concept without any real payoff. Instead of exploring the metaphysical problems initially proposed by John Cusack's character, the film instead dives into an extremely uninteresting melodrama between the three leads. There's no emotional anchor here. Despite… More
  A brilliant concept without any real payoff. Instead of exploring the metaphysical problems initially proposed by John Cusack's character, the film instead dives into an extremely uninteresting melodrama between the three leads. There's no emotional anchor here. Despite that, John Malkovich's performance is to be commended. I just wish the other actors had more to work with.

• Sam B

  
  Being John Malkovich is a surreal, witty, and surprisingly dark tale. Though the acting performances are all great, the incredibly unique script unfortunately provides few likeable characters, and eventually becomes too strange to emit any sort of understandable message. What viewers… More
  Being John Malkovich is a surreal, witty, and surprisingly dark tale. Though the acting performances are all great, the incredibly unique script unfortunately provides few likeable characters, and eventually becomes too strange to emit any sort of understandable message. What viewers are left with is a movie unlike any out there, but the film finds itself to be far more profound than it actually is.

• Drake T

  
  Incredible originality and "weirdness" doesn't automatically spell for good film making. There's always a constant lack of direction, what are the messages, what are the themes? Is it identity? gender roles? incompetence? love without the confines of physical… More
  Incredible originality and "weirdness" doesn't automatically spell for good film making. There's always a constant lack of direction, what are the messages, what are the themes? Is it identity? gender roles? incompetence? love without the confines of physical attraction? The characters are so transparently played out in this bizarre tale that it often fails to connect with it's audience on any level.

• Shawn E

  
  One of the most strange and unpredictable films ever made. The film does have slow moments, but because of it's unpredictability you never have a clue what to expect next, yet alone understand it's missing logic. And even though this film is strange beyond comprehension, it… More
  One of the most strange and unpredictable films ever made. The film does have slow moments, but because of it's unpredictability you never have a clue what to expect next, yet alone understand it's missing logic. And even though this film is strange beyond comprehension, it still somehow manages to provide great comedy and enjoyment.

• Martin S

  
  This is a pretty wierd movie. A little random...perhaps a little too random. But it's still good. John Malkovich is such a good sport for doing this.

• Thomas B

  
  In a year full of movies like Magnolia, American Beauty, O Brother, Where Art Thou, Gladiator, Toy Story 2, the list goes on, Being John Malkovich entered the fray relatively quietly. But that feeling of reservedness only lasts until you actually see the film. The first quarter… More
  In a year full of movies like Magnolia, American Beauty, O Brother, Where Art Thou, Gladiator, Toy Story 2, the list goes on, Being John Malkovich entered the fray relatively quietly. But that feeling of reservedness only lasts until you actually see the film. The first quarter seems like crazy on overload, then by the second half, you realise that this feeling is just the craziness straining to get off the leash. Our main Craig Schwartz is a puppeteer, specialising in, shall we say, more adult puppet shows than most streetgoers are used to catching glimpses of on a city street corner. After feeling the need to get a real job, he takes up a filing position at LesterCorp. After working on the 71/2 floor (a gag which needs to be seen to be understood) for a while, he finds something interesting about the building in which he works. Something interesting in the form of a small door which has some startling side effects upon entering. From there the film goes crackerdog with some ridiculous scenes and even more ridiculous plotlines with some great gags to boot. At the centre of the madness is Craig Schwartz, played by an on-top-of-his-game John Cusack. Cusack really is fantastic here were in some films he might feel forced or out of place. He plays the miserable straight man perfectly and leaves plenty of room to move with great use of restraint throughout the film. Cameron Diaz is similiarly refreshing in this and helps to make you realise that, despite the typical hollywood look and not the most consistent choice of roles, she is a fantastic actress, and one with a funnybone too. As the third side of the Diaz/Cuzack love triangle, Catherine Keener excels as Maxine Lund. She makes a true character out of what could have been your typical seductress: smart, strange, confident, all that jazz. And of course, the man in the title, John Malkovich, is brilliant, playing the whiny, paranoid, uppity actor, unafraid to send himself up so entirely and so committedly. He's often good at crazy and it shows in this. Spike Jonze's direction in this is outstanding. He makes use of some very strange angles in order to position his audience perfectly, manipulating us like puppets who can't feel the strings. Never has a dancing puppet felt so real and emotional as it has with him at its helm. But it's the script that makes this movie so outstanding. Today, Kaufman scripts are well known to be amazing but it was this breakout screenplay that created the reputation and platform for such pieces as Adaptation, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Synedoche, New York. The everyday language is something to behold; a curious blend of realism and biting comedy, it takes you by surprise every time. Scenes such as the job interview are just portions of the sparkling wit surrounded by utter ridiculousness which is the majority of the film. But possibly the best thing about the script is the fact that what could have become a one-trick-pony very easily is most definitely a complete work. It may limp across the finish line but there is no doubt that the film is resolved in those last chilling moments. And, in trend-setting for any Kaufman scripts which followed after, the underlying message behind all the crazy set pieces is the thing which will stay with you the longest. Being John Malkovich will definitely not be everyone's cup of tea. There are its lovers, and just as strong there are its haters. And even though there may be the odd misstep here and there, one thing's for sure: it's a movie experience you'll never forget. And if that's not what film is about, what is? Defining Scene: Malkovich. Malkovich Malkovich. Malkovich Malkovich Malkovich. Quotes: Don't stand in the way of my actualisation as a man! There's a tiny door in my office. I have no time for piddling suggestions from mumbling job applicants. Truth is for suckers, Johnny Boy. "Are you married?" "Yes but enough about me." I've been very lonely in my isolated tower of indecipherable speech. My spunk is to you manna from heaven Shut up you overrated piece of shit!

