Highly Overrated But Still Good

Expected more

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

A unique idea but the zaniness is a bit too much to overcome. Not the director's fault though- Spike Jonze's filmography is defined by the offbeat and probably Being John Malkovich could be his most straightforward, or accessible film. But if so was the intention then he could have made this into a more box office friendly film. The drab settings and production design and the bleak outlook dampened the mood. The acting is good throughout and John Malkovich is very good playing a scared version of himself, and as mentioned at the start- the idea is absolutely class.

I have seen this movie multiple times. I thought I had already reviewed it, but as I looked back over my reviews on IMDb, realized, I had been silent on my favorite dark comedy. A failure I must amend immediately.What made me think of this movie today is Catherine Keener in Get Out, the 2017 gem created by Jordan Peele, which I had to praise after watching it last night on HBO. I think it was a really smart choice for Peele to cast her. I will never forget her, since seeing her in Being John Malkovich. What I love about this movie is, well, everything--no, let me take away 1 star and give it 9, because as I recall, the ending did get a little too drawn out and overstayed its welcome. The ending did remind me of a lesson learned at UCLA Screenwriting taught by Professor Richard Walter, about beginnings and endings and when to exit the scene, and examples of sometimes when directors can't get off the stage. But it wasn't too bad, the ending, it didn't spoil the whole movie, it just went on beyond what felt like a good ending.As for the 9 stars I give it--everything, from the moment the story begins, drew me into this deliciously weird world, and it was as funny as it was mesmerizing! Every time I mention this movie to someone, I feel the urge to watch it again. And every time I have watched it again, I fall in love with its weirdness and humor all over again. So it should definitely be on the watch list of anyone who has not seen it, who likes dark comedy. I can't think of a better dark comedy than Being John Malkovich!

Being John Malkovich is a terrific movie with a very well developed storyline and a really talented cast. There is nothing else like it, as is anything from Charlie Kaufman and Spike Jonze, two individual film makers who are not one bit afraid to take risks, which they did here to a significant degree. It certainly does not sound good on paper, two co-workers discover a portal to the mind of John Malkovich in their office building, but everything in it really works, the story will warp your mind in a way that you will enjoy. The only problem I had was that they glossed over Dr. Lester, who is beautifully portrayed by Orson Bean, his story, a very complicated one, could have been developed much more. The film has a surprisingly sweet and inspiring message, to be true to yourself, the person you want to be, to pursue your dreams and not to hold back on what you would like to achieve, you may find it strange how a story such as that could have such a powerful methapor to it, you will have to see for yourself. The cast is outstanding and are well able to handle the film's weirdness, John Cusack and Cameron Diaz deliver one of the best performances of their careers as two damaged soles, with an obsession with Catherine Keener, a mean, manipulative, deceiving woman you can not help but love. However, Malkovich is without a doubt the star of the show, portraying a very exaggerated version of himself, I would assume, being forced to change personalities and identities throughout for certain reasons, doing it all to full effect. Weird, whimsical and somewhat inspiring, Being John Malkovich is a movie that will leave you feeling a range of different emotions, all which you will enjoy, a must watch comedy drama. When a puppeteer is forced to take a job in an office building, he soon discovers a portal that takes him in to the mind of actor John Malkovich. Best Performance: John Malkovich

The main themes of the film, puppets and life similitude, live the life of someone else, entering his brain is definitely interesting and easily creates a number of ideas brought to exasperation and paradoxical as the movie showed us, including love and sex. The seventh floor and a half, may be cute (not really meaning) as well as the film that subtly shows us that some artists are immediately rewarded for the merit of being already famous.That said, the rest of the movie and ideas, however, are too forced and uninteresting and especially not thrilling and really funny or hilarious as they could have been by not exaggerating in its contours and adding less absurdity and instead more comic comedy situations. Some moments make you smile (not laugh) as the loop by Malkovich in his mind and the situation of the actor bewildered itself, virtually almost involuntarily raped while, some others, are not really necessary or meaningful.Personally, I'm used to engaging and genial plots as those seen in some of Terry Gilliam's movies. Malkovich is talented as always, but as someone else commented, it is not enough just a brilliant idea to make of a unique film a masterpiece.I found some main ideas as absurd even brilliant, but the film, in the long run, rather boring and overrated.6/10