Adaptation. (2003)

Adaptation. (2002, USA) C-114m. ***½ D: Spike Jonze. Starring Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep, Chris Cooper, Cara Seymour, Tilda Swinton, Ron Livingston, Brian Cox, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Curtis Hanson, David O. Russell. Astounding, typically eccentric film by the director of BEING JOHN MALKOVICH (1999). Cage is featured in a double role as screenwriter Charles Kaufman and his twin brother Donald. Terminally self-conscious Charles struggles to adapt book The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean (Streep), which is about colorful character Cooper, an orchid expert, whose extraordinary life is traced. Streep's own struggles with the book are dealt with in second plot strand (three years before the adaptation). Intellectually challenging, unique movie with a brilliant script by real-life writers Charles and (the fictional) Donald Kaufman (adapting Susan Orlean's The Orchid Thief). In a way, this movie could be compared to a snake that is eating itself. Get it?!? Its success may depend on your personal response to it. Coproduced by Jonathan Demme. Score by Carter Burwell.


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