Being John Malkovich is a 1999 dramedy film written by Charlie Kaufman and directed by Spike Jonze.[2] It stars John Cusack, Cameron Diaz, Catherine Keener, and John Malkovich, who plays a fictionalized version of himself. The plot brings to the forefront several issues in modern philosophy of mind, such as the nature of self and consciousness, the mind-body dichotomy, and sensory perception.
The film has become a cult classic.[3]
Plot
Craig Schwartz (John Cusack) is an unsuccessful, unemployed puppeteer and in a forlorn marriage with his pet-obsessed wife Lotte (Cameron Diaz). He gains employment as a file clerk through Dr. Lester (Orson Bean) at LesterCorp, operated out of the strange low-ceilinged offices on Floor 7½ of the Mertin Flemmer Building in New York City. While settling in, he develops a strong attraction to his co-worker Maxine (Catherine Keener) who does not return his affections. While filing paperwork, Schwartz discovers a portal behind a filing cabinet and when he enters it, finds himself in the mind of actor John Malkovich (John Malkovich), able to observe and sense whatever Malkovich does for fifteen minutes before he is ejected and dropped into a ditch adjacent to the New Jersey Turnpike. When he reveals the portal to Maxine, they decide to start a business to allow others to experience Malkovich at $200 a head.
When Schwartz explains his new business venture to Lotte, she decides that she must try the portal. Lotte becomes obsessed with the experience, which allows her to live out her transgender desires. While having dinner at Dr. Lester's residence with Schwartz, Lotte finds a room dedicated to Malkovich. One time while Lotte is inside Malkovich, he goes on a date with Maxine. Maxine falls in love with Malkovich (with Lotte inside him), and they continue to see each other in this fashion, including making love to each other. Schwartz, realizing that he has been forsaken by both women, ties up and locks up his wife, while he enters into Malkovich's mind and dates Maxine.
Schwartz, drawing on his background as a puppeteer, discovers that he is able to control Malkovich's actions while in his head, and this causes the actor to become paranoid. After consulting with his friend (Charlie Sheen), Malkovich trails Maxine to the Mertin Flemmer building, where he finds out about, and insists upon trying, the portal. He finds himself in a world where everyone looks like him and can only say "Malkovich"; he is quickly ejected and meets Schwartz by the turnpike. Malkovich angrily demands that Schwartz close the portal, but he refuses.
As Schwartz enters Malkovich to prepare for the next date with Maxine, Lotte escapes her bonds and phones Maxine, revealing that it wasn't her making love inside John's body but Schwartz; Maxine however has enjoyed her experience and continues her relationship with Schwartz inside Malkovich. Lotte seeks out Dr. Lester for help. From him, Lotte learns that Dr. Lester is well aware of the portal and has been using it to live on for year after year, changing from one dying body to a younger one each time. When the body is "ripe," the portal moves to its next host. Anyone who manages to enter the portal at the right time when the body becomes "ripe" gets to live on in the body. At the present time, the portal is connected to the body of Malkovich, which is getting "ripe" soon. Dr. Lester reveals to Lotte his plan to use Malkovich as a host for himself and several of his friends. Lotte warns him that Schwartz has become able to control Malkovich and it may be difficult to displace him.
While out on a date with Maxine, Schwartz decides to remain in Malkovich indefinitely. He spends the next eight months in Malkovich's body and through his control of the body, turns Malkovich into a world-famous puppeteer, revitalizing the art of puppetery. Malkovich also gets married to Maxine during this period of time. Eventually, their relationship becomes more distant. Maxine learns that she is pregnant. As the time when Malkovich's body turns ripe and the portal finds its next host draws near, Dr. Lester and his friends capture Maxine and demand of Schwartz that he leave Malkovich's body, threatening to kill Maxine if he doesn't cooperate. Schwartz refuses. Lotte, believing Maxine to be the source of her problems, seeks her out at the Mertin Flemmer building; the two fall together into the portal, travel through Malkovich's childhood memories, and end up being ejected next to the turnpike. Maxine then reveals to Lotte that she conceived when Lotte was inside Malkovich's body. The two proceed to fall in love.
After a bar fight, Schwartz decides to leave Malkovich's body voluntarily. Malkovich finds he briefly has control of himself before Dr. Lester and his friends enter the portal, just before the portal moves on to the next host. After Schwartz discovers that Lotte and Maxine have fallen for each other, he uses the portal again but finds himself in the next host which happens to be Emily, the baby of Maxine. Schwartz ends up being forced to watch Maxine and Lotte live happily ever after through the eyes of the child.
