Review: Adaptation

By Jack January 10, 2003 1:14 PM

Directed By: Spike Jonze
Written By: Charlie Kaufman, Donald Kaufman, Susan Orlean (Author of The Orchid Thief)
Photography: Lance Acord
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep, Chris Cooper, Tilda Swinton, Cara Seymour, Brian Cox, Judy Greer, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Ron Livingston

Adaptation is an "adaptation of a writer's adaptation of a novel which was based upon a true story." Sound confusing? Well, it's not really.

The Plot:

Charlie Kaufman (played by Nicholas Cage) has been hired to adapt Susan Orlean's (Meryl Streep) nonfiction best-seller, The Orchid Thief, into a film. Orlean's book is based on an piece she wrote for the New Yorker about a Florida man named John Laroche (Chris Cooper), who had been arrested for taking orchids out of a state wildlife refuge. He went to court, saying he was merely a consultant for local American Indians, who by right of Florida law are permitted to do whatever they want.

As Kaufman begins the job, he quickly finds there is no way that he can turn this rambling book into anything resembling a film without adding such Hollywood conventions as drugs, sex and car chases, and he wasn't willing to sensationalize the material. After an extremely dark period of self-doubting and self-loathing, he came up with a brilliant idea and decided to write himself into his script.

Kaufman's twin brother Donald (also Cage) suddenly moves in with Charlie and decides to take up screenwriting. Donald's first script is coming along great. He read a book called 'Story' by Robert McKee (Brian Cox (the original Hannibal Lecktor)), which tells you, step-by-step, how to write a screenplay. While Charlie's agonizingly personal and anti-Hollywood adaptation is foundering in the swamps of Florida, Donald's "by-the-numbers action-drama" is getting "good buzz" back in Hollywood.

Warning: This is the part of the review that I start voicing my opinions.

With one of the most original scripts I've ever seen, this film has unexpected twists even as it plays games within games and tells stories within stories, toying with its source material, its characters, its creators and its own existence. All the while, the multiple storylines are well handled and Spike Jonze does an admirable job of moving back and forth between the them without ever digressing or losing audience interest.

Nicholas Cage has a difficult role, portraying two very different yet identical twin brothers. Charlie is a nervous, chattering social leper, while Donald is a charismatic carefree chunkster. Cage's performance will no doubt be remembered this Oscar season. As will (or should) Chris Cooper's truly sublime and rich performance.

Conclusion: Adaptation may not for everyone. If you're looking for something different, original, and dark.. give this film a try. This is certainly the best film I've seen in a long time. With that I give it my highest rating yet! 9.7/10

Related Movies From Amazon.com: (15% of profits go to the save dtheatre.com fund) Being John Malkovich (also directed by Spike Jonze and written by Charlie Kaufman), Casablanca (a true American classic, referenced several times in this film)

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| comments: 25

Reader Discussions:

Post YOUR opinion too!

Jack... reply

Posted by Skullfire (hulacete@ubbi.com) on January 11, 2003 11:59 PM

...you had a movie orgasm.

RE: Jack... reply

Posted by Jack (jack@dtheatre.com) on January 12, 2003 5:29 PM

Pretty much did.. you should try it :)

i usually like films like this reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on January 12, 2003 8:10 PM

but man what a letdown - being john malky was such a gem of a film - I still think back about seeing it - it was a big shock that this one would be so uninspired - i came out of the theatre feeling used - gangs of new york (the other movie I saw this weekend) is a much better picture that at least tries to use film as an appropriate medium for a nicely arranged story - adaptation just didn't do a damn thing for me

RE: i usually like films like this reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on January 13, 2003 5:25 AM

Actually, forget that. I just saw it a second time and thought it was fantastic.

RE: i usually like films like this reply

Posted by Skullfire (hulacete@ubbi.com) on January 13, 2003 6:53 AM

I'm wondering what you'll say after the third time...

RE: i usually like films like this reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on January 14, 2003 5:36 AM

Just saw it again, no it really is sh*t.

RE: i usually like films like this reply

Posted by Jack (jack@dtheatre.com) on January 14, 2003 9:56 AM

LOL