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Adaptation. (2002)
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Overview
User Rating:
Release Date:
10 January 2003 (USA) moreTagline:
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 synopsisAwards:
Won Oscar. Another 39 wins & 48 nominations moreNewsDesk:
(49 articles)
'Where the Wild Things Are' Star Compares Book's Bad Buzz to His 'Really, Really Amazing' Film (From MTV Movies Blog. 9 September 2009, 7:00 AM, PDT)
Celebrating 80(?!) Years Of Spike Jonze At New York's Museum Of Modern Art
(From MTV Movies Blog. 28 August 2009, 2:30 PM, PDT)
User Comments:
I get it now. more (654 total)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 |
Additional Details
MPAA:
Rated R for language, sexuality, some drug use and violent images.Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parentsRuntime:
114 min | Turkey:81 min (TV version)Country:
USAColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 moreCertification:
Malaysia:U | Philippines:R-18 | Canada:13+ (Québec) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba) | 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/12Filming Locations:
Los Angeles Center Studios - 450 S. Bixel Street, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA moreFun Stuff
Trivia:
All the crew members identified in the fictional 'Behind the scenes' sequence of Being John Malkovich (1999) are actually the same crew members playing themselves. moreGoofs:
Continuity: During his conversation with Susan at the nursery, Laroche's assistant's ponytail appears and disappears over his shoulder between shots moreQuotes:
[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...
more
Soundtrack:
Alison moreFAQ
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The first time I saw "Adaptation" I expected something else and walked away severely disappointed. As some of you out there who Private Messaged me in regards to my initial review posted on IMDb might already be aware, I originally gave it a rating of 3.5/5 stars, back when I was frequently contributing to the site. I passed on without much thought, considering it a disappointment and leaving my critique for those who cared to read it.
It remains the single comment to have generated the most feedback for me. More than "The Passion of the Christ," and more than yes, even my upsetting review of 2003's "Peter Pan" (which seemed to anger the small die-hard fanbase for the film that lurks on these message boards - by the way, I've had to clarify this sentence by adding "for the film" because someone PM'd me yesterday accusing me of implying I have a fanbase on IMDb...no, I am referring to the film's fanbase, so please hold off on the accusations). I digress. In summary I gave "Adaptation" a negative rating and to my surprise, perhaps because I avoided totally slamming the film, the fans responded to me with kind words rather than harsh ones; conceivably they too had initially taken a dislike to the film? I made a daring move. I bought "Adaptation" on DVD for ten bucks, thinking, "I've got nothing to lose." Plus, the front cover looked cool anyway.
I watched it again (after taking into mind several themes and self-referential layers I had failed to visualize before) and was blown away by the originality and genius of the movie.
My hugest complaint regarding "Adaptation," originally, was its absurd ending -- I felt it was out of place, silly, and totally anti-climactic. Little did I realize this was the point -- to be a parody of the typical Hollywood blockbuster.
There are so many underlying jokes, gags and self-references that the film grows better -- like "Back to the Future" -- on each new viewing. You're always finding new stuff.
I found new respect for Nicolas Cage as an actor after my second viewing of this. I have always liked Cage despite the criticism he receives for being a one-sided actor; here, he proves he's capable of creating two very different human beings out of the same mold. Brilliant, Oscar-worthy stuff.
All in all I got it wrong the first time. "Adaptation" isn't a film that starts out clever and descends into a messy and stupid finish. Well, actually, it is. But that's the point. I didn't get it before. Now I do.
If you disliked this film, my advice? Watch it again. It knows a bit more about itself than you probably do. And read up on the message boards here a bit to get a clearer grasp of what's going on if you're totally clueless.
P.S. I'd like to thank all the people on this site who messaged me in response to my review.