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ComedyDramaFantasy

Being John Malkovich

- Ever wanted to be someone else? Now you can.

One day at work, unsuccessful puppeteer Craig finds a portal into the head of actor John Malkovich. The portal soon becomes a passion for anybody who enters its mad and controlling world of overtaking another human body.

Release Date : 1999-10-29

Language :FrenchEnglish

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : PolyGram Filmed EntertainmentPropaganda FilmsSingle Cell Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

John Cusack

Character Name : Craig Schwartz

Original Name : John Cusack

Gender : Male

John Malkovich

Character Name : John Horatio Malkovich

Original Name : John Malkovich

Gender : Male

Cameron Diaz

Character Name : Lotte Schwartz

Original Name : Cameron Diaz

Gender : Female

Catherine Keener

Character Name : Maxine Lund

Original Name : Catherine Keener

Gender : Female

Mary Kay Place

Character Name : Floris

Original Name : Mary Kay Place

Gender : Female

Orson Bean

Character Name : Dr. Lester

Original Name : Orson Bean

Gender : Male

Charlie Sheen

Character Name : Charlie

Original Name : Charlie Sheen

Gender : Male

Reggie Hayes

Character Name : Don

Original Name : Reggie Hayes

Gender : Male

W. Earl Brown

Character Name : First J.M. Inc. Customer

Original Name : W. Earl Brown

Gender : Male

Carlos Jacott

Character Name : Larry the Agent

Original Name : Carlos Jacott

Gender : Male

Willie Garson

Character Name : Guy in Restaurant

Original Name : Willie Garson

Gender : Male

K.K. Dodds

Character Name : Wendy

Original Name : K.K. Dodds

Gender : Female

Byrne Piven

Character Name : Captain Mertin

Original Name : Byrne Piven

Gender : Male

Judith Wetzell

Character Name : Tiny Woman

Original Name : Judith Wetzell

Gender : Female

Gregory Sporleder

Character Name : Drunk at Bar

Original Name : Gregory Sporleder

Gender : Male

Octavia Spencer

Character Name : Woman in Elevator

Original Name : Octavia Spencer

Gender : Female

Ned Bellamy

Character Name : Derek Mantini

Original Name : Ned Bellamy

Gender : Male

Eric Weinstein

Character Name : Father at Puppet Show

Original Name : Eric Weinstein

Gender : Male

Madison Lanc

Character Name : Daughter at Puppet Show

Original Name : Madison Lanc

Gender : Male

Kevin Carroll

Character Name : Cab Driver

Original Name : Kevin Carroll

Gender : Male

Gerald Emerick

Character Name : Sad Man in Line

Original Name : Gerald Emerick

Gender : Male

Richard Fancy

Character Name : Johnson Heyward

Original Name : Richard Fancy

Gender : Male

Patti Tippo

Character Name : Malkovich's Mother

Original Name : Patti Tippo

Gender : Female

Daniel Hansen

Character Name : Boy Malkovich

Original Name : Daniel Hansen

Gender : Male

Mariah O'Brien

Character Name : Girl Creeped Out by Malkovich

Original Name : Mariah O'Brien

Gender : Female

Kelly Teacher

Character Name : Emily

Original Name : Kelly Teacher

Gender : Male

Bill M. Ryusaki

Character Name : Mr. Hiroshi

Original Name : Bill M. Ryusaki

Gender : Male

Jacqueline Benoît

Character Name : Lester's Friend

Original Name : Jacqueline Benoît

Gender : Male

William Buck

Character Name : Lester's Friend

Original Name : William Buck

Gender : Male

Christine D. Coleman

Character Name : Lester's Friend

Original Name : Christine D. Coleman

Gender : Male

Jeanne Diehl

Character Name : Lester's Friend

Original Name : Jeanne Diehl

Gender : Male

Audrey Gelfund

Character Name : Lester's Friend

Original Name : Audrey Gelfund

Gender : Female

Yetta Ginsburg

Character Name : Lester's Friend

Original Name : Yetta Ginsburg

Gender : Male

Sylvester Jenkins

Character Name : Lester's Friend

Original Name : Sylvester Jenkins

Gender : Male

Roy C. Johnson

Character Name : Lester's Friend

Original Name : Roy C. Johnson

Gender : Male

Eddie J. Low

Character Name : Lester's Friend

Original Name : Eddie J. Low

Gender : Male

Ralph W. Spaulding

Character Name : Lester's Friend

Original Name : Ralph W. Spaulding

Gender : Male

David Wyler

Character Name : Lester's Friend

Original Name : David Wyler

Gender : Male

Flori Wyler

Character Name : Lester's Friend

Original Name : Flori Wyler

Gender : Male

Kevin Lee

Character Name : Ballet Dancer

Original Name : Kevin Lee

Gender : Male

Marlowe Bassett

Character Name : Ballet Dancer

Original Name : Marlowe Bassett

Gender : Male

Jennifer Canzoneri

Character Name : Ballet Dancer

Original Name : Jennifer Canzoneri

Gender : Male

Kristie Cordle

Character Name : Ballet Dancer

Original Name : Kristie Cordle

Gender : Male

Denise Dabrowski

Character Name : Ballet Dancer

Original Name : Denise Dabrowski

Gender : Male

Kristin Condon

Character Name : Ballet Dancer

Original Name : Kristin Condon

Gender : Female

Charlene Grimsley

Character Name : Ballet Dancer

Original Name : Charlene Grimsley

Gender : Male

Christine Krejer

Character Name : Ballet Dancer

Original Name : Christine Krejer

Gender : Male

Erica Long

Character Name : Ballet Dancer

Original Name : Erica Long

Gender : Male

Yvonne Montelius

Character Name : Ballet Dancer

Original Name : Yvonne Montelius

Gender : Male

Jessica Neuberger

Character Name : Ballet Dancer

Original Name : Jessica Neuberger

Gender : Male

Sara Rifkin

Character Name : Ballet Dancer

Original Name : Sara Rifkin

Gender : Male

Elizabeth Rivera

Character Name : Ballet Dancer

Original Name : Elizabeth Rivera

Gender : Male

Chelsa Sjostrom

Character Name : Ballet Dancer

Original Name : Chelsa Sjostrom

Gender : Male

Pamela Hayden

Character Name : Featured Character Voice (voice)

