Alright, our resident skin head RV driving killer of roadside cafe pie chomping patrons has chimed in with a look at BEING JOHN MALKOVICH. A film that the Bosnian Witch Doctor had previously jonzed (sorry) me up for seeing, (like I wasn't already), and once again we have a person talking about the stunning originality of the film. Can't wait.... Well, here we goo.....
I have just returned from a press screening of the astonishingly original BEING JOHN MALKOVICH... and felt compelled to submit a mostly SPOILER FREE review.
Let me preface this review by discussing the music video/commercial work of Mr. Spike Jonze and his fellow Propagandists. Having seen most of his videos (Beastie Boys, Weezer, Bjork, Fatboy Slim) and commercials (Levis) it is clearly evident that this guy is a visionary on the same level as Mark Romanek or David Fincher.
I think that of all the Propaganda guys... these are truly the Three Kings. (Romanek has yet to direct a feature, and I assume that is because he has yet to find the right script. He is smart to be stubborn and wait until something great comes along). What sets these three guys apart from the pack is that they didn't sell their souls to the Jerry Bruckheimers of the world and make big, soulless action movies. Some have cashed in successfully (Michael Bay, Simon West), others marginally (David Kellogg... INSPECTOR GADGET?... didn't see it... probably never will... but it made money), others respectfully (Kinka Usher... MYSTERY MEN was a noble flop... fifteen minutes should have been cut from the flabby third act and Universal's one sheets were wretched), and others embarrassingly (David Glen Hogan... MOST WANTED starring Keenan Ivory Wayans... remember that New Line gem?).
New Line... you are forgiven for MOST WANTED because of the brownie points you received for recognizing the astonishing talent of David Fincher despite the drubbing he took for ALIEN 3. (That film is vastly underrated... and I hope one day the folks at Fox will let Fincher re-assemble his director's cut... though I'm not holding my breath for that one to happen anytime soon).
Psssst... Fincher has a cameo in BJM... look for it at around 1hr:15min into the movie.
Spike Jonze is a true filmmaking visionary who rises to the top of the Propaganda class because he recognized the astonishing originality of Charlie Kaufman's script... and had the balls to direct a film about a puppeteer (the always great John Cusack) who discovers a portal that leads you to fifteen minutes inside the head of John Malkovich.
Here we have the always stunning Cameron Diaz (who should teach a course to other starlets on smart, ego-free career management) made to look as ugly as she is capable of looking... and delivering her best comic performance thus far. There is a scene between her and a pet chimp that is so hilariously absurd yet touching that it cannot be described.
Katherine Keener delivers as always... but to me her character seemed to be the oddest and least grounded of them all. I'm not sure if her delivery was off... or if she was meant to be disconcerting. Jury's still out on her until I see this flick a second time. And finally... the Biggest Balls In Hollywood Award goes to Mr. Malkovich himself. He gives a performance here that is so ALL OVER THE PLACE yet RAZOR SHARP at the same time. Never has an actor so ferociously lampooned his image on screen before. I'd consider him the Dark Horse to beat for a supporting actor nomination. (Yep... that would be an Academy first... I believe... getting nominated to play yourself?).
Jonze's direction (along with Lance Acord's stunningly murky lighting) is surprisingly restrained. This, I assume, was a conscious choice that works perfectly to help ground this OUT THERE story into an accessible reality.
It is difficult to criticize anything about a film this original, and there are certainly some moments that felt a little awkward... part of me was wishing that Jonze and Kaufman had taken this concept to Level 10... instead of Level 8 or so... but that is just me.
Still... this is not a film that can be categorized or even fairly assessed in just one viewing. I will most certainly be seeing it again when it hits theatres... and I pray to God that this flick makes money so that more smart and original scripts get the green light.
Bravo to Jonze/Kaufman and company... may you have long and successful careers.
Mickey Knox is now off to the winnebago... gotta help Mallory teach Mickey Junior how to expertly decode and process all violent information from movies before that Congressional Cultural Committe gets a hold of him.
Later
