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Adaptation

Play trailer 2:23 Poster for Adaptation R Released Dec 6, 2002 1h 54m Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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90% Tomatometer 208 Reviews 85% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
Nicolas Cage is Charlie Kaufman, a confused L.A. screenwriter overwhelmed by feelings of inadequacy, sexual frustration, self-loathing, and by the screenwriting ambitions of his freeloading twin brother Donald (Nicolas Cage). While struggling to adapt "The Orchid Thief," by Susan Orlean (Meryl Streep), Kaufman's life spins from pathetic to bizarre. The lives of Kaufman, Orlean's book, become strangely intertwined as each one's search for passion collides with the others'.
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Critics Consensus

Dizzyingly original, the loopy, multi-layered Adaptation is both funny and thought-provoking.

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Critics Reviews

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Joshua Rothkopf In These Times There's no good reason why this should work-the picture is a schizzy, self-indulgent mess-but magically, it does. Mar 16, 2020 Full Review Nell Minow Common Sense Media Adult stuff only but hilarious and fresh. Rated: 5/5 Sep 2, 2010 Full Review David Ansen Newsweek In the wrong hands, the lunacy could have gotten out of control, but Jonze has near-perfect pitch. He never forces the farce, rooting even Kaufman's wildest digressions in real emotions. Jul 6, 2010 Full Review Stephen Silver Tilt Magazine While not quite as absurd as Being John Malkovich had been, Adaptation was indeed plenty weird. (20th anniversary) Rated: 4/5 Dec 13, 2022 Full Review Vadim Rizov Filmmaker Magazine This is, essentially, a long demonstration of why not to give people more money for them to prove a point about how bigger-budget filmmaking is inherently an artistically self-defeating proposition. Nov 29, 2022 Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review This ceaselessly clever, brilliantly mind-bending film taps into the intangible spirit of Orlean's book by involving the viewer in Kaufman's painstaking translation to the screen. Rated: 4/4 Mar 2, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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julie b Clever and a very_Nicolas_Cage_movie. The meta of this is really fun, and the cast and performances are great, including a lovely Brian Cox cameo. Some of the scenes are laugh out loud good, like when he is manically writing or anything with Donald tbh, and the inner monologues are too real. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/23/24 Full Review Ariel F Incomparable brilliance from Kaufman. The originality of concept is bar-none and the self-deprecating humor rivals that of Woody Allan but darker. A brave film that cements him as an all time great. Secondarily, (and absurdly enough) the acting is absolutely fantastic. A bunch of A-listers taking pay-cuts to be a part of a magnum opus and we all came out winners for the efforts. One of Cage’s all time greatest efforts. Reminded me favorably of Sandlers performance in Punch Drunk Love. Kudos to Spike as well. Superlatives all around… 👏🏽 Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/31/24 Full Review Geke g Cage is caged this film into the cage of tier 1 films Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/11/24 Full Review Munkhchimeg T Great cast and great story. Sooo excited while watching ✨ Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/11/24 Full Review Bahad j I am very happy that the movie shows us the steps and choices that are necessary in the life of a great person. I like the movie. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/11/24 Full Review Yannick L The movie did what it set out to do but it comes off as a self indulgent “look at how different I am” motive. The movie is literally just Kaufman writing adaptation with some self degradation so it doesn’t come off entirely as a lazy ego stroking film with surface level substance. Writing a movie about your experience writing a movie isn’t genius it’s uninspired and lazy. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 06/29/24 Full Review Read all reviews
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Adaptation: Official Clip - You Are What You Love Adaptation: Official Clip - You Are What You Love 2:08 Adaptation: Official Clip - Charlie Can't Adapt Adaptation: Official Clip - Charlie Can't Adapt 1:51 Adaptation: Official Clip - Technology vs. Horse Adaptation: Official Clip - Technology vs. Horse 2:03 Adaptation: Official Clip - Wasting McKee's Time Adaptation: Official Clip - Wasting McKee's Time 1:45 Adaptation: Official Clip - Sweating at the Meeting Adaptation: Official Clip - Sweating at the Meeting 2:03 Adaptation: Official Clip - The Deconstructionist Adaptation: Official Clip - The Deconstructionist 2:09 Adaptation: Official Clip - Donald's Script Pitch Adaptation: Official Clip - Donald's Script Pitch 2:04 Adaptation: Official Clip - Done with Fish Adaptation: Official Clip - Done with Fish 1:47 View more videos

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Adaptation

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Adaptation

Meryl Streep plays author Susan Orlean, a woman who discovers real passion for the first time in her life, in Columbia Pictures' unconventional comedy Adaptation. Journalist Susan Orlean (Meryl Streep) literally falls in love with her work, in Columbia Pictures' unconventional comedy Adaptation. New Yorker writer Susan Orlean (Meryl Streep) allows her professional assignment to grow into a private passion, in Columbia Pictures' unconventional comedy Adaptation. Charlie Kaufman (Nicolas Cage, left) corners screenwriting guru Robert McKee (Brian Cox) in Columbia Pictures' unconventional comedy Adaptation. Maggie Gyllenhaal and Nicolas Cage find easy romance in Columbia Pictures' unconventional comedy Adaptation. Twin-brothers Charlie, left, and Donald Kaufman (both played by Nicolas Cage) discuss the finer points of screenwriting, in Columbia Pictures' unconventional comedy Adaptation. John Laroche (Chris Cooper) tries to help journalist Susan Orlean (Meryl Streep) understand the true beauty of the orchid species, in Columbia Pictures' unconventional comedy Adaptation. Nicolas Cage and Meryl Streep star in the Columbia Pictures presentation, ADAPTATION. Nicolas Cage (center) plays Charlie Kaufman, a stymied writer who seeks advice from screenwriting guru Robert McKee, in Columbia Pictures' unconventional comedy Adaptation. When screenwriter Charlie Kaufman (Nicolas Cage) tries to adapt The Orchid Thief to the screen, he develops a serious case of writer's block, in Columbia Pictures' unconventional comedy Adaptation. View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Nicolas Cage is Charlie Kaufman, a confused L.A. screenwriter overwhelmed by feelings of inadequacy, sexual frustration, self-loathing, and by the screenwriting ambitions of his freeloading twin brother Donald (Nicolas Cage). While struggling to adapt "The Orchid Thief," by Susan Orlean (Meryl Streep), Kaufman's life spins from pathetic to bizarre. The lives of Kaufman, Orlean's book, become strangely intertwined as each one's search for passion collides with the others'.
Director
Spike Jonze
Producer
Edward Saxon, Vincent Landay, Jonathan Demme
Screenwriter
Charlie Kaufman, Susan Orlean
Distributor
Columbia Pictures
Production Co
InterMedia Film Equities Ltd., Clinica Estetico
Rating
R (Sexuality|Language|Some Drug Use|Violent Images)
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 6, 2002, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 16, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA)
$22.2M
Runtime
1h 54m
Sound Mix
Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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