Adaptation (movie)

Adaptation. is a 2002 film directed by Spike Jonze and written by Charlie Kaufman, although the fictional character Donald Kaufman is also given writing credit. It earned Chris Cooper an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

Charlie Kaufman (Nicolas Cage), the screenwriter, is having problems adapting The Orchid Thief, a book by Susan Orlean, into a movie. Meanwhile, Charlie's twin brother, Donald (also Cage), wants to be a screenwriter as well. Where real life ends and adaptation begins is the question, as Orlean herself (Meryl Streep) and the orchid thief, John Laroche (Chris Cooper), are drawn into the story.

Actors

• Nicolas Cage - Charlie Kaufman
• Nicolas Cage - Donald Kaufman
• Meryl Streep - Susan Orlean
• Chris Cooper- John Laroche
• Cara Seymour - Amelia Kavan
• Tilda Swinton - Valerie Thomas
• Ron Livingston - Marty Bowen
• Brian Cox - Robert McKee
• Maggie Gyllenhaal - Caroline Cunningham

Analysis

The film is self-referential, in that we see the creative process for the very movie that we are currently watching. At one point, Charlie is unable to think of a satisfactory ending for the script, and asks Donald how he would end it. At that moment, the style of the movie changes to Donald's style of scriptwriting, with intrigue, sex, car chases, and guns instead of abstraction and angst.

As the movie does contain large elements of self-reference, there is also speculation that Donald, the character who writes about split personalities and imaginary characters, might himself be nothing more than another aspect of Charlie's personality (as he is in real life).

The movie talks about the "Holy Grail", but all of the characters' quests in the story either fail or turn out to be futile:

• Charlie Kaufman wanted to write a movie just about flowers, and to impress Susan Orlean. He failed on both counts.
• John Laroche wanted to be a leader in many different and obscure fields. Whenever he accomplished this, however, he would abandon his hobby for a completely new one.
• Susan Orlean wanted desperately to see the Ghost Orchid and care passionately about something. When she saw the Ghost Orchid, she remarked that "It's. . .a flower." When she found passion, she devolved into a hopeless addict.
• Donald Kaufman didn't really want anything out of life. However, he lucked into all the things his brother Charlie was desperate for.

Awards

The film won one Academy Award (Cooper for Best Supporting Actor) and was nominated, but did not win, for 3 others:

• Cage for Best Actor
• Streep for Best Supporting Actress
• Charlie and Donald Kaufman for Adapted Screenplay). Donald became the first truly fictitious person nominated for an Oscar.

It won best adapted screenplay screenplay awards from these institutes:

• the BAFTA
• Boston Society of Film Critics
• Broadcast Film Critics Association
• Chicago Film Critics Association
• Florida Film Critics Circle
• Golden Satellite
• National Board of Review, USA
• New York Film Critics Circle
• Online Film Critics Society
• PEN Center USA West Literary
• San Diego Film Critics Society
• Southeastern Film Critics Association
• Toronto Film Critics Association

External links

• Adaptation at BeingCharlieKaufman.com
• Adaptation September 24, 1999 draft script
• Adaptation November 21, 2000 draft script
• Adaptation Film Review