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Adaptation.
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Adaptation. (2002)

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User Rating: 7.8/10 (49,595 votes)
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Overview

Director:
Spike Jonze
Writers (WGA):
Susan Orlean (book)
Charlie Kaufman (screenplay) ...
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Release Date:
10 January 2003 (USA) more view trailer
Genre:
Comedy | Drama more
Tagline:
Charlie Kaufman writes the way he lives... With Great Difficulty. His Twin Brother Donald Lives the way he writes... with foolish abandon. Susan writes about life... But can't live it. John's life is a book... Waiting to be adapted. One story... Four Lives... A million ways it can end.
Plot:
A lovelorn screenwriter turns to his less talented twin brother for help when his efforts to adapt a non-fiction book go nowhere. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Won Oscar. Another 39 wins & 45 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(32 articles)
Wrapping Up Cannes 2008 (From IFC. 29 May 2008, 10:40 AM, PDT)
Movie Reviews: 'Eternal Sunshine ...' (From Studio Briefing. 19 March 2004)
User Comments:
Clever... too clever? more

Cast

 (Cast overview, first billed only)

Nicolas Cage ... Charlie Kaufman / Donald Kaufman

Tilda Swinton ... Valerie Thomas

Meryl Streep ... Susan Orlean

Chris Cooper ... John Laroche

Jay Tavare ... Matthew Osceola
Litefoot ... Russell (as G. Paul Davis)

Roger Willie ... Randy

Jim Beaver ... Ranger Tony
Cara Seymour ... Amelia Kavan
Doug Jones ... Augustus Margary

Stephen Tobolowsky ... Ranger Steve Neely (scenes deleted)

Gary Farmer ... Buster Baxley

Peter Jason ... Defense Attorney

Gregory Itzin ... Prosecutor

Curtis Hanson ... Orlean's Husband
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Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
The Orchid Thief (USA) (working title)
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MPAA:
Rated R for language, sexuality, some drug use and violent images.
Runtime:
114 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English | Latin
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS
Certification:
Malaysia:U | Philippines:R-18 | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba) | Canada:13+ (Québec) | Argentina:13 | Australia:MA | Brazil:16 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-15 | France:U | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Iceland:14 (original rating) | Iceland:L (video rating) | Japan:PG-12 | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:R13 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Singapore:NC-16 (original rating) | Singapore:PG (DVD rating) (cut) | South Korea:18 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Bern) | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #38094) | Portugal:M/12
MOVIEmeter: ?
V 12% since last week why?

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The book-on-tape, which is playing in the background of the orchid thief's van as Meryl Streep and Chris Cooper drive, is shown on the dashboard momentarily. It appears to be "'The Writings of Charles Darwin', as read by Brian O'Kelley". There is no such book, no such audio tape. Brian O'Kelley is the assistant director of this movie. more
Goofs:
Continuity: At the end of the film when Kaufman pulls out of the parking garage, a woman (Jennifer Porst) sits next to him in the car for a single shot, though he is riding alone. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Charlie Kaufman: [voiceover] Do I have an original thought in my head? My bald head. Maybe if I were happier, my hair wouldn't be falling out. Life is short. I need to make the most of it. Today is the first day of the rest of my life. I'm a walking cliché. I really need to go to the doctor and have my leg checked...
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Movie Connections:
Referenced in Écriture à l'écran, L' (2004) (V) more
Soundtrack:
One Part Lullaby more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
67 out of 77 people found the following comment useful:-
Clever... too clever?, 21 May 2004
8/10
Author: TheOtherFool from The Netherlands

John Laroche (an excellent, award-winning Chris Cooper) is a plant lover, specialized in orchids. Susan Orlean (Meryl Streep) writes a story about it, and later a book. Charlie Kaufman (the always cool Nicholas Cage) has to adapt the book to a screenplay.

Basicly, that's the story right there. But this movie comes with so many twists, it's hard to catch up.

First of, Susan Orlean and her book really exist. As does Charlie Kaufman (Being John Malkovich, Eternal Sunshine o/t Spotless Mind). In fact, Kaufman has written this movie. So Kaufman wrote a movie about Kaufman writing a movie. You get it? Then there's the fact that all storylines are happening at the same time (think The Hours). Add to that the twin brother Donald Kaufman, who's also writing some parts. Or is he...? Does he even exist at all?

The most confusing (and amusing) part is that movie-Kaufman (that's Cage) is talking about making this movie. He's telling himself 'we open with a van on the highway' and we've actually seen that part. It goes even beyond that, when we hear him talk to his recorder: 'Charlie Kaufman is talking to his recorder'. I loved that part.

But it's a movie you have to go along with. Kaufman and Jonze try desperately to be clever and they've managed to do so. It's one of the most original movies of the last ten years, but I'm sure it's not for all tastes. If you like Being John Malkovich you should probably give it a go though.

My score: 8/10.

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Message Boards

Discuss this title with other users on IMDb message board for Adaptation. (2002)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
WHAT HAPPENED TO SUSAN!?!?!?!?!?! mammameryl
meryl streep's performance shaguniitb
He really didn't have front teeth, I would bet anything he was toothless silverr8c
Other movies equally perfect and equally overlooked? nshifley
Tilda's Role? hopelesslyEnchanted
Cooper's best acting? sportnut29
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