Being John Malkovich is a surreal black comedy-drama directed by Spike Jonze and written by Charlie Kaufman, marking one of the most original screenplays in modern cinema. A bizarre yet thought-provoking journey into the nature of identity, consciousness, and obsession, the film explores what it means to “be someone else”—quite literally.
Detailed Summary
Introduction: A Puppeteer’s Dilemma
Craig Schwartz (played by John Cusack) is an out-of-work puppeteer who takes a job at the peculiar LesterCorp, located on the 7½ floor of a Manhattan office building. The floor is a cramped, low-ceilinged space that already hints at the film’s absurdist tone.
Craig’s life is unfulfilling—he’s stuck in a lifeless marriage with his animal-obsessed wife Lotte (Cameron Diaz) and finds himself attracted to his confident, manipulative co-worker Maxine (Catherine Keener), who rebuffs his advances.
The Portal into Malkovich
Everything changes when Craig discovers a hidden door behind a filing cabinet. This door leads, inexplicably, into the mind of actor John Malkovich. For exactly 15 minutes, anyone who enters the portal sees through Malkovich’s eyes, hears what he hears, and experiences life as him—before being ejected onto the side of the New Jersey Turnpike.
Craig tells Maxine about the portal, and they decide to turn it into a business. Soon, people are paying $200 a pop to “be John Malkovich.” Maxine is especially interested in the portal’s possibilities and is only attracted to Craig when he is inhabiting Malkovich.
Things Get Weird(er)
Lotte enters the portal and experiences Malkovich’s body, which triggers a profound gender identity awakening. She realizes she feels more “herself” as Malkovich than in her own body. Maxine, intriguingly, is only sexually interested in Lotte when she is in Malkovich. This leads to a bizarre love triangle—with all its players involved in one man’s body.
Craig, jealous and desperate, discovers he can not only enter Malkovich but also control him. Eventually, he takes over Malkovich entirely, using his body to become a world-renowned puppeteer. Malkovich, under Craig’s control, becomes a sensation and Maxine chooses to stay with this new, ambitious version of “Malkovich.”
The Truth About the Portal
Craig later discovers that Dr. Lester, the eccentric head of LesterCorp, is actually a man named Captain Mertin. Lester explains that the portal is a vessel for transferring consciousness and that he and a group of others have used similar portals to achieve immortality by jumping from one host to another. However, they must make the transfer at a specific time before the host turns 44—or they’ll be trapped in the next host’s subconscious forever.
Lester and his group plan to enter Malkovich before he turns 44, but Craig’s presence inside Malkovich has thrown off their timing.
⇢ VIRAL RIGHT NOW
Movie Ending
As Craig becomes increasingly obsessed with control and power, Maxine grows distant. She and Lotte reunite, and through a series of events, manage to force Craig out of Malkovich’s body—just in time for Lester’s group to complete their transfer.
Here’s where it gets really dark: Maxine reveals she was pregnant with Craig-as-Malkovich’s child. The baby becomes the next vessel—the portal’s future host.
The film ends with a chilling reveal: Craig, now unable to return to his own body, becomes trapped inside the consciousness of Maxine and Craig’s daughter, watching helplessly through her eyes, but unable to control or communicate. The once all-powerful puppeteer is now doomed to be a silent observer—eternally watching from within someone else’s mind.
Are There Post-Credits Scenes?
No, Being John Malkovich does not have a post-credits scene. The ending itself is deeply unsettling and final, leaving viewers with much to ponder long after the credits roll.
Type of Movie
This film is a surrealist black comedy, often categorized under drama, fantasy, and science fiction due to its high-concept premise. It’s philosophical, psychological, and filled with biting satire.
Cast
- John Cusack as Craig Schwartz
- Cameron Diaz as Lotte Schwartz
- Catherine Keener as Maxine Lund
- John Malkovich as Himself
- Orson Bean as Dr. Lester / Captain Mertin
- Mary Kay Place as Floris
Film Music and Composer
The music was composed by Carter Burwell, known for his collaborations with the Coen Brothers. His score complements the film’s quirky, eerie tone—equal parts magical and unsettling.
