# Being John Malkovich (1999)

### reviewed by
Frankie Paiva

    Being John Malkovich (R) ****
    Starring John Cusack, Cameron Diaz
    Directed by Spike Jonze
    Year Released: 1999
    A Review by Frankie Paiva

Over the past couple of months there have been many comedies that poke fun at movies, Hollywood, and celebrities. South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut was a brilliant satire on the MPAA and how movies affect our children. The Muse was a great comedy about a writer losing inspiration to write in the rough town called Hollywood. Finally, Bowfinger was a movie all about a group of people trying to make it big in Hollywood by putting a big star in their film. None of these films go anywhere near the fun that is Being John Malkovich. Throughout the film one can’t help wondering how writer Charlie Kaufman came up with these endless plot twists and classic funny moments. Finally we have been shown a movie that makes fun of the celebrities that we know and love.

Craig Schwartz (Cusack escaping his usual cute boyishness type of role) is an out of work puppeteer who’s desperately failing in his career. So he decides to take a job filing at Lestercorp, a company that is on the 7 1/2 floor of a local office building. All of the ceilings where he works are only 5 feet high. The owner of the company, Dr. Lester (Orson Bean) thinks he has a speech problem and that no one can hear him. Because of this, he always seems to be telling everyone his sexual fantasies in gory, graphic detail. The biggest surprise of them all is yet to come.

Do you know who John Malkovich is? Some people don't, some people do. John Malkovich is the popular actor who has appeared in several films including Con Air, In The Line of Fire, and Dangerous Liaisons. He also certainly didn’t star in a movie in which he was an art thief. (Inside joke that you will get after seeing the movie.) What does this have to do with the movie you ask? Read on...When Craig moves a file cabinet out from the wall to pick up something he dropped he discovers a small wooden door. If you open the door, and crawl down a long dark brain-like cave you will become John Malkovich for 15 minutes at a time. Then you are dropped from the sky into a ditch on the side of the New Jersey turnpike. Seeing this as a way to get a bitchy co-worker (Catherine Keener) who absolutely detests him, to like him, he shows his secret to her. Craig doesn't seem at all troubled about his attraction to her because he's beginning to think that his wife loves animals more than she loves him.

I can only set up the basic plot because I want you to go and see this masterpiece for our time on your own. In fact, you must go now to the theater and see this film precisely after you read this review. That is not a suggestion, that is a command. Diaz is great (I love her frizzy hair) as the confused wife who is having questions about her sexual identity. Catherine Keener is also funny playing a character somewhat like Karen from the television show Will & Grace. The real standout though is John Malkovich himself, not only is the fact that he agreed to do this amazing he takes on the different aspects of the people inside of him very well. This is an amazing experience that cannot possibly be described in any shape way or form. So stop listening to me, go to the theater now and see the most original film of the year, and certainly one that will make my top ten list. The masterpiece Being John Malkovich gets **** stars.

The Young-Uns: The film contains two sex scenes, (nothing extremely explicit) countless sexual references and some language. Good Age 14 & Up

    A Review by Frankie Paiva
    The 12 Year-Old Movie Reviewer
    E-Mail me at SwpStke@aol.com
    Visit my website at
    http://www.homestead.com/teenagemoviecritic/mainpage.html

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