Being John Malkovich is very memorable, and is an even better film than it gets credit for. Somehow what should be dark and unsettling ends up instead as being mysterious and funny (mostly funny). The story is intriguing, and while it does not come off completely, it scores way more points with its audacity and inventiveness than it loses in other places. The directing is also very good, and various shots and effects (the portal into Malkovich and the drop out) stick out in my mind as very well done. The acting is comical, but otherwise hard to comment on, because the characters, while they are somewhat true-to-life, do not have all that much depth. This is not so much a negative, since more in-depth characters would make for a less funny and more unsettling experience. Overall, the film presents itself like an M.C. Escher drawing: anyone can enjoy it as it is, and for people that want to look deeper, there is plenty to be found in its themes of identity, control, and relation, and one can as well appreciate the craftmanship that went into it.

4.5 / 5.0