Filming Locations
- New York City: The 7½ floor scenes were shot in an actual building in Manhattan, modified to have low ceilings.
- Los Angeles: Various interior shots and puppet performances were filmed on sound stages.
The setting plays a huge role in the film’s tone—urban, claustrophobic, and disconnected, mirroring Craig’s mental state.
⇢ KEEP UP WITH THE TREND
Awards and Nominations
- 3 Academy Award Nominations:
- Best Director (Spike Jonze)
- Best Supporting Actress (Catherine Keener)
- Best Original Screenplay (Charlie Kaufman)
- Won several critics’ awards and was included on numerous “Best of the Decade” lists for its innovation and originality.
Behind the Scenes Insights
- The idea for the film was rejected for years—many studios thought it was “too weird.”
- John Malkovich initially wanted someone else to be the vessel; Charlie Kaufman insisted the story only worked with him.
- The “Malkovich inside Malkovich” scene was inspired by recursion in computer programming and philosophical ideas of self-reference.
- The 7½ floor was built with a false floor and ceiling—actors had to crouch uncomfortably during those scenes.
- Charlie Sheen makes a cameo, playing himself, adding to the film’s playful distortion of reality.
Inspirations and References
- Inspired by existentialist philosophy (notably Descartes and Sartre) and ideas about consciousness and identity.
- Echoes of Franz Kafka, Philip K. Dick, and even Freud appear in the film’s exploration of ego and repression.
- The puppet metaphors are an allusion to how people manipulate one another—and themselves.
Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes
- An extended ending was written where Craig becomes a puppet master controlling world leaders, but it was scrapped for being too over-the-top.
- A deleted subplot involved Malkovich becoming paranoid and hiring detectives to discover who was using his body.
Book Adaptations and Differences
There is no novel that the movie is based on. However, a screenplay book was released featuring Charlie Kaufman’s original script and notes. The final film is largely faithful to the original script, though some early drafts had a darker, more violent tone.
⇢ MOST SHARED RIGHT NOW
Memorable Scenes and Quotes
Key Scenes
- Craig discovering the portal and experiencing life as Malkovich for the first time.
- The “Malkovich inside Malkovich” scene where John Malkovich enters his own portal—utterly bizarre and iconic.
- Lotte and Maxine kissing while inside Malkovich, blurring gender and identity boundaries.
- Craig’s final monologue as he realizes he’s trapped forever in someone else’s consciousness.
Iconic Quotes
- “You don’t know how lucky you are being a monkey. Because consciousness is a terrible curse.”
- “Nobody’s looking for a puppeteer in today’s wintry economic climate.”
- “I have seen a world that no man should see!”
Easter Eggs and Hidden Details
- Craig’s puppeteering acts often mirror his real-life emotions—watch his plays for subtle foreshadowing.
- Malkovich’s real-life career is woven into the narrative in twisted ways (like a fictional play called Craig: My Life as a Puppeteer).
- The low-ceiling floor number, 7½, is a nod to Fellini’s 8½—a film also about identity and creative crises.
Trivia
- The studio wanted Tom Cruise or Kevin Bacon instead of Malkovich. Kaufman refused.
- The puppets used were crafted by Phillip Huber, one of the world’s leading marionette artists.
- The film inspired several academic papers on identity, consciousness, and metaphysics.
- Malkovich later joked in interviews: “I’m just glad they didn’t call it Being Tom Arnold.”
Why Watch?
Because there’s nothing else like it. Being John Malkovich is as smart as it is strange, daring you to think deeply while laughing uncomfortably. It’s perfect for fans of thought-provoking cinema that twists reality, identity, and storytelling into a knot of unforgettable weirdness.
Director’s Other Movies
- Adaptation (2002)
- Her (2013)
- Where the Wild Things Are (2009)