Being John Malkovich

A detailed Summary of Being John Malkovich

The initial goal of many films is to establish a believable world that mirrors our own society. This is to give a legitimacy to the film, to allow the viewer to think about how similar the people on the screen's lives are to their own. Some fantasy films, in contrast, tug at the viewers' imaginations in order to transport them to a fairytale world a long ways away where a magical story takes place. Rarely is a picture set in a world comparable and mistakable to our own, yet strange and quirky. One such film that challenges viewers' glimpses into reality is Being John Malkovich, directed by Spike Jonze. The awkward world of the film is vital because it sets the stage for future peculiar events that must be accepted for the film to make its thematic statement.

The film opens in what appears to be a normal city setting. The main character, Craig Schwartz (played by John Cusack) is a down-and-out puppeteer waiting for his big break. His wife, Lotte (Cameron Diaz), works in a pet store and likes to take her work home with her in the form of numerous animal companions populating the Schwartz household. Other than the fact that Cameron Diaz looks strange with her brown frilly hair, a rational world is established. They are a ty

Suddenly, strange ideas and events take place which, in the world of the film, are generally accepted without a second thought. Craig applies for a job at Lestercorp, a company that lies on the seven and a half floor of an office building. As a result, the ceilings are unusually low. During his "orientation" he is shown a film explaining in a ludicrous way why the floor was built the way it was. It is important to observe that the other new employees watching the film except for Craig are completely oblivious to the absurdity of the building and the supposed story of its creation. A secretary named Floris for some reason cannot understand what anyone says. His new boss, Dr. Lester, has a twisted obsession with sexuality and because of Floris thinks he has a speech impediment. During all of these encounters, it is Craig who notes these absurdities, making him in a position of control over the other characters because he can see the strangeness while the others cannot. In essence Craig is the enlightened one, free in a world which the other employees are trapped in a web of miscommunication and naivete.

Eventually the film sets itself where even Craig, who originally questioned some incidents, is immersed in the film's bizarre world. By the close of the film Craig is fully absorbed in the world of the film and no longer questions it, for example when he decides that Malkovich should abandon his acting career and take up puppeteering. Malkovich's agent, upon hearing his request, says, "Okay, you're a puppeteer. Let me just make a few calls." Craig and Maxine do not respo

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Approximate Word count = 1072
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Movies