Review: “Adaptation”

Charlie Kaufman and Spike Jonze up the ante with “Adaptation” a bonkers self-referential splurge on writers’ block and orchids (as a metaphor for passion).

Kaufman includes himself as a character in this script, and his portrayal is everything a screenwriter should be: self-deprecating, overweight and hopelessly timid. His character is wonderfully offset by a fictitious identical twin brother, an equal parts loveable and infuriating character who typifies the awful amateur screenwriter, with banal, idiotic and overused ideas, who to top it all off is excepted in to the industry by blind luck. Both characters are brought to life by Nicolas Cage who, while I generaly dislike, shows his ability as a half-decent actor during some of the more tender scenes between the two characters.

The story itself concerns Kaufman’s attempt to adapt “The Orchid Theif” a real life unadaptable novel in to a feature script, intertwined with the story of how the book was written. The two narratives are very different and interweave surprisingly well, blurring the line between fiction and reality to an enchanting degree; it is only when the two narratives meet at the film’s finale that problems occur. The film suddenly delves in to pure fantasy and the jump is perhaps a little sudden – although this is a minor complaint.

Where the film really excels is in its bonkers self-referentiality and its cynical portrayal of the film industry. The film begins on set of “Being John Malkovich”, a real life script written by Kaufman, with Kaufman’s character watching on in alienation as his script is brought to the screen without a not a nod of respect or recognition passed his way. The downtrodden screenwriter is given a voice here, alienated on his own set and seen as a tool by his superiors (just somebody to turn the book in to a script, a middleman). For anyone with a mild interest in the film industry this a joy to watch, packed full of in-jokes ( “Don’t call it a pitch.”), rarely is the industry portrayed in the cynical light it deserves and rarely is the most disrespected member of that industry (aside from us runners!) given a voice. The inclusion of real script writing guru Robert McKee is also fantastic (played by the masterful Brian Cox), but scriptwriting elitists may be disappointed to see he is portrayed in a positive light by the film’s closing.

The ending is, for the most part, a happy one – in fact the character goes through everything Kaufman denies as being “real life” at the start of the movie: “I don’t want to cram in sex or guns or car chases or characters learning profound life lessons or growing or coming to like each other or overcoming obstacles to succeed in the end. The book isn’t like that, and life isn’t like that, it just isn’t. I feel very strongly about this.” Is the fact that Kaufman goes through all these things a contradiction in the script, or is Kaufman admitting (like McKee) that sometimes life can be like the movies? This is open to interpretation but either way the cynics will be disappointed.

In conclusion anyone with an interest in scriptwriting or the film industry in general should check this out. If you are fan of Spike Jonze or Charlie Kaufman this is essential viewing. And if you like the sound of a bonkers post-modern struggle of a downtrodden scriptwriter interlaced with intriguing musings on life, love passion and orchids then give “Adaptation” a go.