• Spencer S

  
  Cerebral, imaginative, and eccentric, this is Kaufman's masterpiece. Cast is perfect, story is so very original, and there's nothing as inspiring for a screenwriter than the inspiration this film delivers.

• Jens S

  
  The idea of a small door in the 7.5th floor of a New York building leading into actor John Malkovich's mind has to be one of the oddest, most insane and funnest of movie history. The movie behind this idea is just as crazy, funny and wonderfully weird. The fact alone that… More
  The idea of a small door in the 7.5th floor of a New York building leading into actor John Malkovich's mind has to be one of the oddest, most insane and funnest of movie history. The movie behind this idea is just as crazy, funny and wonderfully weird. The fact alone that Malkovich played along with this shows how much the man can laugh about himself. The rest of the cast is just as excellent, especially Catherine Keener, Cameron Diaz and John Cusack deliver some of the best performances of their careers, and there are a lot of fun cameos. While the ending feels a bit rushed and doesn't entirely live up to the first 90 minutes, the whole experience is still a lot of fun, once you buy into the insane premise. One of the most original yet craziest films of recent Hollywood years.

• Greg S

  
  A puppeteer discovers a portal behind a file cabinet that provides entry into John Malkovich's head; together with a scheming co-worker he sells tickets to "be someone else" at $200 a pop. Highly absurd, but still the easiest to follow and funniest of Charlie… More
  A puppeteer discovers a portal behind a file cabinet that provides entry into John Malkovich's head; together with a scheming co-worker he sells tickets to "be someone else" at $200 a pop. Highly absurd, but still the easiest to follow and funniest of Charlie Kauffman's metaphysical comedy scripts.

• John H

  
  A funny, quirky adventure seen through the eyes of John Malkovich...and he doesn't like it one bit

• James A

  
  Loved the fuck out of it!

• Jennifer D

  
  This and Adaptation go hand-in-hand. Welcome to the existential mind fuck. Dry and hysterical. John Malkovich is SUCH a trooper for this whole thing. And Diaz and Cusack were awesomely awesome. Quite funny. I do appreciate Charlie Kaufman's work. Totally.