Original Name : Pamela Hayden

Gender : Female

Jayne Hess

Character Name : Featured Character Voice (voice)

Original Name : Jayne Hess

Gender : Female

Michelle Madden

Character Name : Featured Character Voice (voice)

Original Name : Michelle Madden

Gender : Male

Greg O'Neill

Character Name : Featured Character Voice (voice)

Original Name : Greg O'Neill

Gender : Male

Neil Ross

Character Name : Featured Character Voice (voice)

Original Name : Neil Ross

Gender : Male

Bill Wittman

Character Name : Featured Character Voice (voice)

Original Name : Bill Wittman

Gender : Male

David Fincher

Character Name : Christopher Bing (uncredited)

Original Name : David Fincher

Gender : Male

Sean Penn

Character Name : Sean Penn (uncredited)

Original Name : Sean Penn

Gender : Male

Brad Pitt

Character Name : Brad Pitt (uncredited)

Original Name : Brad Pitt

Gender : Male

James Murray

Character Name : Student Puppeteer (uncredited)

Original Name : James Murray

Gender : Male

Reviews

D

d54.pod

@d54.pod

2022-09-28

Full review: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2YaFaVOq4cOeC7BBgUgmou?si=dfb200c90b4d4e74 ---- While there are many movies about self discovery, self growth and identity, not many (if really any) have taken the approach of 'Being John Malkovich'. The general premise of the movie is: struggling puppeteer Craig discovers a portal allowing him to enter the mind of the actor John Malkovich. Through multiple attempts of possessing John Malkovich, he is able to take control of the actor and live his life through him. His wife, Lotte, and his new love interest Maxine are also entangled in the journey. The finale of the movie shifts the dynamics in the relationship as Lotte and Maxine find love and Craig is eventually forever trapped in a kind of 'sunken place'. While the movies plot is somewhat straightforward and easy to follow, the movie is highly entertaining due to the great writing and screenplay along with the great pacing and performances from the small but highly talented cast (Cusack, Diaz, Keener and Malkovich). There are also enough elements of absurdity and surrealism to create this somewhat fantastical world we are immersed in. However, the real highlight of 'Being John Malkovich' is the number of ethical and philosophical questions about self identity and consciousness it evokes. The central question asked in this movie, is what is identity and how do we define it? The central character Craig, battles throughout the film with his desire for both power and clout. As a highly insecure struggling artist, he instantly falls for Maxine, but it's clear his desire is more about what Maxine represent's (a highly confident and seductive women) rather than who she is as an individual. She is a means to an end to help make up for all that is lacking in Craig's life. He believes that having possession of someone like Maxine would help him in his endeavour as an artist and ultimately a man. Lotte on the other hand, while also struggling with self-acceptance, is looking for someone to fill the void which has been left by Craig through his disinterest in her romantically as her husband. Lotte appears to be somewhat of a victim throughout the film, as her struggle to find love, and embrace her own power comes through some rather difficult and unfortunate circumstances (e.g. being rejected by Maxine on multiple occasions and later being trapped in a cage with her pet Chimpanzee). Maxine, maybe the most interesting of the 3, comes across as opportunistic and rather shallow, but highly confident in contrast to Craig and Lotte. Her journey to eventual happiness comes in the way of realising the beauty within through falling in love with Lotte, but at first, only when she is in Malkovich's vessel. In contrast, her relationship with Craig when he has captured Malkovich is shallow and unsatisfying. The subtle similarities, and stark differences between these three characters leads to some interesting questions which are posed about self discovery and the journey each character takes to uncover about themselves. John Malkovich, although mostly just a device throughout the film, has perhaps the most bizarre scene in the entire movie, when he himself enters his own portal and see's a world full of different versions of himself. This scene has a number of different interpretations about how we often view ourselves, the different characters we play in our own lives, and how our subconscious can be visually represented. Being John Malkovich is a special movie which takes a central theme of identity and makes the audience question what that really means. It does so in a highly engaging manner, never sacrificing an engaging story for the overall deeper themes at hand. It's a movie which viewers can come back to multiple times and still be in awe.

R

r96sk

@r96sk

2025-01-06

'Being John Malkovich' sure is quite something! Despite not knowing the type of movie that it is, I'm always wanted to get this one watched purely because of the title. Now I've seen it, I'm pleased I've done so. It's strange on the surface, though by the end it's... almost normal? Based on the opening and the genre it's listed under on Wikipedia, I was expecting more of an artsy sorta thing. Pleasantly, it isn't that. Of course it has deeper meaning and I'm not saying I got 100% of it, though in the end it's relatively simple. But impressive and original, no doubt. I love that John Malkovich agreed to do this, I now read that he was apparently "half intrigued and half horrified" when he first read the script - I can see why! John Cusack, Cameron Diaz (took me a while to recognise her) and Catherine Keener are all great behind (inside?) JM. My only criticism is that it didn't keep the humour that it shows when Craig first meets Lester, the 'Airplane!'-esque nature of it fitted so well. Sure, there is plenty of humour in there, but the deadpan delivery of Lester (and Floris, of course) is the most amusing.