Being John Malkovich takes advantage of the present voyeuristic culture in which the most intimate feelings are hung out on the line. In this bizarre love story in which the brain of John Malkovich becomes the playground for several confused lovers, personal identity is a very relative concept. Craig is a puppeteer who takes a job as office clerk. He is married to Lotte (a Cameron Diaz transformed into a grey mouse), but their marriage has become a grint. His new job is a turning point in his life in two respects: he meets the beautiful Maxine and he discovers a dark corridor behind a filing cabinet that leads into the brain of John Malkovich. With Maxine he sets up a company that shows New York sensation seekers the world through the eyes of Malkovich - at 200 dollars for 15 minutes. Lotte also allows herself to be seduced and is instantly addicted to the special experience. It becomes more confusing when Lotte tries to seduce Maxine through the various layers of Malkovich's subconscious, leading to a rather unorthodox love affair and all the problems that entails. However absurd it may seem, the story of Being John Malkovich maintains its own inevitable logic. The style is realistic and simple, without fantastic effects, but is bolstered by a wonderful soundtrack by Carter Burwell. An original and funny film with great acting.
- Director
- Spike Jonze
- Countries of production
- United Kingdom, USA
- Year
- 1999
- Festival Edition
- IFFR 2000
- Length
- 112'
- Medium
- 35mm
- Language
- English
- Producers
- Universal Pictures International, Michael Stipe
- Sales
- Universal Pictures International Entertainment, Universal Pictures International
- Screenplay
- Charlie Kaufman
- Cast
- John Malkovich, Catherine Keener
- Local Distributor
- Universal Pictures International Netherlands BV