Adaptation. Movie Review

Adaptation. (2002)

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Written by: Susan Orlean (book "The Orchid Thief"), Charlie Kaufman (screenplay)
Directed by: Spike Jonze
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep, Chris Cooper, Tilda Swinton, Brian Cox, Judy Greer, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Ron Livingston, Jim Beaver, Doug Jones, Stephen Tobolowsky
Rated: R
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Plot
Lovelorn screenwriter Charlie becomes desperate as he struggles to adapt 'The Orchid Thief' novel by Susan Orlean for the screen. 

Verdict
This focuses on a floundering screen writer frantically trying to complete a script. It's a movie about making a movie while the genre shifts as Charlie's inspiration changes. The meta joke is that this movie devolves into a typical action movie, but that's because watching the movie is observing the creation of a script, the pull of ideas, people, and giving in to desperation. It's quite clever as we watch how Charlie's script is influenced, straying farther and farther from his original goal as he grows desperate to complete it. He embraces the tropes he detested because he needed a third act. We're watching him make the movie we're watching in real time.
Watch It.

Review
Kaufman and Jonze's most famous collaboration is Being John Malkovich (1999). While Kaufman was hired to adapt the book for this movie, he created the script after struggling with writers block, using his own experiences, exaggerating events, and inventing a twin brother. 

This begins with Charlie Kaufman's (Nicolas Cage) voice over as he discusses his weaknesses before cutting to the set of Being John Malkovich, which he wrote, both the character and the movie's writer. He's a screenwriter struggling with his next project. Charlie is adapting 'The Orchid Thief,' but it's not an easy task as the book doesn't have a story. It's more of an expose about a flower which makes his job all the more difficult. Charlie attempts to write the screenplay, struggling to break the story while also procrastinating due to the difficulties. He wants it to be faithful to the source material while avoiding typical formulas and injecting his own unique narrative.

Nicolas Cage plays Charlie Kaufman

Parallel to Charlie's plight, we follow author Susan Orlean's research which leads to Laroche (Chris Cooper), the protagonist of her book. We're introduced to him stealing orchids in a swamp, and then finding a way out when he's caught.

Charlie's free-loading brother Donald (Nicolas Cage) also wants to be a screenwriter, presumably inspired by Charlie's success. Donald attends a writing seminar which Charlie derides. I imagine part of it is Charlie's belief that you can't take a weekend class and become a screen writer. The other part of it is that Donald is more confident. He can talk to people in a way Charlie can't.

Out of desperation, Charlie writes himself into the script. He tries to approach Susan but is prevented by his social anxiety. He's in the elevator with her, but he can't even get out a word. Adding insult to injury, Charlie finds out that his agent loves Donald's uninspired, derivative script. Past his deadline and still without a script, Charlie attends the same Robert McKee (Brian Cox) seminar. He's desperate for an idea, willing to try anything even if it's a seminar with a writer that promises to unlock the secrets of writing.

Nicolas Cage plays Charlie, Donald Kaufman

McKee derides voice over, and as a meta joke the frequent voice over in the movie ends right there. McKee tells Charlie that life is full of drama, and that's what his script needs. Charlie calls Donald to help him write. As soon as Donald join the process, hidden romances, car chases, and betrayal emerges; cliche story elements that are completely antithetical to what Charlie wanted originally but fit perfectly into what we imagine is Donald's style. Each person Charlie interacts with affects his screenplay. We even get that clue when Charlie asks Donald how he'd write it. That's when this pivots. It becomes sensational at McKee's behest, informed by his student Donald.

Part of this movie shows how difficult writing can be. It's easy to fall into common tropes as a means to escape, to finish the script when it's past due even if you're sacrificing a good story for an easy story. The genius of this movie is that you can say the second half completely dropped it, but that's the thing. The movie knows that. It was the goal. Adaptation. is always working on two levels. It's a funny critique of writing, a commentary on adapting something incredibly difficult while simultaneously showing us that adaptation in real time.

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