Being John Malkovich Review
by Jeremiah McVay (jeremcvay AT yahoo DOT com)October 25th, 1999
Directors: Spike Jonze
Screenwriters: Charlie Kaufman
Country: USA; Year: 1999
Rating (4 star system): ***1/2
Here's a hint at how bizarre this film will become before the end credits appear: the story starts to take shape around a love triangle including, not three, but four people. You could probably call the whole thing a descent into madness; or you could call it an ascent into the mind of Spike Jonze and Charlie Kaufman.
Jonze's direction is solid, but not really spectacular. It keeps a good job of keeping the film together, something which, with the elements of this film, probably proved much harder to do than can be imagined. The relative calmness of the direction is the grounding wire for the unbelievably creative, odd screenplay. This screenplay is one of the most unique I remember seeing portrayed on the big screen. It would have been very easy for a director to feel the urge to match the oddity of the screenplay in his direction (and I'm sure the urge probably came to Jonze), but Jonze does a magnificent job of keeping himself reeled in enough that the screenplay does not get lost through misdirection and confusion.
So, obviously, I think the screenplay is the driving force of this film. I can't even imagine the pitch that got this film made, but somehow they found an executive with the guts to bet on something new, and, in my opinion, it pays off. From the very first frames of the film, it is clear that this film will be mostly unconventional. Every environment is imbued with a bizarre energy that tends to charge the events of the story taking place there. Every character is eccentric in some way. Every plot point seems to take you somewhere new. I'd really like to know what habits were involved in Kaufman's writing. Was it written in stream of consciousness, then given structure? Does he have an unhealthy obsession with John Malkovich or did he write it without anyone in mind, then choose him? Suffice it to say that however he wrote the screenplay, it works.
And what of the actors? John Cusack is the lead, and among the most eccentric characters. Just as Jonze's direction calmly grounds the screenplay, Cusack seems to calmly ground the other actors around him. His eccentricity isn't nearly as abrasive as the others, so he serves as a good center to the story. The best performances were probably those of Cameron Diaz and John Malkovich, himself. Diaz plays very much against type, as the mostly unattractive, neglected housewife. However, she's as eccentric as the rest of them and just becomes moreso as the film goes on. Her performance has the right amount of subtlety when needed, as well as excitement. Malkovich not only plays himself, but variations of himself. The great thing is that he doesn't seem very self-conscious, something which could have ruined the whole thing. He is quite willing to make fun of himself as sacrifice for a good film, and, in the meantime, he finds himself giving an excellent performance. It's good to see that such names as Diaz, Malkovich, and Cusack are willing to make films like this. Hopefully they, and other stars, will continue to bet on such unique material, allowing other artists such as Jonze and Kaufman to continue creating such visions.
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