Adaptation
2002, Comedy/Drama, 1h 54m
211 Reviews 100,000+ RatingsWhat to know
Dizzyingly original, the loopy, multi-layered Adaptation is both funny and thought-provoking. Read critic reviews
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Movie Info
Cast & Crew
Charlie Kaufman, Donald Kaufman
Susan Orlean
John Laroche
Valerie
Amelia Kavan
Robert McKee
News & Interviews for Adaptation
Critic Reviews for Adaptation
All Critics (211) | Top Critics (49) | Fresh (191) | Rotten (20)
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There's no good reason why this should work-the picture is a schizzy, self-indulgent mess-but magically, it does.
March 16, 2020 | Full Review… -
Adult stuff only but hilarious and fresh.
September 2, 2010 | Rating: 5/5 | Full Review… -
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.
July 6, 2010 | Full Review… -
For two-thirds of its running time the film is close to genius. But there's still no third act.
June 24, 2006 | Full Review… -
Just go see it. Immediately. Today. There are far too few films that make one giddy and excited about the art of making movies. Adaptation is one of them, and it is for the ages.
June 19, 2003 | Rating: 4/4 | Full Review… -
It's the sort of movie that keeps reinventing itself and nudging us in the ribs as it does. You'll want to see it soon, because everyone you know will be talking about it.
April 27, 2003 | Rating: A-
Audience Reviews for Adaptation
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Sep 20, 2020If Being John Malkovich introduced us to the creative ideas of Charlie Kaufman and took us (fictionally) into the mind of John Malkovich the actor then Adaptation takes us into the mind of Charlie Kaufman himself. Of course, this is still only fiction and much poetic and artistic license is taken but Kaufman turns the tables onto himself this time and the results are just as creative and enjoyable. He even creates a fictional brother in Donald Kaufman (which the Academy even nominated as a joint writer when the Best Screenplay Oscar was announced). Kaufman is simply a master at creating a story where art imitates life imitating art. It's so cleverly done and effortlessly blurs the lines between fact and fiction such is it's astute and clever construction. Director Spike Jonze, once again, seems to be on the same wave length of Kaufman's ingenuity and the performances are fantastic. Chris Cooper won the Best Supporting Actor award but, in a dual role as Charlie and Donald, this is arguably the best work that Nicolas Cage has ever delivered. Another mind-bending treat from Kaufman.Mark W Super Reviewer
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Jul 26, 2020I'm reacting the way the world does to movies about making movies about making movies. I mean come on, Charlie Kaufman, some of us have work in the morning, damn. Final rating:★★½ - Not quite for me, but I definitely get the appeal.Gimly M Super Reviewer
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Dec 15, 2012A triumphantly meta film that takes every opportunity to take a filmic cliche and completely turn it on its head. This is writer Kaufman's movie as much as it is Jonze's, and the duo manage to provoke laughs, pathos, and thought in this surreal dive into the writing psyche, complete with a wonderful dual performance from Nicolas Cage.Kase V Super Reviewer
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Sep 30, 2012Adaptation is undoubtedly one of the most original films I've ever seen. The films concept is even more genius than Spike Jonze's previous Being John Malkovich. The film follows the real-life writer Charlie Kaufman trying to adapt a book called The Orchid Thief into a screenplay. The screenplay that he ends up writing is the screenplay of this movie. It sounds very confusing, but it really is a genius concept and has to be seen to be believed. All of the performances are great, and the final act is the most exciting (even if it is the most fictitious). I also loved how the film portrays screenwriters as one of the most vital people to the creation of a film yet they are the most overlooked. The beauty of Adaptation is that you have no idea where it's going to go next because the events are being written as the film progresses. The only complaint I have is that the final act is far superior to the rest of the movie, which isn't nearly as interesting. Overall, I cannot stress enough how original Adaptation is.Kevin M Super Reviewer
Adaptation Quotes
| Herself: | I suppose I do have one unembarrassed passion. I want to know what it feels like to care about something passionately |
| Herself: | I suppose I do have one unembarrassed passion. I want to know what it feels like to care about something passionately. |
| Robert McKee: | And God help you if you use voice-over in your work, my friends. God help you! That's flaccid, sloppy writing. Any idiot can write voice-over narration to explain the thoughts of the character. |
| Donald Kaufman: | You are what you love, not what loves you. That's what I decided a long time ago. |
| Robert McKee: | Nothing happens in the world? Are you out of your fucking mind? People are murdered every day. There's genocide, war, corruption. Every fucking day, somewhere in the world, somebody sacrifices his life to save someone else. Every fucking day, someone, somewhere takes a conscious decision to destroy someone else. People find love, people lose it. For Christ's sake, a child watches her mother beaten to death on the steps of a church. Someone goes hungry. Somebody else betrays his best friend for a woman. If you can't find that stuff in life, then you, my friend, don't know crap about life! And why the FUCK are you wasting my two precious hours with your movie? I don't have any use for it! I don't have any bloody use for it! |
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