Cast
Cameos
Spike Jonze makes a cameo appearance as Derek Mantini's assistant. Brad Pitt also has a half-second-long cameo, as a miffed star in the documentary on Malkovich's career. He seems to be on the verge of saying something before the shot ends. Sean Penn also appears in the film as a fan of Malkovich's puppeteer work. Film director David Fincher makes an uncredited appearance as Christopher Bing in the American Arts & Culture pseudo documentary on John Malkovich. Charlie Sheen appears as Malkovich's best friend and confidante. Winona Ryder, Andy Dick, and the members of Hanson can be seen in the audience of a Malkovich puppet show. All of the members of the band Phantom Planet provided voice work as Malkovich ran through a dark tunnel.[citation needed] Kirk Moulin appears as Malkovich's main photo double in the restaurant scene.[citation needed]
Development
Screenwiter Charlie Kaufman sent the screenplay to Francis Ford Coppola after he wrote it. Coppola liked it very much and showed it to his daughter's husband, Spike Jonze. Jonze liked the screenplay so much that he approached Kaufman about directing the film. He became the film's director.[5]
Jonze claimed in an interview that when he was shopping the screenplay around Hollywood, at least one unspecified producer asked if he could possibly rewrite the film as "Being Tom Cruise". John Malkovich was approached about this film several times and loved the script, but he and his production crew felt that another actor would fit the role better. Malkovich offered to help produce the film, and aid Spike Jonze in any way, but refused to star in it. Eventually after a couple of years Malkovich's will was worn down and he agreed to star in the film.[5]
There were some changes in the script's history. In the first draft of the script, Lester and his friends weren't using Malkovich's portal as a means for extending their lives, but in a plot to take over the world in the name of Satan. Satan was the mysterious 'Flemmer' that the Merton-Flemmer building was half named after. The original script also originally had Kevin Bacon in place of Charlie Sheen, as Malkovich's actor friend.[5]
Reception
The film received nearly unanimous and largely glowing positive reviews from critics with a 92% "Certified fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes[6] and ranked 441st on Empire magazine's 2008 list of the 500 greatest movies of all time.[7] The film was widely praised for its originality, both in terms of the script, which won Kaufman the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay, and Jonze's direction. Kaufman's blending of fact and outrageous fiction was a theme continued in his next film with Jonze, Adaptation., which was nominated for four Oscars in 2003, winning one.[8]
Critic Roger Ebert's review was four out of four stars. His comments of praise included: "Rare is the movie where the last half hour surprises you just as much as the first, and in ways you're not expecting. The movie has ideas enough for half a dozen films, but Jonze and his cast handle them so surely that we never feel hard-pressed; we're enchanted by one development after the next" and he also felt that "Either Being John Malkovich gets nominated for best picture, or the members of the Academy need portals into their brains."[9] Other top critic Peter Rainer commented "Dazzlingly singular movies aren't often this much fun" in his review,[10] and Owen Gleiberman boldly stated that he felt it was "The most excitingly original movie of the year."[11]
John Malkovich's performance as himself in Being John Malkovich is ranked #90 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time.[12]
Box office
With a domestic total gross of $22,863,596, the film ultimately made well above its reported $13 million production budget.[1]
Awards
The film was nominated for three Academy Awards: Best Director, Best Supporting Actress (Catherine Keener) and Best Original Screenplay.[13]
It was also was nominated for:
- three BAFTA Awards, winning one for Best Screenplay[13]
- five Chicago Film Critics Association Awards, winning one for Best Screenplay[13]
- six Chlotrudis Awards, winning three, Best Director, Supporting Actress and Best Screenplay[13]
- four Golden Globes, winning none[13]
- three Independent Spirit Awards, winning two, one for Best First Picture, and First Best Screenplay][13]
- eight Las Vegas Film Critics Society, winning three, Best Editing, Best Newcomer and Best Original Screenplay[13]
- ten Online Film Critics Society Awards, winning three, best Debut Director, Best Supporting Actress and Best Original Screenplay[13]
- four Satellite Awards, winning two, one for Best Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical and Supporting Actress[13]
Soundtrack
Track listing:[14]
- "Amphibian (Mark Bell Mix)" by Björk – 2:47
- "Malkovich Masterpiece Remix" by John Malkovich – 2:22
- "Puppet Love" by Carter Burwell – 2:02
- "Momentary Introspection" by Carter Burwell – 1:07
- "You Should Know" by Carter Burwell – 0:34
- "Craig Plots" by Carter Burwell – 3:40
- "Malkovich Shrine" by Carter Burwell – 0:45
- "Embarcation" by Carter Burwell – 1:46
- "Subcon Chase" by Carter Burwell – 2:03
- "The Truth" by Carter Burwell – 1:21
- "Love On The Phone" by Carter Burwell – 0:46
- "To Lester's" by Carter Burwell – 0:26
- "Maxine Kidnapped" by Carter Burwell – 1:15
- "To Be John M" by Carter Burwell – 1:59
- "Craig's Overture" by Carter Burwell – 1:00
- "Allegro From Music for Strings, Percussion and Celeste, SZ106" by The Cleveland Orchestra – 7:21
- "Carter Explains Scene 71 To The Orchestra" by Carter Burwell – 0:29
- "Lotte Makes Love" by Carter Burwell – 1:28
- "Monkey Memories" by Carter Burwell – 1:32
- "Future Vessel" by Carter Burwell – 3:40
- "Amphibian (Film Mix)" by Björk – 4:37
References
External links
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Films directed by Spike Jonze |
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