Being John Malkovich (1999)

MAGICAL

To call BEING JOHN MALKOVICH a work of genius seems inadequate. Kaufman's script is so strikingly original, and Spike Jonze's direction so adroit it restored my faith in Hollywood. The cast from John Cusack, Cameron Diaz ( in my favorite Diaz-role ), John Malkovich, Catherine Keener, and Orson Bean, are terrific.

The only experience I can equate this movie to is my first bungey jump. You'll laugh, you may even cry, but you won't be bored by this film. January 3, 2009

Absolute, esoteric entertainment

What a gem of a movie. Imaginative writing that was so hilarious, I couldn't wait for the next scene, to see if it was going to be funnier that the previous one. Orson Bean (Doctor Lester) was an unbelievable filthy, dirty, sex-starved old coot - "Insane, old lech" is how John Cusak's character; Craig Schwartz put it. The interplay between Cusak and Kathryn Keener (Maxine) was "way out there." Excellent direction from Spike Jonze.

I don't know what else to add but that this was the weirdest, most enjoyable movie I've seen in years. We should all be so lucky as to be in John Malkovich's eyes and then spit out 15 minutes later.

"I was John fu**ing Malkovich!" - exclaimed Cameron Diaz (Lotte Schwartz). A total crackup. "Malkovich!" "Malkovich!" "Malkovich!" "Malkovich!" You'll love "Craig's Dance Of Despair And Disillusionment" January 1, 2009

Mind-bending fun

This is one of the coolest, most bizarrely funny movies I have ever seen. It stayed with me long after I left the movie theater, and I just wanted to view it again and again. Charlie Kaufman wrote a brilliant screenplay and all the actors do a wonderful job as characters who develop such an anguish over their own existence. I love that it is a totally original tale. I recently added this DVD to my collection because it is one of my favorite movies of all time! December 26, 2008

2.5 stars out of 4

The Bottom Line:

Praised by critics, who (rightfully, to a degree) salute anything different--and boy is this movie different--Being John Malkovich is largely different for its own sake, eschewing any factors that would make the movie likable in favor of being off the wall. December 21, 2008

Being JM :)

Great PQ and good AQ for the type of movie (mostly dialog). Very good over-all, and of course a great story. October 13, 2008

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