Being John Malkovich

A puppeteer discovers a portal that leads literally into the head of the movie star, John Malkovich.

• Director:Spike Jonze
• Genre:Comedy / Drama / Fantasy
• Runtime:113 minutes

Cast

John Cusack : Craig Schwartz
Cameron Diaz : Lotte Schwartz
Ned Bellamy : Derek Mantini
Eric Weinstein : Father at Puppet Show
Madison Lanc : Daughter at Puppet Show

Craig Schwartz (John Cusack) is an unsuccessful, unemployed puppeteer and in a forlorn marriage with his pet-obsessed wife Lotte (Cameron Diaz). He gains employment as a file clerk through Dr. Lester (Orson Bean) at LesterCorp, operated out of the strange low-ceilinged offices on Floor 7½ of the Mertin Flemmer Building in New York City. While settling in, he develops a strong attraction to his co-worker Maxine (Catherine Keener) who does not return his affections. While filing paperwork, Schwartz discovers a portal behind a filing cabinet and when he enters it, finds himself in the mind of actor John Malkovich (John Malkovich), able to observe and sense whatever Malkovich does for fifteen minutes before he is ejected and dropped into a ditch adjacent to the New Jersey Turnpike. When he reveals the portal to Maxine, they decide to start a business to allow others to experience Malkovich at $200 a head.

When Schwartz explains his new business venture to Lotte, she decides that she must try the portal. Lotte becomes obsessed with the experience, which allows her to live out her transgender desires. While having dinner at Dr. Lester’s residence with Schwartz, Lotte finds a room dedicated to Malkovich. One time while Lotte is inside Malkovich, he goes on a date with Maxine. Maxine falls in love with Malkovich (with Lotte inside him), and they continue to see each other in this fashion, including making love to each other. Schwartz, realizing that he has been forsaken by both women, ties up and locks up his wife, while he enters into Malkovich’s mind and dates Maxine.

Schwartz, drawing on his background as a puppeteer, discovers that he is able to control Malkovich’s actions while in his head, and this causes the actor to become paranoid. After consulting with his friend Charlie Sheen (Charlie Sheen), Malkovich trails Maxine to the Mertin Flemmer building, where he finds out about, and insists upon trying, the portal. He finds himself in a world where everyone looks like him and can only say “Malkovich”; he is quickly ejected and meets Schwartz by the turnpike. Malkovich angrily demands that Schwartz close the portal, but he refuses. Read more

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