TC Candler's Review A-

Ahhh... Originality.  It never gets old.

This movie is about the process of writing the script to the movie you're actually watching... it's quite an astonishingly ingenious film that never failed to surprise me and never let my attention wane. Charlie Kaufman, the great screenwriter of the equally fresh and inventive 1999 comedy 'Being John Malkovich', is the real star here. He consistently presents intriguing scenes that beg to be thought about in great depth.

The cast is littered with phenomenal talents. Nic Cage delivers his best performance since the Oscar winning role in 1995's 'Leaving Las Vegas'. Meryl Streep is her usual solid self in a role one wouldn't normally associate with her... the character is very quirky. Chris Cooper will assuredly be up for a lot of award show hardware this Spring as the toothless Orchid collector. And the supporting cast all performed admirably.

The one disappointment was the direction. Spike Jonze helmed Charlie Kaufman's 'Being John Malkovich' and burst on to the scene as one of the best young directing talents in cinema. But this time around he seems a tad lost. Although each scene is beautifully written, they don't really flow together with any cohesion or rhythm. Perhaps that is also the fault of the editing team... but I always blame the directors when a film feels disjointed.

However, there is always something interesting happening on screen and the film has enough going for it to be considered one of the most thought provoking and amusing of the year. 'Adaptation' is easily the most original movie to come down the pike in a long time.

© Written by TC Candler

How We Rated This Film TC Candler - A- Richard Propes - A- Jacob Hall - A

Richard Propes' Comment

This film, in my opinion, benefited from a second viewing. First off, I thought Chris Cooper's performance was stunning. This is not an opinion I had after the first viewing. Secondly, the film has so many different parts that it can easily appear disjointed. It featured wonderful performances by Meryl Street and Nicolas Cage. I thought the directing choices by Spike Jonze were marvelous. I have this guideline for my favorite movies, though. I want them to stay with me when I leave. I want to either feel them or think about them or simply remember them. I want to process through them and feel a need to call someone and talk about it. I experienced none of these things with this film. The film, for me, was not equal to the sum of its parts. I have bumped this film from a B+ to an A-, however, much of that remains my genuineness fondness for the "parts" of this film. I just wish it had stuck with me better...For that reason, it will NOT enter my Top 100.

Jacob Hall's Comment

Another excellent experiment in weirdness from Charlie Kaufman.

"Adaptation" stars Nicolas Cage as Charlie Kaufman (a parody of the screenwriter himself) and his fictional twin brother (who represents Kaufman's inner hack). Mary Streep is the author of a novel about Orchids (a real book and author!) who gets involved with an orchid expert (Chris Cooper, playing a real person!).

In real life, and in the movie, Charlie Kaufman was hired to adapt "The Orchid Thief." In real life, Kaufman could not adapt the complex novel, so he wrote a fictional story about him trying adapt the novel.

It sounds bizarre, and yes, it is. But it's also brilliant. Cage plays both brothers so well, that we forget that they are the same actor. Streep (arguably the greatest actress of all time) shines in a comedic, rather silly (but often saddening) role. Chris Cooper won an Oscar for playing John Laroche, the toothless orchid hunter who faces a life of misfortune. It was well-deserved.

Technically an adaptation, but actually a blazing work of originality! I can't wait to see another film written by Kaufman. I also must give credit to director Spike Jonze, who is showing some true talent behind the camera.