• David S

  
  Malkovich Malkovich Malkovich Malkovich Malkovich Malkovich. Malkovich Malkovich Malkovich Malkovich Malkovich. Malkovich Malkovich? Malkovich Malkovich Malkovich Malkovich Malkovich! (Right, I'll stop that. But for anyone who's seen the movie, they get it) This is a… More
  Malkovich Malkovich Malkovich Malkovich Malkovich Malkovich. Malkovich Malkovich Malkovich Malkovich Malkovich. Malkovich Malkovich? Malkovich Malkovich Malkovich Malkovich Malkovich! (Right, I'll stop that. But for anyone who's seen the movie, they get it) This is a strange film to describe. OK, sure, I've described strange films before but the plot involves people getting inside the head of John Malkovich via a portal on a floor in between the 7th and 8th floors of a building. All with a love triangle with puppeteer Craig Schwartz (John Cusack), married to Lotte (Cameron Diaz) and both are attracted to Craig's co-worker Maxine (Catherine Keener), who becomes attracted to Lotte while using Craig to suit her purposes and then there's Malkovich himself and it's best I stop here or else diagrams might be needed. So, the story in brief, Craig discovers the portal at his new job and uses it to escape his humdrum life and attempt to impress his new infatuation. Maxine sees it as a money making opportunity. Lotte sees it as a chance to seduce Maxine. And what does Malkovich himself think of all this? Oh ho ho, therein lies the screwiest of mind screws in this mind screw. I mean, he's not aware at first but he does find out. But I shouldn't tell you much more beyond that, lest I spoil the big reveal. One aspect I want to make note of that works for the film: the choice of actor for the title. Now, when I first saw the film, I had no idea who John Malkovich was (though back then, I had a limited pool of actors most of which were comedic actors) but I certainly paid attention to him after that. I may not know his entire career and some films I'm going to avoid like the plague (that would be you, Eragon.) but some of the films I've seen him in, I've admired his performance (exception to the rule here being Johnny English. Oh lordy, lordy, lordy was that ever a bad career move). Recently, I watched Burn After Reading and thought it to be his finest work yet. But the point I'm trying to make is, John Malkovich is a character actor who usually ends up with supporting roles and thus isn't always the first actor people would think of if asked to name one. Now, if the actor in question was Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, George Clooney, etc, we probably wouldn't have much of a movie because of their jet-setting life or turbulent personal lives. Granted, most of what happens in the film is a fictionalized look at Malkovich but it's believable. Being inside the mind of someone constantly at Hollywood parties or other such functions would quickly turn into a game of "Which Celebrity Can You Spot Now?" And at the risk of coming across as pretentious, I'd prefer someone like John Malkovich as the title focus (though if I was pressed for an alternate choice, I'd instantly say William H. Macy). A bigger name may lead to more people showing up expecting a two hour look-in at the life of their heartthrob and then complaining when confronted by something with an existential bent to it, instead of more topless shots or cameos by other A-listers. Hopefully, many people were also introduced to Malkovich through this film and found that his performance as someone hopelessly confused by the situation (not at first, the first few times in his head we see him do normal things around the house) was magnificent. Another small aspect I'm relieved to see: the way Cameron Diaz looks in this movie. Why? Because these days, it's bad enough that she's overexposed (seriously, I swear one day she'll overtake Angelina Jolie or Julia Roberts as Hollywood's queen or whatever title they want to give her) but people seem to play up the image of her as your typical "bubbly bouncy blond" that in her serious films, it's hard to imagine her pulling off a drama (people keep insisting she'll surprise me in My Sister's Keeper. Seeing as how I saw the promo poster and in my eyes, it looks like she's high, I really doubt it) and you get sick of seeing her in romantic comedies because of the same damn expressions she pulls off. Now, this might come off as hatred for her so I want to clarify that I don't hate her, I just think the hype needs to scale back. I loved her in The Mask, she does well in the Shrek franchise and the Charlie's Angels films weren't bad (though if pressed to pick a favourite Angel, it's Dylan but that's another story). But anyway, here, she's made to look "ugly" though the term "Hollywood homely" is more fitting. No emphasis on how she can attract the looks of any male in the room, no wacky situations for her to draw attention from any male in the room, here it's like she's been told "We understand you're an actress. So prove it". And boy, does she! She's great as a relatively unsatisfied woman, married to a man with a passion that doesn't exactly bring in the money, with only her pets to provide anything resembling joy in her life. And of course, John Cusack delivers another stellar performance with his almost sympathetic puppeteer who just wants to bring his craft to a wider audience. I say almost because I think it's hard to be truly sympathetic to any of the major players here besides Malkovich himself. Now, if the film had been called Being John Cusack and John still played Craig... the mind screw potential just exponentially increases!

Read all 20 featured audience ratings