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Adaptation - 1/3/03 - R - 114m
Nicolas Cage
Meryl Streep
Chris Cooper
Director: Spike Jonze
LYN
Okie-Doke? I must say a very
interesting movie offered up from Spike Jonze, Charlie Kaufman, and um…Susan
Orlean…I guess? The film is sort of a behind the scene process (so
to speak) of making the screen adaptation for the Susan Orlean novel "The
Orchid Thief"? Nicolas Cage wonderfully portrays real life screenwriter
Charlie Kaufman and his twin brother Donald Kaufman(?), sent on the self-appointed,
and apparently overwhelming task of making this unlikely story into a
movie. In and of itself, the novel would appear not to make for a very
exciting tale. Not of course that has ever stopped other screenwriters,
directors, producers, and or movie studios from making a film on far less
product and sending it through the gristmill for the public to digest.
But I digress, as usual. : ) Anyway, what better way to construct a movie
that apparently can't be made and/or written on its own intended subject
matter? Answer: Do a film on the route itself, and away you go on this
somewhat troubling and misguided journey twisting all the way to the last
stop in some "Outer Limitseque" train depot. And in this case,
the excursion is engineered through the peculiar and unparalleled vision
of Mr. Kaufman and conducted via the ever so slightly off-centered direction
of Spike Jonze. This is truly a bizarre film to experience. I didn't know
whether to have taken it seriously or just laugh throughout the entire
event. Nonetheless, I would imagine the film had hits its intended mark
by wrapping me up in its complexities and transfixing me by the story
itself. In short, it was sort of like riding mild roller coaster ride
wearing a blindfold. Not so thrilling, though a little unnerving, but
yet still the same, somewhat enjoyable. I think? : )
Lyn
Here's what Jef thought...