Being John Malkovich (1999)

Craig (John Cusack), a puppeteer, takes a filing job in a low-ceilinged office on the 7 1/2 floor in a building in Manhattan. Although married to the slightly askew Lotte (Camron Diaz), he hits on a colleague, the sexually frank Maxine (Katherine Keener). She's bored but snaps awake when he finds a portal leading inside John Malkovich (John Malkovich): for 15 minutes you see, hear, and feel whatever John Malkovich is doing, then you fall out by the New Jersey Turnpike. Maxine makes it commercial, selling trips for $200; hilarity ensues when she becomes more interested in Lotte than in Craig, but only when Lotte is inside John Malkovich. John Malkovich finds out what's going on and tries to stop it, but Craig sees the portal as his road to Maxine and to success as a puppeteer. Meanwhile, Lotte discovers others interested in the portal.

Trivia: John Malkovich's real middle name is Gavin - in the movie, his character's middle name is Horatio. Craig discovers that LesterCorp is on the 7 1/2 floor of the Mertin Flemmer building by seeing a "7 1/2" on a building directory in the lobby - at the 7 1/2-minute point of the film. The 1990 Steppenwolf Theatre building in Chicago (Malkovich was one of the first members of Steppenwolf, and remains one today) includes a half-floor used for storage. Several characters in the movie remember Malkovich as having played a jewel thief, even though, as he correctly points out, he never did. However, Malkovich did eventually play a jewel thief in Johnny English (2003). John Cusack actually took some marionette-puppeteering lessons in order to prepare for the film. John Malkovich was approached about this film several times and loved the script, but he and his production crew felt that another actor would fit the role better. Malkovich offered to help produce the film, and aid Spike Jonze in any way, but refused to star in it. Eventually after a couple of years Malkovich's will was worn down and he agreed to star in the film.

This one of the those "I've been meaning to watch but just haven't gotten around to it" movies. It is a very unique premise and they pulled it off pretty good. Cameron Diaz looked nothing like Cameron Diaz. John Malkovich is not one of the hand full of actors that would make me run out to see a picture just because he was in it, but he is a good actor and has interesting characters and in this movie has has to play himself...and he has to play somebody playing John Malkovich. The most interesting parts of the movie were the marionettes. They were performed amazingly.