This may be the wackiest movie I've seen all year. Considering that includes my nephew's bar mitzvah video, that is high praise indeed.

John Cusack (love his sister, Joan) stars as a schlumpy puppeteer forced to take a menial office job to make ends meet. The fact that the office occupies the 7-and-a half-th floor of a Manhattan office building, is a running joke throughout the movie. It doesn't seem to have much to do with the plot, but the boss, Orson Bean (can he really still be alive?), is more important to the proceedings than he lets on.

Mr. Cusack discovers a door in the office that allows one to enter John Malkovich's head and live inside him for about 15 minutes before being dumped (covered with slime, ick!) somewhere on the New Jersey Turnpike. Stay with me here.

Catherine Keener plays a co-worker (what a bitch) on the 7-and-a-half-th floor and the object of Cusack's lust. They form a business partnership selling tickets to the John Malkovich ride.

Cameron Diaz (looking decidedly unglamorous and proving for the first time she can actually act) is Cusack's wife. A dowdy, unhappy pet shop employee, she enters Malkovich and , through him, falls in love with Keener as well.

To top off all the insanity, John Malkovich plays himself. It's a great performance full of self-ridicule and satire on what being "famous" is all about. I think Mr. Malkovich deserves an Oscar nomination for playing the role every actor must dread -- himself. (If not for that reason, then for agreeing to appear partially naked. Get thee to a treadmill, sir.)

The movie is just odd enough to keep you guessing. It's a nice change of pace from the typical holiday fare.

Note: Mary Kay Place (really love her) has a few scenes as the hard-of-hearing receptionist on the 7-and-a-half-th floor. She steals the show.

Listen to me: If you don't know who John Malkovich is, don't bother.

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