#WednesdayMovie# #21 "Becoming John Malkovich"
Recommended star: Samsung
Keywords: story; self; simulation
Becoming John Malkovich is a story about the brain, about consciousness. Don't think of it as a brain-burning piece, understand it logically. Just to appreciate its story, its rhythm will do. As a fantasy film, it would be too imprecise to say that it has no predecessors and no newcomers, but after more than 20 years of release, this film still looks extremely independent and extremely weird.
There are many interpretations of this film, and many extensions. You could say it's philosophical, sci-fi, comedy, but it's undoubtedly best summed up as a good story, a timeless topic — who am I?
Craig is an outdated puppeteer, or he's after an outdated puppet show. In the definition of ordinary people, a puppet show is a puppet show for children, but in Craig, its meaning is not so. You can't attract others, or you just don't understand society and yourself. In the small theater, he imagined himself as a genius like Markovic, an absolute protagonist, and in reality, he had nowhere to go.
From start to finish, Craig was a very confused man. When he saw others being grandstanding, he was disdainful and looked down upon by others; when he met someone he liked, he was brave, but he was never looked up to; he was ready to give up everything to return to his family, he chose love, but was abandoned by his lover. Pursuing art, chasing love bravely, and choosing love are all qualities that are highly praised in ordinary film and television, and there is no good harvest here.
The only bright spot in his life, perhaps, was performing puppets, engrossed and ecstatic. Relying on the possession of Markovic behind, led the puppet craze again. Depends on yourself. I imitate others too much, and finally lose myself.
He was equally confused by his wife, Lottie. After a visit to "Markovic", Lottie found her biggest confusion, it turned out that she was not herself. When she is in the body of a man, she can enjoy herself more.
The other protagonist in the film, Maxine, does not have such contradictions. She is not troubled by these, nor does she seek them from her. After finding the "Malkovich Gate", she did not indulge it, but quickly commercialized it. So when she dated the fake "Malkovich", she didn't care whether it was a man or a woman behind her. Anyone can, as long as they make themselves comfortable.
One of the most amazing episodes in the film is that Markovic entered Markovic and entered himself. Did he see himself in the end? A good actor may not have himself, but himself.
Talking like this may be too convoluted and easy to become boring. To put it another way, it might be easier if we think of everything as watching a movie. We live in an oppressive seven-and-a-half-layer world, and we can only bow down and do nothing. No one knows why it's only half a story high here, but we just have to get used to it, it doesn't make sense.
"Malkovich's Gate" is like a movie theater, taking us on a tour of ourselves that we don't belong to. Even if it's only fifteen minutes at a time, but immersed in her magic, everyone can't resist. A character who likes a movie can, but you can't take him as yourself.
The story ends up in a strange place, where Maxine and Lottie realize themselves and choose what they love, while Craig is forever immersed in her and caged in himself. When there are more and more places to escape from, people will eventually lose themselves.
At the end of the film, there is no answer that can be summed up, it just shows the direction of several characters, and it comes to an abrupt end. Here we only vaguely know what is wrong, but the opposite is not necessarily right. In this contradiction, the ending without an answer does not make people feel too pitiful or discouraged. Because there is an inexplicable feeling hidden in it, waiting for the audience to simulate it by themselves.
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