Being John Malkovich (1999)

Tagline: Ever wanted to be someone else? Now you can.
Cusack Plays: Puppeteer Craig Schwartz

Well this is certainly one of the most original, inventive and fascinating films Cusack will have the fortune of starring in. From the wonderful mind of Charlie Kaufman comes this tale of a struggling puppeteer who takes a job as a filing clerk on the 7 1/2 floor of an office block and stumbles upon a portal into the mind of John Malkovich. He sees a way to make some money by allowing people to be someone else, but the portal has a greater purpose. Meanwhile Craig's dowdy wife (Carmeron Diaz, looking nearly unrecognisable) also becomes obsessed with being Malkovich so s/he can be with Craig's sexy co-worker (an excellent turn from Catherine Keener).



I recall being pretty blown away when I saw this for the first time and it hasn't really lost any of its wonder and charm. I also really love the soundtrack. The scenes where Craig manages to make a puppet of Malkovich himself are my particular favourites as Malkovich really seems to have Cusack's way of speaking down. And of course the part where Malkovich enters the portal himself. "Malkovich, Malkovich..." Definitely one of my favourite Cusack films, even if he isn't looking as handsome as usual.

Eight Men Out (1988)

Tagline: The inside story of how the national pasttime became a national scandal.

Cusack Plays: George 'Buck' Weaver, Chicago White Sox player, part of the 1919 team who threw the World Series.

Family Connections: Dad Dick plays Judge Friend

Ah goody a sports film. And a sport in which, I, as a Brit do not have much of an affinity with. It's a like a mixture of cricket and rounders, right?

Apparently this team was one of the greatest ever, and it came as a surprise when they lost the World Series that year. Reason being - they threw the games for money, as the team owner was a total tight-ass who didn't financially reward them for their great achievements. The film follows the story from the scheme being organised, through all the games and suspicions and to the trial which followed.

Cusack plays a character who is sort of in on it, but who doesn't play badly and protests his innocence to the end. What a good guy.

Most of the lingo went over my head, but as I didn't know the outcome of the story I was kept reasonably interested throughout. Not bad.