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Movies
DOWSE Guide to the
Movies
by Tony Lee editor of Pigasus
Press
Being John Malkovich
directed by Spike Jonze
113 minutes (15)
aspect ratio 1.85:1
Craig Schwartz (John Cusack), an out-of-work puppeteer,
takes a job at the Lester Corporation. Behind a filing cabinet he finds a portal
which leads into the back of John Malkovich's head for fifteen minutes. Based on a
first-time script by Charlie Kaufman, Being John Malkovich is easily one of
the most original films to come from America in a long while and, for those who have
tuned into its wavelength, it's very funny. Debutant director Spike Jonze previously
made pop videos, but unlike other people making the jump to features, he restrains
the visual flashiness, keeping the film's look low key to the point of being almost
ugly. In the same way he deglamourises both his leads, especially Cameron Diaz, and
takes quite a few risks in making Cusack's character so unsympathetic. Catherine
Keener steals a lot of scenes as the woman Craig lusts after, but who falls for Diaz
while she's inhabiting Malkovich's body. (It should also be noted that Malkovich is a
tremendous sport, playing a not-always-flattering version of himself.) The influence
of Terry Gilliam is clear in the early scenes (LesterCorp has very low ceilings, so
everyone has to bend double) but the film soon goes its own way, with lots of ideas
on identity and gender thrown about for those who want to look for them, and plenty
of laughs for everyone else.
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