Where to watch Being John Malkovich online

Storyline

One day at work, unsuccessful puppeteer Craig finds a portal into the head of actor John Malkovich. The portal soon becomes a passion for anybody who enters its mad and controlling world of overtaking another human body.

Released

1999-10-29
Revenue

$22,863,596
Budget

$13,000,000
Runtime

1hr 53m
Genre

Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Status

Released
Language

Français, English
7.7
Production

Propaganda Films, Single Cell Pictures, Gramercy Pictures

Crew

Spike Jonze

Director

Charlie Kaufman

Writer

Michael Stipe

Producer

Keywords:

witch sexual identity individual secret love transvestism identity subconsciousness new identity pet chimp puppeteer appropriation of another human being externally controlled action pet shop

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Cast

John Cusack

Craig Schwartz

John Malkovich

John Horatio Malkovich

Cameron Diaz

Lotte Schwartz

Catherine Keener

Maxine Lund

Mary Kay Place

Floris

Orson Bean

Dr. Lester

Charlie Sheen

Charlie

Reggie Hayes

Don

W. Earl Brown

First J.M. Inc. Customer

Carlos Jacott

Larry the Agent

Willie Garson

Guy in Restaurant

K.K. Dodds

Wendy

Byrne Piven

Captain Mertin

Judith Wetzell

Tiny Woman

Gregory Sporleder

Drunk at Bar

Octavia Spencer

Woman in Elevator

Ned Bellamy

Derek Mantini

Eric Weinstein

Father at Puppet Show

Madison Lanc

Daughter at Puppet Show

Kevin Carroll

Cab Driver

Gerald Emerick

Sad Man in Line

Richard Fancy

Johnson Heyward

Patti Tippo

Malkovich's Mother

Daniel Hansen

Boy Malkovich

Mariah O'Brien

Girl Creeped Out by Malkovich

Kelly Teacher

Emily

Bill M. Ryusaki

Mr. Hiroshi

Jacqueline Benoît

Lester's Friend

William Buck

Lester's Friend

Christine D. Coleman

Lester's Friend

Jeanne Diehl

Lester's Friend

Audrey Gelfund

Lester's Friend

Yetta Ginsburg

Lester's Friend

Sylvester Jenkins

Lester's Friend

Roy C. Johnson

Lester's Friend

Eddie J. Low

Lester's Friend

Ralph W. Spaulding

Lester's Friend

David Wyler

Lester's Friend

Flori Wyler

Lester's Friend

Kevin Lee

Ballet Dancer

Marlowe Bassett

Ballet Dancer

Jennifer Canzoneri

Ballet Dancer

Kristie Cordle

Ballet Dancer

Denise Dabrowski

Ballet Dancer

Kristin Condon

Ballet Dancer

Charlene Grimsley

Ballet Dancer

Christine Krejer

Ballet Dancer

Erica Long

Ballet Dancer

Yvonne Montelius

Ballet Dancer

Jessica Neuberger

Ballet Dancer

Sara Rifkin

Ballet Dancer

Elizabeth Rivera

Ballet Dancer

Chelsa Sjostrom

Ballet Dancer

Pamela Hayden

Featured Character Voice (voice)

Jayne Hess

Featured Character Voice (voice)

Michelle Madden

Featured Character Voice (voice)

Greg O'Neill

Featured Character Voice (voice)

Neil Ross

Featured Character Voice (voice)

Bill Wittman

Featured Character Voice (voice)

David Fincher

Christopher Bing (uncredited)

Sean Penn

Sean Penn (uncredited)

Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt (uncredited)

James Murray

Student Puppeteer (uncredited)

Videos and Photos

Movie Reviews

Reviews for Being John Malkovich

A Review by d54.pod 10

Written by d54.pod on 2022-09-26

Full review: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2YaFaVOq4cOeC7BBgUgmou?si=dfb200c90b4d4e74 ---- While there are many movies about self d... read more

Full review: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2YaFaVOq4cOeC7BBgUgmou?si=dfb200c90b4d4e74 ---- While there are many movies about self discovery, self growth and identity, not many (if really any) have taken the approach of 'Being John Malkovich'. The general premise of the movie is: struggling puppeteer Craig discovers a portal allowing him to enter the mind of the actor John Malkovich. Through multiple attempts of possessing John Malkovich, he is able to take control of the actor and live his life through him. His wife, Lotte, and his new love interest Maxine are also entangled in the journey. The finale of the movie shifts the dynamics in the relationship as Lotte and Maxine find love and Craig is eventually forever trapped in a kind of 'sunken place'. While the movies plot is somewhat straightforward and easy to follow, the movie is highly entertaining due to the great writing and screenplay along with the great pacing and performances from the small but highly talented cast (Cusack, Diaz, Keener and Malkovich). There are also enough elements of absurdity and surrealism to create this somewhat fantastical world we are immersed in. However, the real highlight of 'Being John Malkovich' is the number of ethical and philosophical questions about self identity and consciousness it evokes. The central question asked in this movie, is what is identity and how do we define it? The central character Craig, battles throughout the film with his desire for both power and clout. As a highly insecure struggling artist, he instantly falls for Maxine, but it's clear his desire is more about what Maxine represent's (a highly confident and seductive women) rather than who she is as an individual. She is a means to an end to help make up for all that is lacking in Craig's life. He believes that having possession of someone like Maxine would help him in his endeavour as an artist and ultimately a man. Lotte on the other hand, while also struggling with self-acceptance, is looking for someone to fill the void which has been left by Craig through his disinterest in her romantically as her husband. Lotte appears to be somewhat of a victim throughout the film, as her struggle to find love, and embrace her own power comes through some rather difficult and unfortunate circumstances (e.g. being rejected by Maxine on multiple occasions and later being trapped in a cage with her pet Chimpanzee). Maxine, maybe the most interesting of the 3, comes across as opportunistic and rather shallow, but highly confident in contrast to Craig and Lotte. Her journey to eventual happiness comes in the way of realising the beauty within through falling in love with Lotte, but at first, only when she is in Malkovich's vessel. In contrast, her relationship with Craig when he has captured Malkovich is shallow and unsatisfying. The subtle similarities, and stark differences between these three characters leads to some interesting questions which are posed about self discovery and the journey each character takes to uncover about themselves. John Malkovich, although mostly just a device throughout the film, has perhaps the most bizarre scene in the entire movie, when he himself enters his own portal and see's a world full of different versions of himself. This scene has a number of different interpretations about how we often view ourselves, the different characters we play in our own lives, and how our subconscious can be visually represented. Being John Malkovich is a special movie which takes a central theme of identity and makes the audience question what that really means. It does so in a highly engaging manner, never sacrificing an engaging story for the overall deeper themes at hand. It's a movie which viewers can come back to multiple times and still be in awe.

A Review by r96sk 8

Written by r96sk on 2025-01-06

<em>'Being John Malkovich'</em> sure is quite something! Despite not knowing the type of movie that it is, I'm always wanted to get this one... read more

Read Full Review (The thoughts and opinions expressed here are solely those of the reviewer.)

A Review by d54.pod

A Review by d54.pod 10

Written by d54.pod on 2022-09-26

Full review: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2YaFaVOq4cOeC7BBgUgmou?si=dfb200c90b4d4e74 ---- While there are many movies about self discovery, self growth and identity, not many (if really any)...

A Review by r96sk 8

Written by r96sk on 2025-01-06

<em>'Being John Malkovich'</em> sure is quite something! Despite not knowing the type of movie that it is, I'm always wanted to get this one watched purely because of the title. Now I've seen it, I'm ...