One of the most original and "out there" films made in Hollywood at the end of past millennium is 1999 fantasy comedy Being John Malkovich. Protagonist, played by John Cusack, is failed puppeteer Craig Schwartz who lives with animal-obsessed wife Lotte (played by Cameron Diaz) and is forced to take job as a clerk in company headquartered in strange-looking New York building. There he finds attractive co-worker Maxine (played by Catherine Keener) and mysterious portal that allows him to spend 15 minutes in the mind of famous actor John Malkovich (playing himself). Screenplay is written by Charlie Kaufman, author known for creating bizarre plots and characters; in Being John Malkovich he uses rather un-original concept of mind swapping in the most original way, adding plot twists that are quite unexpected and dealing with subjects of fantasy, media celebrity and prosaic everyday reality. Spike Jonze, director known for starting his career in colourful music videos, is for the most part restrained and the films starts relatively slowly, in style more suitable for Woody Allen’s comedies about frustrated New York intellectuals than Hollywood fantasy; pace picks up later when the characters and audience are bombarded with unexpected situations. The cast is superb, with Malkovich being well-matched by unrecognisable Diaz, which looks like someone have wiped floor with her, as well as Keener in the role of cynical femme fatale.
RATING: 9/10
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