Being John Malkovich
Updated: 12/16/2025, 9:12:18 PM Wikipedia source
Being John Malkovich is a 1999 American surrealist fantasy comedy drama film directed by Spike Jonze and written by Charlie Kaufman, both making their feature film debut. The film stars John Cusack, Cameron Diaz, and Catherine Keener, with John Malkovich as a version of himself. Cusack plays a puppeteer who finds a portal that leads into Malkovich's mind. Released by USA Films, the film received widespread acclaim, with praise for its writing and direction, and grossed $23 million against a $13 million budget. The film was nominated in three categories at the 72nd Academy Awards: Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actress for Keener. The film ranked 441st on Empire magazine's 2008 list of the 500 greatest films of all time, while Malkovich's performance is ranked number 90 on Premiere's "100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time".
Infobox
Directed by
Spike Jonze
Written by
Charlie Kaufman
Produced by
mw- Michael Stipe Sandy Stern Steve Golin Vincent Landay
Starring
John Cusack Cameron Diaz Catherine Keener Orson Bean Mary Kay Place John Malkovich
Cinematography
Lance Acord
Edited by
Eric Zumbrunnen
Music by
Carter Burwell
Productioncompanies
Gramercy PicturesPropaganda FilmsSingle Cell Pictures
Distributed by
USA Films (United States)Universal Pictures International (International)
Release dates
September 2, 1999 (1999-09-02) (Venice) October 29, 1999 (1999-10-29) (United States)
Running time
113 minutes
Country
United States
Language
English
Budget
$13 million
Box office
$23.1 million
Tables
Professional ratings · Soundtrack
Source
Source
Review scores
Source
Review scores
Rating
Allmusic
Allmusic
Review scores
Allmusic
Review scores
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic | |
· Reception › Accolades
Academy Awards
Academy Awards
Award
Academy Awards
Award category
Best Director
Recipients
Spike Jonze
Result
Nominated
Best Supporting Actress
Best Supporting Actress
Award
Best Supporting Actress
Award category
Catherine Keener
Recipients
Nominated
Best Original Screenplay
Best Original Screenplay
Award
Best Original Screenplay
Award category
Charlie Kaufman
Recipients
Nominated
American Comedy Awards
American Comedy Awards
Award
American Comedy Awards
Award category
Funniest Motion Picture
Recipients
Being John Malkovich
Result
Nominated
Funniest Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Funniest Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Award
Funniest Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Award category
John Malkovich
Recipients
Won
Funniest Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Funniest Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Award
Funniest Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Award category
Cameron Diaz
Recipients
Nominated
BAFTA Awards
BAFTA Awards
Award
BAFTA Awards
Award category
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Recipients
Cameron Diaz
Result
Nominated
Best Screenplay - Original
Best Screenplay - Original
Award
Best Screenplay - Original
Award category
Charlie Kaufman
Recipients
Won
Best Editing
Best Editing
Award
Best Editing
Award category
Eric Zumbrunnen
Recipients
Nominated
César Awards
César Awards
Award
César Awards
Award category
Best Foreign Film
Recipients
Spike Jonze
Result
Nominated
GLAAD Media Awards
GLAAD Media Awards
Award
GLAAD Media Awards
Award category
Outstanding Film – Wide Release
Recipients
Being John Malkovich
Result
Won
Golden Globe Awards
Golden Globe Awards
Award
Golden Globe Awards
Award category
Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Recipients
Being John Malkovich
Result
Nominated
Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture
Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture
Award
Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture
Award category
Cameron Diaz
Recipients
Nominated
Catherine Keener
Catherine Keener
Award
Catherine Keener
Award category
Nominated
Best Screenplay
Best Screenplay
Award
Best Screenplay
Award category
Charlie Kaufman
Recipients
Nominated
Hugo Awards
Hugo Awards
Award
Hugo Awards
Award category
