Being John Malkovich & 3 comedies that are low-key horror movies

1. While You Were Sleeping (1995)

Who doesn’t love a good wholesome Sandra Bullock rom-com? While Being John Malkovich is more obvious with its horror, this film is subtle in its approach. Ever since appearing in the thriller, Speed (1994) which set her on a collision course for stardom, Bullock has been giving us all the warm and fuzzies in countless hit movies.

1995’s While You Were Sleeping was a massive success at the box office. What is it about this seemingly straightforward effort that could be considered dark? If you delve deeply into the narrative, Bullock’s Lucy is a disturbed individual.

While You Were Sleeping is about a lonely Chicago Transit Authority token collector who has a secret crush on a hot commuter named Peter Callaghan (Peter Gallagher). After a group of muggers push him onto the train tracks, Peter falls into a coma.

Luckily, Lucy is there to save him. While at the hospital she is overheard by a nurse saying “I was going to marry him.” The nurse tells Peter’s family that she is his fiancée and shenanigans commence.

So, where is the horror? Well, you could replace the gorgeous Sandra Bullock with a man and then While You Were Sleeping would take on the characteristics of a predatory horror film in the vein of Fatal Attraction.

If you watch the film with the view that mild-mannered Lucy is a stalker, things get very dark, very fast. Several of Lucy’s friends are aware of what she is doing and think she is crazy.

I won’t even go into how she uses her acquired knowledge of Peter’s missing testicle to convince his family she’s his girlfriend. When you look at this rom-com in that light, it kind of makes that cute scene where she breaks into his apartment, a little more ominous.