Remember the time I put strings on you and passed you off as a puppet?

The ultimate coming of age story, except, instead of a pubescent teen with social angst, Being John Malkovich explores the malleable gender and social identity that follows us throughout the extent of our lives. John Malkovich’s semi famed existence is blank slate, an identity tinged with few specifics but enough success to offer limitless opportunity to the puppeteer, Craig Schwartz. The appeal of John Malkovich as a vessel stems from each characters realization that they are a product of social pressures and norms, rather than their own design and desires. As a result, the role of the puppeteer is fitting, as it demonstrates the ways that we, outside the realm of film, can be influenced or controlled, however it seems to insinuate that this adventure is only possible by entering into someone else. The film seems to suggest that only by 'actually' entering someone else can we change our lifes trajectory.