Better known for his music promos (
Fat Boy Slim’s Praise You)
Spike Jonze directs
Cusack as
Craig Schwartz, an out-of-work puppeteer who is forced to find another source of income as an office clerk.
It’s here he stumbles upon a portal that leads him inside the brain of John Malkovich and after befriending the offish yet flirtatious Maxine (Keener) charges people $200 for a 15 minute ‘trip’.
Problems arise as Schwartz’s wife (Diaz), whilst inside Malkovich, falls is love with Maxine and has to compete with Craig for her affections.
Jonze’s style, evident from the afore mentioned promo, is in his own inventive manner and, whilst the subject matter is certainly off-the-wall, the dialogue is spot on. Cusack is excellent and Diaz is as you’ve never seen her before: dowdy, hairy and down-right unattractive!.
A definite must see!