Best Dramatic Presentation
Recipients
Spike Jonze & Charlie Kaufman
Result
Nominated
Independent Spirit Awards
Independent Spirit Awards
Award
Independent Spirit Awards
Award category
Best First Feature - Over $500,000
Recipients
Spike Jonze, Michael Stipe, Sandy Stern, Steve Golin, Vincent Landay
Result
Won
Best First Screenplay
Best First Screenplay
Award
Best First Screenplay
Award category
Charlie Kaufman
Recipients
Won
Best Male Lead
Best Male Lead
Award
Best Male Lead
Award category
John Cusack
Recipients
Nominated
MTV Movie Awards
MTV Movie Awards
Award
MTV Movie Awards
Award category
Best New Filmmaker
Recipients
Spike Jonze
Result
Won
Saturn Awards
Saturn Awards
Award
Saturn Awards
Award category
Best Fantasy Film
Recipients
Being John Malkovich
Result
Won
Best Writing
Best Writing
Award
Best Writing
Award category
Charlie Kaufman
Recipients
Won
Best Actress
Best Actress
Award
Best Actress
Award category
Catherine Keener
Recipients
Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Awards
Screen Actors Guild Awards
Award
Screen Actors Guild Awards
Award category
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
Recipients
Cameron Diaz
Result
Nominated
Catherine Keener
Catherine Keener
Award
Catherine Keener
Award category
Nominated
Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Award
Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Award category
Orson Bean, John Cusack, Cameron Diaz, Catherine Keener, John Malkovich, Mary Kay Place, Charlie Sheen
Recipients
Nominated
Teen Choice Awards
Teen Choice Awards
Award
Teen Choice Awards
Award category
Choice Movie Actress
Recipients
Cameron Diaz
Result
Nominated
| Award | Award category | Recipients | Result |
| Academy Awards | Best Director | Spike Jonze | Nominated |
| Best Supporting Actress | Catherine Keener | Nominated | |
| Best Original Screenplay | Charlie Kaufman | Nominated | |
| American Comedy Awards | Funniest Motion Picture | Being John Malkovich | Nominated |
| Funniest Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture | John Malkovich | Won | |
| Funniest Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture | Cameron Diaz | Nominated | |
| BAFTA Awards | Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Cameron Diaz | Nominated |
| Best Screenplay - Original | Charlie Kaufman | Won | |
| Best Editing | Eric Zumbrunnen | Nominated | |
| César Awards | Best Foreign Film | Spike Jonze | Nominated |
| GLAAD Media Awards | Outstanding Film – Wide Release | Being John Malkovich | Won |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy | Being John Malkovich | Nominated |
| Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture | Cameron Diaz | Nominated | |
| Catherine Keener | Nominated | ||
| Best Screenplay | Charlie Kaufman | Nominated | |
| Hugo Awards | Best Dramatic Presentation | Spike Jonze & Charlie Kaufman | Nominated |
| Independent Spirit Awards | Best First Feature - Over $500,000 | Spike Jonze, Michael Stipe, Sandy Stern, Steve Golin, Vincent Landay | Won |
| Best First Screenplay | Charlie Kaufman | Won | |
| Best Male Lead | John Cusack | Nominated | |
| MTV Movie Awards | Best New Filmmaker | Spike Jonze | Won |
| Saturn Awards | Best Fantasy Film | Being John Malkovich | Won |
| Best Writing | Charlie Kaufman | Won | |
| Best Actress | Catherine Keener | Nominated | |
| Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role | Cameron Diaz | Nominated |
| Catherine Keener | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture | Orson Bean, John Cusack, Cameron Diaz, Catherine Keener, John Malkovich, Mary Kay Place, Charlie Sheen | Nominated | |
| Teen Choice Awards | Choice Movie Actress | Cameron Diaz | Nominated |
References
- Being John Malkovichhttps://www.the-numbers.com/movies/1999/BEING.php
- Box Office Mojohttps://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0120601/
- "Being John Malkovich (1999) - Spike Jonze"https://www.allmovie.com/movie/being-john-malkovich-v180993
- JoBlo.comhttps://www.joblo.com/why-it-works-being-john-malkovich-227-02/
- Off the Post-Dispatchhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch-crystal-has-a-si/124979015/
