Directed by:
Spike JonzeScreenplay:
Charlie KaufmanCinematography:
Lance AcordComposer:
Carter BurwellCast:
Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep, Tilda Swinton, Chris Cooper, Cara Seymour, Jim Beaver, Judy Greer, Litefoot, Doug Jones, Roger Willie, Gregory Itzin, Ron Livingston (more)VOD (1)
Plots(1)
While his movie Being John Malkovich is in production, screenwriter Charlie Kaufman (Nicolas Cage) is hired by Valerie Thomas to adapt Susan Orlean's (Meryl Streep) non-fiction book 'The Orchid Thief' for the screen. Thomas bought the movie rights before Orlean wrote the book, when it was only an article in The New Yorker. The book details the story of rare orchid hunter John Laroche (Chris Cooper), whose passion for orchids and horticulture made Orlean discover passion and beauty for the first time in her life. Charlie wants to be faithful to the book in his adaptation, but despite Laroche himself being an interesting character in his own right, Charlie is having difficulty finding enough material in Laroche to fill a movie, while equally not having enough to say cinematically about the beauty of orchids. At the same time, Charlie is going through other issues in his life. His insecurity as a person doesn't allow him to act upon his feelings for Amelia Kavan, who is interested in him as a man. And Charlie's twin brother, pretentious Donald, has moved into his house with a goal of also becoming a screenwriter. Despite not admiring Donald as a screenwriter, Charlie asks for his advice. Together, they feel that there is some interesting subtext in the book on which Orlean herself can only elaborate, if only Charlie has the nerve to talk to her. If she can't or won't elaborate, they may have to find out the meaning of that subtext on their own. (Umbrella Entertainment)
(more)Reviews (5)
An intelligent movie treat in which everyone goes full throttle, but its extraordinary subject still seems to be not fully developed in the end. It stumbles somewhere along the way, but it’s hard to say where exactly.
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A work of genius where Charlie Kaufman proves his a screenwriting god (and forces me to soon rewatch Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, which for some reason I didn’t like too much the first time), and with Nicholas Cage delivering a great double performance. Perhaps, it could have had someone bolder behind the camera, though Spike Jonze doesn’t add or take anything from the amazing script. Adaptation is a great film that I unfairly avoided for a long time.
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A loopy movie from the pen of Kaufmann. And this time about himself. Alternative title: How to write a movie about a book adaptation while using all possible “Hollywood" clichés. I’m just interested in what kind of guy Charlie is in real life. The only thing lacking is “loopier" directing, because Jonze’s is just too ordinary and unimaginative. This style just isn’t suited to Kaufman’s things at all (Gondry is the one). I consider this to be the third best movie that he wrote the screenplay to. P.S. It’s well worth waiting for the credits to end.
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An interesting existential probe among a specific breed of emotional and life failures, but in essence it is a similar social experiment to the likes of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. In other words, a very bizarre film where you have nothing to like and only shrug in appreciation of the sophisticated script, the editing and the acting.
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Charlie Kaufmann wrote a script that you simply won't see anywhere else. This is such a special piece of work that you will just stare at what you are watching. But you might stare even harder at the fact that it all makes sense, even if it's taken to a whole new dimension. Reality and cinema intertwine incredibly, thanks to the great actors led by Nicolas Cage.
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