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Director: Spike Jonze
Writers: Susan Orlean(novel), Charlie Kaufman(screenplay)
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep, Chris Cooper
Genre: Comedy Drama


A brilliant but hopelessly nervous-shy screenwriter (Nicholas Cage) becomes desperate as he tries and fails to adapt the novel, "The Orchid Thief" by Susan Orlean for the movies. Meanwhile his happy go lucky twin also played by Nicholas Cage, has successes with his screenplay.



Nicolas Cage plays identical twin brothers, Charlie Kaufman / Donald Kaufman

I had seen this a few years before but I remembered nothing of the film. Which is not a good sign! Not one scene, not one character, not even the big finally rang a bell. How could a movie be erased out of my memory? With not even a vague inkling of having ever seen it. Perhaps the plot of Being John Malkovich is more plausible than commonly believed. I sometimes think about that movie, so it's strange that Adaption starts off on the set of Being John Malkovich.

So....I'm watching the film for the second time, which is actually the first time, and despite the fact that I supposedly hated the film 10 years ago, I'm loving it now. I find the film uniquely different, the duel stories of the Orchid Hunter and the story line of the self doubting screen writer is fascinating. Nicholas Cage is really good in this, and I wonder why he made so many crap movies when he's such a talented actor. The toothless orchid guy is pretty far out too and even more so is he's back story, I like it!
The film is written very intelligently and I'm thinking this is a work of art.



But then a funny, but not humorous, thing happens: The film talks about what not to do in a screen play, Cage's character says he wants to do a screen adaptation that does not have car chases and guns and typically Hollywood crap.

The ending..... And that's exactly what we get in the end! This brilliant film is trounced on by Spike Jonz in the third act. We were just warned that a film could have flaws but the audience well forgive that, if the ending wows them. Then we get this really stupid, cliche Hollywood ending, with car chases, and guns and alligators! I just about ripped up all the
Orchids in the house and flush them down the toilet in protest...or should I have applauded?