Adaptation
A troubled screenwriter writing an adaptation written by a troubled screenwriter writing an adaptation. Charlie Kaufman's insanely genius script, based on Susan Orlean's novel The Orchid Thief said as much about the writer's own neuroses and anxieties about Hollywood as it did the character's, played with compelling self-loathing by Nicholas Cage. Spike Jonze (in only his second film after Being John Malcovich) expertly oversaw acting talents Meryl Streep, Tilda Swinton and Chris Cooper as they flirted with the psychedelic borders of a seriously labyrinthine script.
- Director:
- Spike Jonze ('Being John Malkovich')
- Writer:
- Charlie Kaufman
- Cast:
- Nicolas CageChris CooperTilda SwintonMaggie GyllenhaalBrian CoxRon LivingstonCara Seymour
Reviews & comments
The New York Times
pressCage and Jonze share a casual, daredevil sensibility, and the two of them -- or should I say the three of them? -- pull off one of the most amazing technical stunts in recent film history.
The Guardian
pressCage gives one of the best performances of his recent career as the Kaufmans. He's a natural in this role, especially when that great horse face breaks into an ingratiating grin...
Sydney Morning Herald
pressBoth Kaufmans are played by Nicolas Cage, whose goofy, moon-faced sincerity has never been put to funnier use.
Hollywood Reporter
pressKaufman and Jonze take huge risks to ponder the whole notion of passion -- our desire as human beings for passion in our lives and the emptiness one feels when it is missing.
Loved the audacity of the scriptwriter..
.. who writes a script about himself as a scriptwriter and his alter-ego writing the script of the movie we're actually watching, which is also about a book. Would have been a five if the script didn't try to cram so many different storylines in - it made it much too busy to recommend with five stars. But I still loved the whole thing.
The New York Times
pressCage and Jonze share a casual, daredevil sensibility, and the two of them -- or should I say the three of them? -- pull off one of the most amazing technical stunts in recent film history.
The Guardian
pressCage gives one of the best performances of his recent career as the Kaufmans. He's a natural in this role, especially when that great horse face breaks into an ingratiating grin...
Sydney Morning Herald
pressBoth Kaufmans are played by Nicolas Cage, whose goofy, moon-faced sincerity has never been put to funnier use.
Hollywood Reporter
pressKaufman and Jonze take huge risks to ponder the whole notion of passion -- our desire as human beings for passion in our lives and the emptiness one feels when it is missing.
Loved the audacity of the scriptwriter..
.. who writes a script about himself as a scriptwriter and his alter-ego writing the script of the movie we're actually watching, which is also about a book. Would have been a five if the script didn't try to cram so many different storylines in - it made it much too busy to recommend with five stars. But I still loved the whole thing.
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