"Adaptation" is a brilliant movie. It's a little slow at times, but still, it's brilliant. The writer wrote a screenplay that's unbelievably clever and complex, and few writers (especially in Hollywood) could ever do what he did. However, despite it's brilliance, it eventually becomes a victim of it's own cleverness, because it falls apart in the last twenty minutes, though it WAS done on purpose. In fact, there are clues laid out throughout the film (and at one point, it's practically spoon-fed to the audience) that tell you to expect that very thing. There's a reason that the ending gets stupid. The writer knew exactly what he was doing, but it may not have been worth it. Still, I can't get over how smart this script is.
Walking outta the movie theater when it was over, I felt like a badass film scholar. I felt smart because I understood the movie, I knew exactly why it took that shift in the last twenty minutes. I bragged to my friends and my girlfriend about how smart I am because I got it. I later found out that I only got some of it. I missed a whole lot more. I read an analysis of the film by the great movie columnist David Poland (read his column, it's great stuff), and he REALLY got it. He truly understood the movie and all of the complexities of the screenplay. After reading it, I felt like a total idiot, but I'm glad I read it. I strongly advise that you read David Poland's scene-by-scene analysis of "Adaptation." It's filled with spoilers, so only read it if you've seen the film.
There isn't a lot I can say about this movie without spoiling it for you. When I started this web site, I vowed to make my reviews completely free of spoilers, and this is one of those movies where it's very easy to give something away when talking about it. I'm reluctant to even talk about things that have been widely discussed in the media regarding this movie. There's a lot to talk about, and this movie is one that makes me wanna write a lot about it, but I can't. I WILL say this, though: This is a movie for smart people, for film geeks, for people who don't mind using their brain while watching a movie. When I saw "Adaptation," there was a group of giggling teenage girls in the row behind me. They giggled throughout the movie, and I don't think they had a clue what they were watching. In fact, I don't know what they were doing in that theater. This movie was NOT made for those annoying, ditzy, clueless, giggling teenage girls. This is a smart people movie! So if you think that "2001: A Space Odyssey" was stupid, and "Dirty Dancing" was an intelligently written masterpiece, maybe you should skip "Adaptation" and go see "Maid in Manhattan" instead.
The acting in "Adaptation" is awesome, especially by Nicolas Cage who plays two roles. He plays two guys, twins, and despite the fact that they're identical, the different ways he plays them makes it very easy to tell them apart. His performance will probably get him another Oscar nomination, and deservedly so. One of the characters he plays was interesting for me to watch because it's basically a guy I know. Not literally, but he plays a character who's exactly like my buddy AJ. Like the character Nicolas Cage plays, AJ is a great writer who's always depressed. Also, AJ often complains that he's fat, bald, and ugly, just like that character Nicolas Cage plays. Watching that character in the movie was a lot like watching AJ. You should check out his web site, by the way. It's called "AJ's Little Piece of Misery," and it's... well, it's very him. While you're there, check out his short story, "Redneck Jesus." VERY funny stuff.
Anyway, also in the movie is Meryl Streep, and she's as great as you'd expect. There are also excellent performances by Chris Cooper and Brian Cox, two great character actors. There's also a brief appearance by Maggie Gyllenhaal (she recently starred in "Secretary" with James Spader). I like her. She's in the movie, too. There are a couple of odd cameos, cameos you may not even know are cameos because they're directors. One is Curtis Hanson (the director of "8 Mile," "Wonder Boys," and "L.A. Confidential"), who plays the husband of Meryl Streep's character. Also, David O. Russell, the director of "Three Kings," makes a cameo. There are other cameos, as well, but those I'll leave as surprises.
"Adaptation" was directed by Spike Jonze (he's one of the twisted minds behind the TV show and movie "Jackass"). This is only his second feature film as director (he's acted a couple of times before, most notably in "Three Kings"), his debut was with the great "Being John Malkovich." This movie is no less bizarre. Oh, an interesting thing to point out is that he's married to Francis Ford Coppola's daughter, Sofia Coppola. Nicolas Cage, the star of the film, is Francis Ford Coppola's nephew. So I guess that makes Nicolas Cage Spike Jonze's cousin-in-law. Anyway, yeah, I really like what Spike Jonze did with this movie. Also, I don't think I've ever seen a car accident in a movie look more horrifying than in "Adaptation." As for the brilliant screenplay, it's credited to Charlie Kaufman (he was a writer for "The Dana Carvey Show," "Ned and Stacey," and "Get a Life," all three of which are TV shows... he later went on to write his debut feature film screenplay, "Being John Malkovich") and Donald Kaufman. The screenplay is inspired by and VERY loosely based on the book "The Orchid Thief" by Susan Orlean (she also wrote a magazine article called "Surf Girls of Maui," which was the basis for the movie "Blue Crush"). I don't wanna say more than that because it may spoil the movie, but let's just say that this is the most unusual adaptation of a book ever.
Watching "Adaptation" is a truly unique moviegoing experience, but it's not for everybody. And even the audience that this movie was made for might need to see it more than once to truly appreciate it. Spike Jonze and Charlie Kaufman have once again created a bizarre film, but it's very entertaining. A little slow, but entertaining. The only other complaint I have, like I said, is the ending, despite it being deliberate. It should have been shorter, I think. The movie as a whole is pretty slow, but the ending, which wasn't as slow, should have been shorter. I know that doesn't make sense, but you have to see the movie to know what I mean. "Adaptation" is a flawed masterpiece.
Scale of 1-10: 8