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Adaptation - 1/3/03 - R - 114m
Nicolas Cage
Meryl Streep
Chris Cooper
Director: Spike Jonze
JEF
This was a very strange movie.
I went into it not knowing a thing about it, other than other critics
were giving it rave reviews. After it was all over, and even now as I
write this, I’m still not sure if I liked it or not.
If you saw “Being John Malkovich” and liked that movie, you
will probably enjoy this movie as well - it’s made by the same people.
Charlie Kaufman wrote the screenplay, and Spike Jonze directed it. That
being said, I’m still not sure now if I liked “Being John
Malkovich”.
Storyline: This one will be hard to describe. It’s
about a man, “Charlie Kaufman” played by Nicolas Cage, who
is a movie screenwriter. Charlie has a twin brother “Donald”
who is also played by Cage. Donald is also a screenwriter. Charlie is
trying to write a script for a movie about the book “The Orchid
Thief” written by Susan Orlean (played by Meryl Streep). Incase
you’re wondering, yes, there really is a book titled “The
Orchid Thief” written by Susan Orlean. Confused yet? You will be.
Charlie is having an incredibly difficult time writing the screenplay
for this book. I’ve never read the book, but apparently, it’s
a hard book to “adapt” to a movie. The book is about a man
named “John Laroche” (yes, there really is a John Laroche,
and yes he’s missing his front teeth). Laroche is quite the character,
and is in the business of raising Orchids. But, that’s not really
what this movie is about, although it is what the movies about within
the movie.
Ok, I’ll stop now. Like I said, it’s a confusing storyline.
Now, in this movie there is some terrific acting by Cage, Streep, and
especially Chris Cooper, who played the part of Laroche. Cage plays both
roles of Charlie and his twin brother Donald. The movie does a fantastic
job of blending these two shots together. At times you totally forget
that they are the same person, and really are fooled into thinking these
guys are twins. Cage was able to play to different characters who are
twin brothers, so putting aside the physical likeness (which was just
a camera trick), but to play two roles where they need to be different
characters, and yet the same because they are brothers and have some of
the same mannerisms must have been extremely difficult. But Cage nailed
it. (Did I mention I’m a big fan of Cage’s work?).
Now here’s the rub, on why I’m not sure if I liked this movie.
The story was confusing. And I really didn’t know if I was watching
a comedy, or a drama. Now when I say comedy, it definitely falls into
the category of being a “dark comedy”. There were three guys
in the theatre who were sitting in the front, and one had the stupidest
laugh that was both loud and annoying. But he was laughing about every
5 minutes. I on the other hand, could not find the humor in what was on
screen. Sure there were some funny parts, but there were also some disturbingly
violent parts too (that got a laugh?). But after hearing this whack job
laugh at all these things, I started to wonder if I wasn’t getting
the joke. Sorry, for those who have seen this movie there’s a pun
in that last sentence.
Charlie Kaufman, and Spike Jonze are either incredibly brilliant geniuses,
who have broke new ground with the writing and directing of this movie
or they truly are laughing at the joke of making this movie, and listening
to the critics say how fantastic it is. I will reserve my final opinion
of this movie until I can talk with either Cage, Kaufman, or Jonze, and
get their inside dirt on what was going on when they made this movie.
Which from an online interview I read on IMDB, they are not talking about
willingly.
For those that say that an original movie has not come out of Hollywood
in the last say 50 years, they should see this movie. Even though, there
are movies about making movies.
Confused? So am I.
Jef
PS> If you are going to watch this movie, be sure to watch the credits
all the way to the end.
Here's what Lyn thought...