Review of Adaptation

Introduction

The last film I saw that had the names of Charlie Kaufman and Spike Jonze attached to it was the inimitable Being John Malkovich. That was a film that truly defied convention and managed to mess with my head in ways that other films haven`t. Much of that was because of the slight hint of reality in an implausible story that distinguished the film from so many others. So when Adaptation fell on my doormat, I knew that this would be a film that would require me to don my thinking cap, and choose my stimulants wisely.

Adaptation, directed by Spike Jonze, and adapted for the screen by Charlie and Donald Kaufman, is the story of a writer who has to adapt a book for the screen, The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean that is to all intents and purposes inadaptable. The writer who has to do this is Charlie Kaufman, an introverted and neurotic man, fresh from his success with Being John Malkovich. While he tries to find an angle with the book, we learn of Susan Orlean`s story, how she met with John Laroche, the orchid thief of the book and how she became fascinated with his story. While Charlie struggles with the script to little avail, his extrovert twin Donald decides that with the aid of script guru Robert McKee`s seminars, he can learn to be a scriptwriter himself and to Charlie`s irritation, makes it look easy, selling his first script. As the book becomes exceedingly impenetrable, Charlie bows to the inevitable and asks his annoying brother for help.

Video

A 1.85:1 anamorphic transfer showcases Adaptation to best effect. A recent film gets a flawless transfer. The special effects are invisible, you soon forget that Nicolas Cage has a double role and quickly just see two characters on screen. Any grain or differences in film quality are due to the choices of the filmmakers rather than any problems with the transfer or the photography, so I won`t comment further on that.

Audio

Adaptation comes with DD 5.1 soundtracks in English and Italian, and the sound is just fine. Subtitles are in English, Italian and Hindi.

Features

Three trailers, Adaptation, Maid In Manhattan and The Sunshine State. Oh, and filmographies.

Conclusion

The current buzzword when it comes to film plots is `multi-layered`. You can see critics on Newsnight Review gesticulating wildly like David Bellamy in a compost heap when they come across a film with more than one facet. Multi-layered. When it comes to Adaptation, this film has so many layers that they even extend beyond the film itself. At the heart of the film, the simplest level is the story of Susan Orlean`s encounter with John Laroche. Then we have Susan Orlean recounting her experiences in her book, and all of this is shown from the perspective of Charlie Kaufman who is trying to adapt all this into a film script, flashbacks within flashbacks that never become confusing. Then there is that blending of reality and fantasy, as the film you are watching becomes intertwined with the story on screen. The film is the story of the film, or Ouroborous as Charlie Kaufman explains to his brother. The events on screen neatly mirror the script that is being written by Charlie Kaufman. Yet step even further outside the film, into the real world and you see in the credits that Adaptation is based on The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean, directed by Spike Jonze and written by Charlie Kaufman and Donald Kaufman. Donald Kaufman of course, never turned up to collect his BAFTA, or appeared at any of the other award ceremonies that he and his twin were nominated for. (Figure it out for yourselves) After the film had ended I was left with the question, is this amazing film actually the result of Charlie Kaufman attempting to bring to the screen an inadaptable book, or has this film been one big exercise in intellectual conceit?

But intellectual conceit alone does not a movie make, and what really makes Adaptation outstanding are some stunning performances and the exceptional writing. I`ve never really been too big a fan of Nicolas Cage and Meryl Streep, but their portrayals of the characters here transcend celebrity. Nicolas Cage creates two discrete characters as the twins Donald and Charlie Kaufman. Donald is extrovert, popular and successful while Charlie is plagued by neuroses and nervousness and unsure around women. His inferiority complex is reflected well on screen and can be readily identified with. Streep`s portrayal of Susan Orlean is equally human, she creates a character that is disillusioned with her life and fascinated by the eccentric John Laroche, whose life has been transient since a personal tragedy. Chris Cooper won an Oscar for his performance as Laroche, and its understandable why. Also notable is a scenery chewing turn by Brian Cox as Robert McKee.

The disc itself is blessed with good picture and sound, but there are no extras to speak of. I`m in two minds about that, as we have certainly become accustomed to discs replete with added goodness, especially with recent films. Yet Adaptation is the kind of film that will only be damaged by giving the game away. Half the fun is trying to figure out where the film ends and where reality begins, and a making of documentary would neatly answer that question, taking away the fun. In this one instance, I`m not going to lament the sparse nature of the disc; although perhaps there will be a special edition at a later date.

I suppose it`s only natural to compare Adaptation with Being John Malkovich, but they are two different animals, if in similar styles. Being John Malkovich was truly ground breaking cinema that was original, exciting and fresh. Once that ground has been broken, it can`t be done so again. Adaptation while in a similar vein, doesn`t try to follow in the footsteps of that film. The story is fascinating and the blending of the real world and the movie is taken to a greater extreme than before. However Adaptation isn`t as fresh and exhilarating, and I got the feeling that at times the movie seemed like a almighty wink to the audience. One big, "Are you enjoying having your head messed with?" Still, no matter how contrived the film felt, the realistic and very human performances are what really make this film exceptional and I found Adaptation to be very moving as well as intelligent. You may like this film, or you may hate this film, but I guarantee that you`ll appreciate it. Recommended.