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(Review originally written at 11 August 2007)

Here it is, one of the most unique movies you'll probably ever watch.

It's one of the best written scripts of all time, by the always inventive writer Charlie Kaufman, with also some totally great dialog in it. It's the sort of script you just can't go wrong with. No matter if you tell it poorly in the actual movie, the script itself still remains compelling and totally original on its own. Not that the story is told poorly in the movie by the way, to avoid confusion. Despite his lack of movie making experience, Spike Jonze shows that he's more than a capable director.

Always wanted to see and feel the world through the eyes of John Malkovich? Just go to the 7 1/2 floor of the Mertin Flemmer building and enter the door behind the cabinet. This movie is weird yes but perhaps not as weird as you would expect. What perhaps most surprised me was the fact that the movie tried to make sense, as much as that was possible of course. It tries to explain things, without ever getting too philosophical or ever hard to follow. It's the sort of movie that can be interpreted in many ways, it definitely leaves more than enough room open for that but it's mostly above all a movie that you just have to take as it rolls along. Let things overwhelm you, just the same way as the situations overwhelm and happen to the characters in the movie. Don't try to understand everything weird that's happening in the movie, just take it all for what it is. Let the movie just simply draw you into this weird and unreal world. It's a much more accessible movie as you would expect and therefor this is a great movie to watch for basically just everyone. It's a rare case of a movie that's so odd that it becomes totally brilliant. Perhaps the only other real example of this is the Kubrick classic; "A Clockwork Orange". Through its weirdness the movie gets also incredibly innovative and helps to make this a totally awesome viewing experience. "Being John Malkovich" is also truly one of the coolest movies of recent years, without even trying to be cool. On the contrary actually. Most of the characters are losers, who aren't happy about their own current situation.

It also is a very hilarious movie to watch. It's not a movie that tries to be funny it's a movie that just IS funny because of its situations and the way the characters deal with them. It's the type of movie thats fun and hilarious in its small and subtle little things. And of course the concept alone is already good enough to make you laugh. It therefor also is one of the better comedies of recent years. The movie probably kept me smiling all the way through, I believe.

You'll probably have a hard time recognizing John Cusack and Cameron Diaz at first. They look so different from their normal type of roles. It such a great and big difference. And how great is that John Malkovich plays himself in a movie with a story such as this one. It takes some real guts to play a role such as this one. In a way he makes fun of himself and his career, just by playing himself. After this movie, you'll probably never look as John Malkovich the same way again. Lots of others stars also make a cameo appearance, such as Charlie Sheen in a bigger role and Sean Penn and Brad Pitt in cameo appearances as themselves. It probably only took 5 minutes of their time but it's so cool they actually did this.

A greatly entertaining movie you really have to see- but above all; experience for yourself.

9/10

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About Frank Veenstra

Watches movies...writes about them...and that's it for now.
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