Adaptation
Adaptation is a film that is hard to describe for various reasons, the biggest one being that it is unlike anything you’ve seen before. A hybrid of elements of various genres, it is also hard to tell if the film is a comedy, a drama, a thriller, a fantasy, a documentary, a character study, or all of the above. But mostly, it’s hard to review because even the most throwaway reference could be a potential plot-spoiler for people.
It should come as no surprise that Adaptation comes from the minds that hatched Being John Malkovich: Director Spike Jonze and writer Charlie Kaufman. Mr. Kaufman’s script has enlisted the help of his “twin brother Donald Kaufman” this time out, but the genius and lunacy of Malkovich remain intact. The plot of Adaptation is complex and the stories it tells run parallel to each other. On its surface, it is the story of a writer, Charlie Kaufman (Nicolas Cage) adapting a book to the screen. The book in question is The Orchid Thief, a book written by Susan Orlean (Meryl Streep) about, among other things, a weirdly fascinating Florida rare orchid harvester named John LaRoche (Chris Cooper). In his efforts to adapt the book, which is propelled by observation and narration from Ms. Orlean rather than plot, Charlie winds up writing himself into it along with his twin brother Donald (Nicolas Cage).
I realize that the above description may not do anything to entice you to see this film, but when I tell you that going deeper into the film at this point would cause all sorts of problems, you will just have to believe me. There is so much more happening here that will blow your mind that recapping it in a review would either confuse you or ruin the surprises. What makes things even trickier is that there is a real book called The Orchid Thief written by a real woman named Susan Orlean that profiled, among other things, a man who harvested rare orchids named John LaRoche. That book was then adapted into the screenplay for Adaptation, which is credited to Charlie and Donald Kaufman. Do you see how trippy this is going to get?
Like Malkovich, Adaptation is filled with performances from people who are game for anything. Mr. Cage, who plays both brothers, is careful to portray them as different people, from the way they dress and talk, to the way they feel about themselves and the world with which they interact. I don’t think Ms. Streep has had a role quite like this before, and she plays the hell out of it. She is sexy and vibrant in a way she isn’t normally on screen. Mr. Cooper, who has been winning awards left and right for his portrayal of LaRoche, does a nice job of keeping his character full of surprises. One minute arrogant and boastful, the next angry and bitter, even sometimes sad and wistful, Cooper brings it all across in his performance. There are nice smaller performances from Cara Seymour as Charlie’s would-be girlfriend, Maggie Gyllenhaal (riding the wave of praise for her work in Secretary) as Donald’s girlfriend, and Brian Cox as screenwriting guru Robert McKee.
This is a film to which you will need to bring a friend because when the film charges into Act Three, the entire dynamic of what you’ve been seeing will change and you will need to talk about it with someone. But it will be well worth it. Adaptation is a film that bends the mind and delights the senses. It’s a lot of work to get through, but the rewards are great.
Submitted 19 January 03. Posted 29 January 03.
