Review of Adaptation. (2002) by Jamesm — 19 Nov 2005
[***SPOILERS***] Personally I am appalled that this movie did not become an instant classic. It is no understatement to say that the screenplay is up there with Pulp Fiction as one of the best ever written, the directing is superb, Nicholas Cage deserved two separate oscars for his portrayals of both Donald and Charlie and best of all the film is so intelligent.
I loved how Charlie was mocking Robert McKee by including deus ex machina in the films conclusion just because he was told not to. I adore the scene where Charlie asks Donald if he can hekp him out with the script because it is at this point exactly where the film it is no longer a story about a writer's frustration and dissapointment, but rather a story of intrigue, drugs and car chases.
In the films final scenes ***SPOILER*** we are finally given the reasoning for this: the entire point of the third act was to kill off the Donald personality once and for all. ***END SPOLIER*** We must realise, of course, that Donald and Charlie are the same person, with Charlie being the intelligent one who wants to write original screenplays, while Donald wants to write that Jerry Bruckhiemer blockbuster.
But I cannot explain how perfectly this film adresses every topic it wants to address, and how it magnificently explains the struggles of a writer. Easily Kaufman's best screenplay and Jonze's best film.
Amazing in every sense of the word.
This review of Adaptation. (2002) was written by Jamesm on 19 Nov 2005.
Adaptation. has generally received very positive reviews.
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