MovieChat Forums > Being John Malkovich (1999) Discussion > Craig doesn't deserve what he got

Craig doesn't deserve what he got

posted 11 years ago by regulus7000
19 replies | jump to latest

This is a terribly sad movie. Craig is royally screwed over and is forced to live as an observer and forced to witness Maxine and Lotte happy while he is stuck in a hellish nightmare. It is terribly sad and her certainly doesn't deserve what he got.

Let's look at it this way: everyone had a happy ending except Craig. Maxine even got a happy ending, and she is arguably the villain of the movie along with Dr. Lester. These are terrible people, but they got happy endings.

why was Craig screwed? He didn't deserve what he got. Granted he did take control of Malkovich for 8 months, but that is no less awful than what Dr. Lester does.

Honestly, it is the saddest movie I have ever seen. And this is just talking about Craig. Malkovich at least gets to expire when his body dies, but Craig is stuck forever until the vessel dies before taking over the next one (who knows how long that will be).

[–] Princess_Ashmi 11 years ago

He didn't deserve it? He overtook someone elses mind for the sake of another woman. Thats greed on his part and dishonour. He was a married man who simply began to lust after another woman and went out of his way to get her.

He deserved everything he got.

Ashmi any question

[–] everydayboredom1980 11 years ago

I have no sympathy for Craig. He was selfish and did some evil things to get what he wanted. Taking over Malkovich, locking his wife in a cage.

The most decent character was probably Malkovich himself.

[–] regulus7000 11 years ago

Why does Craig deserve to be punished but not the doctor?

[–] fourpointstars 11 years ago

The only one who deserved a good ending was Lotte.

[–] LionInWinter 10 years ago

Malkovich himself did nothing wrong, yet he got the second worst fate. Being under the illusion of finally being free for mere seconds before being trapped again for all eternity... Horrible.

[–] amanoj 10 years ago

Lotte didn't give a damn about anyone's feelings or wants but her own, she wasn't much better. If she had known how to stay in Malkovich for Maxine, she absolutely would have done it. Don't forget she was the first to "be" with Maxine, and also tried to kill her later during that huge chase through Malkovich's mind. She only stopped when Maxine said the baby was hers.
"If I can't have you no one will."

None of these main characters had clean hands.

[–] yvjthl 10 years ago

This is the exact truth

Lottie and Maxine were as bad as Craig

[–] everydayboredom1980 11 years ago

Why does Craig deserve to be punished but not the doctor?

The doctor definitely deserved to get punished.

[–] square_zebra 11 years ago

I completely disagree. And he's not trapped - if he wasn't so weirdly obsessed with Maxine he could leave Emily's body and try and do something else with the remainder of his life, but because Maxine loves Emily he stays.
He absolutely deserves to be punished though! He took over Malkovich's body for a year! Malkovich is prettie the only one in this movie who doesn't deserve to be punished, apart from perhaps Lottie. Loving someone doesn't make you suddenly not know the difference between right and wrong, he knew what he was doing to Malkovich. And anyway, he wasn't actually in love with her, he was simply obsessed with her.

[–] baheidstu-351-733122 11 years ago

IIRC, he is trapped in Emily's mind forever. Remember when Lester was explaining the whole mind thing to Lottie, he said that if he didn't get into Malkovich's mind at the right time he would wind up trapped in the infant's mind forever, so that's what happened to Craig.

[–] NotASpeckOfCereal (302) 7 years ago

Yeah, he's trapped forever, or until the girl is 44 at least.

[–] kugar469 11 years ago

The only ones I feel sorry for are Malkovich and his daugther. Looks like not many people cares about the whole "Take over somebody's body and annihilate his consciousness" thing.

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] compact_disc_rack 11 years ago

Some people have valid points for why he deserved it. I don't think he did. In the end he gave up what he did to get Maxine back and got *beep* for it. It's pretty disgusting how Maxine who was the evil master througout the film is somehow forgiven.

I'll tell you one thing, you could never have made this movie with a woman actress replacing Malkovich.

[–] ilyathe2nd 7 years ago

On the evil maste theme, remember how Maxine points out that the orientation film about Floor 7½ is not the true story - how could she know, unless she's 'in on it.' When Craig find s the portal she's too quick to understand what it is and what it does. When she agrees to have a drink with Craig she admits to being dubious. An odd thing to say, even if I'm stretching it a bit. Everything revolves around her, and she takes full advantage of that. So, in the end, even if she didn't start it, she does manipulate everyone and everything to suit her own needs. Nasty piece of work.

Suprise! Nothing to see here

[–] nbulous 10 years ago

Little Bill Daggett: I don't deserve this... to die like this. I was building a house.

Will Munny: Deserve's got nothin' to do with it. *BLAAM!!*

Excuse me, where are you taking us? Mexico
What's in Mexico? Mexicans

[–] Arkoth 10 years ago

They were all fúcked up in their way.
and it's not like he didn't deserve what he got, is more like the others didn't get some punishment, especially Maxine.