Being John Malkovich (1999)

My Review

“Being John Malkovich” is an off-beat fantasy comedy picture about a puppeteer who stumbles upon a portal that leads directly into the mind of actor John Malkovich. Director Spike Jonze and screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, both making their big screen debut, created a film that is fresh, original, and very entertaining. It is sprinkled with laughs from start to finish.

The cast came through with some dandy performances, leading off with John Malkovich, John Cusack, Cameron Diaz, Catherine Keener, Orson Bean, Mark Kay Place, W. Earl Brown, Willie Garson, Octavia Spencer, Charlie Sheen, Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Winona Ryder, Andy Dick, Spike Jonze, and members of the pop group Hanson.

The watchable “Being John Malkovich” was nominated for three Academy Awards: Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actress (Keener). It was a modest hit at the box office for Gramercy Pictures, Propaganda Films, Single Cell Pictures, USA Films, and Universal Pictures. It was filmed at various locations across Southern California.