Review of Adaptation. (2002) by Taniel . — 10 Jan 2011

Adaptation is a bizarre and surreal comedy about a lonely, paranoid, and offbeat screenwriter who struggles to write a sophmore screenplay after his first screenplay is a sucessful. He suffers from a major writing block, and because of it, he turns to his goofy twin brother to help him adapt a book about flowers. This wonderfully ridiciously original film is directed by the visonary Spike Jonze and it's written by the odd Charlie Kaufman. The two teamed together for the brilliant offbeat masterpiece Being John Malkovich, and their follow-up does not disapoint.

Adaptation is a brilliant film, it's an absolute mind-boggling work of art. Charlie Kaufman's incredibly unique and bizarre screenplay benefits from the eccentric direction of Spike Jonze. They are a match made in cinema heaven. This surreal film is full of hilarious, touching, and flabergasting moments of sheer originality. Kaufman is one of the most creative minds in Hollywood and his brilliant ideas are just strewn throughout this film. It's not for everyone, but I gurantee you've never seen a film quite like this one.

Nicholas Cage is brilliant in this film, he goes all out. He plays both of the twin brothers in this film. He does a great job at playing the cynical and depressed brother, but he does an even better (and funnier) job at playing the eccentric squirrel-like brother. I don't know how Cage did it, but he generated a brilliant and subtly touching chemistry between the two characters despite the fact that they were both played by him. You felt a bond between the two brothers. It's a truly wonderful performance.

This isn't just Cage's film though. The supporting performances in this film are very good. Especially the perforamnces of Meryl Streep and Chris Cooper. Who are essentially the non-fictional characters in Kaufman's fictional script. They have great chemistry and the scenes between Cooper and Streep are very oddly touching. Cooper's performance is great. Streep and Cooper have a good enough chemistry to keep the film balanced when it steers away from Cage's storyline.

Adaptation is one of the best films of the 00's because of it's sheer originality. The script, direction, and performances are all great and this is a truly must-see film.