- EmpireOnline.comhttps://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/500-greatest-movies/
- FilmSite.orghttp://www.filmsite.org/100characters.html
- Being John Malkovichhttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120601/fullcredits#cast
- Salonhttps://web.archive.org/web/20050307105429/http://www.salon.com/ent/col/srag/1999/11/11/kaufman/print.html
- The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/1999/10/24/arts/film-the-fun-and-games-of-living-a-virtual-life.html
- Being John Malkovichhttps://tucson.com/entertainment/movies/article_ee681184-48ef-558a-956f-8f431ab4dc0c.html
- Varietyhttps://variety.com/1999/film/news/charlie-kaufman-1117792734/
- The Advocate
- Herhttps://www.theguardian.com/film/filmblog/2013/sep/09/spike-jonze-her-scarlett-johansson
- Varietyhttps://variety.com/2001/film/columns/the-write-stuff-sea-change-for-scribe-s-future-1117801689/
- Malkovichhttps://variety.com/1998/film/news/bean-place-in-malkovich-1117479351/
- Los Angeles Timeshttps://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-sep-12-me-125locations12-story.html
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- Puppetry Journalhttp://www.hubermarionettes.com/bjm/bjminterview.html
- Filmmaker Magazinehttps://filmmakermagazine.com/107755-im-in-you-director-spike-jonze-and-screenwriter-charlie-kaufman-talk-being-john-malkovich/#.Xk81wTJKi00
- Vogue Australiahttps://web.archive.org/web/20110226194306/http://www.vogue.com.au/beauty/five+minutes+with/5+minutes+with+gucci+westman,2819
- CrankyCritic.comhttps://web.archive.org/web/20100107062624/http://www.crankycritic.com/qa/diaz_keener.html
- The A.V. Clubhttps://www.avclub.com/john-cusack-1798212832
- The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/27/style/tmagazine/t_w_1595_1597_well_keener_.html
- DVD Verdicthttps://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/beingjohnm.php
- Being John Malkovichhttps://www.theguardian.com/film/1999/nov/10/mikeleigh
- Being John Malkovichhttps://www.allmusic.com/album/r447737
- Househttps://variety.com/1999/film/news/b-o-full-house-1117757571/
- Bonehttps://variety.com/1999/film/news/auds-bone-up-1117757810/
- Pokehttps://variety.com/1999/film/news/poke-pockets-monster-b-o-1117758046/
- Varietyhttps://variety.com/1999/film/news/b-o-shaken-stirred-by-bond-1117758270/
- Storyhttps://variety.com/1999/film/news/greatest-story-ever-sold-1117758382/
- Toyhttps://variety.com/1999/film/news/toy-keeps-b-o-in-toon-1117758642/
- Being John Malkovichhttps://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl1834845697/
- Varietyhttps://variety.com/1998/film/news/bean-place-in-malkovich-1117479351/
- Varietyhttps://variety.com/1999/film/news/polygram-now-u-pictures-intl-1117493669/
- The Independent
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- Varietyhttps://variety.com/1999/film/news/holiday-hit-parade-1117759947/
- Varietyhttps://variety.com/1999/film/news/overseas-auds-bonding-1117760142/
- Toyhttps://variety.com/1999/film/news/toy-joy-bond-blast-1117758661/
- Being John Malkovichhttps://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=intl&id=beingjohnmalkovich.htm
- ASINhttps://www.amazon.com/dp/630580706X
- Being John Malkovichhttps://www.amazon.com/Being-John-Malkovich-Limited-Collectors/dp/B00004Z4TT
- Being John Malkovichhttps://web.archive.org/web/20121020031346/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,64702,00.html
- Being John Malkovichhttps://web.archive.org/web/20111107151923/http://www.thedigitalbits.com/reviews/beingjohnmalkovich.html
- The Criterion Collectionhttps://www.criterion.com/films/28055-being-john-malkovich
- Being John Malkovichhttps://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/being_john_malkovich
- Being John Malkovichhttps://www.metacritic.com/movie/being-john-malkovich
- Being John Malkovichhttps://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/being-john-malkovich-1999
- Chicago Sun-Timeshttps://www.rogerebert.com/roger-ebert/the-best-10-movies-of-1999
- New Yorkhttps://nymag.com/nymetro/movies/reviews/1362
- Being John Malkovichhttps://web.archive.org/web/20090425220419/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,271590,00.html