Being John Malkovich: Introduction

Being John Malkovich is a highly philosophical film, as well as a surreal one. The basic plot is that there is a portal into the head of John Malkovich, acclaimed actor, and there are several characters whose lives are complicated by their desire to "be John Malkovich". The film deals with aspects of the human condition, such as Cartesian dualism and the nature of the self. It also deals with aspects of Freudian psychology, in that it addressed the issue of repression and the subconcious. But most importantly, the film carries a moral message. That message is that you cannot be someone else. Even if you are someone inside someone else, you are still you. You cannot escape your problems by "becoming John Malkovich", no matter how hard you try.