Adaptation. (2002)

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The lives of screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, author Susan Orlean and orchid poacher John Laroche become strangely intertwined as each one's search for passion collides with the others' in this adaptation of the best-selling "The Orchid Thief."

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Directed By: Spike Jonze

Written By: Charlie Kaufman, Susan Orlean

Starring: Brian Cox, Nicolas Cage, John Malkovich, Meryl Streep, John Cusack, Tilda Swinton, Judy Greer, Catherine Keener, Ron Livingston, Chris Cooper, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Cara Seymour

Genre: Drama

AKA: Adaptation

Country: USA

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TCI | Percentile | Date Rated | # Stars (Reviews)

Stars	User	Rating
20	CMonster	94 _98th
People made a big deal about Nolan's dream within a dream within a dream. That however is amateur shit compared to Kaufman's movie writer on a movie set in a movie within a movie about a movie writer writing the movie that is in the movie that is the movie that you are watching.
11	Pickpocket	10 _98th
If you get the chance, listen to Charlie Kauffman talk about how he thought of this movie, it's hilarious. It's also incredibly original, witty, and fun. All the leads are great and Maggie Gyllenhaal's 5 minutes of screen time were sweet.
11	Barthalen	96 _99th
The way this is structured is so insanely clever, having Donald write the last act is such a stroke of genius and nicely reinforces the themes of the movie. Cage doesn't ham it up and actually becomes amazing as the two Kaufmans. Hell, everyone is amazing in this. Sad, stimulating and witty, and very rewatchable.
6	whomperize	99 _99th
This movie is the pinnacle of writing, and has so many layers of emotions and characters smashing into each other that it's very difficult to not become overwhelmed. Filled with wonderful life epiphanies and great acting, and, best of all, is so gripping because it's so real and personal, and not pretentious. Charlie Kaufman was nominated for a Best Screenplay Award for a movie he wrote about (loosely) failing to write a screenplay.
5	max22	88 _74th
Gloriously self-referential, wickedly creative, and very funny.
5	CinematicESP	100 _99th
Charlie Kaufman takes the idea that every desperate screenwriter wants to use and makes it unique, adapting The Orchid Thief in a way that's true to the original themes. Heartbreaking and hilarious at the same time. A true masterwork.
4	eveelun	82 _85th
Fascinating and clever meditation on the nature of writing. Kaufman's script is delightfully intricate, the way the story unfolds is brilliant and satisfying.
4	caocao	96 _99th
My personal favorite script of all time. Spike Jonze handles it extremely well and we're rewarded with a movie unlike any other. Good things happen when artists challenge themselves and I'm grateful that Kaufman took on the challenge of adapting Susan Orlean's book.
4	KasperL	90 _97th
One of kind. A great cast at the top of their game (probably Nicolas Cage's two best performances) and an amazing script from Charlie Kaufman who gives an incredibly unflattering portrayal of himself in his writing and, also with gusto, goes meta on Hollywood's ass. I find the fact that his fake twin brother Donald was also nominated for an Oscar really awesome.
4	Jarmann	89 _90th
Kaufman does magic with his scripts. He leads movie-making into whole new territories. Amazing stuff.
3	hamahoy	95 _95th
fantastic, a marvelous exercise in the power of structure and allegory. A literature major's dream (that's me)
3	MartinTeller	85 _84th
Laugh-out-loud funny, and peppered with some genuinely intriguing makes-ya-think moments. I won't say I loved this movie, but I really really liked it.
3	FlorVdE	5 _98th
In less competent hands the set-up of this film could have gone horribly awry, but it's handled (nearly) perfectly.
3	teknicolor	90 _92nd
Chris Cooper's performance was breathtaking. One moment passionate and manic, the next quiet, trying to suppress old demons. I loved it.
3	slackerish	95 _94th
I can't think of any aspiring writer out there who has seen this movie and not been able to relate to it, and it's simply one of my favorite movies for that reason.
3	gleeb	49 _12th
This movie loves itself so much I want to leave it alone with a bottle of hand cream and a tissue.
3	Skenkere	95 _98th
Kaufman strikes again with this mindfuck movie about....Kaufman...trying to write this mindfuck movie. Great script, great commentary on the nature of movies, and a really entertaining movie despite its boring sounding content. Kaufman is one of the few people in the film industry that I have no problem applying the term genius to. His scripts are so unique, so bizarre, yet seriously meaningful and powerful at the same time, and this movie is probably my favorite example of that.
3	Bown	91 _94th
The story of how this movie got made is great, and it lives up to it. A brilliant cast - Cooper's Oscar was well-deserved, and Cage/Streep are both great - and hilarious script, and one of the most well-directed car collision scenes I've ever seen.
3	hellboy76	91 _98th
Another brilliant script from Kaufman is made better by the solid turn from Streep, and the amazing one from Cooper. Cage is ultimately fine in the twin roles and for once the funny hair is a valid piece of the story. Does anyone else really wish "The 3" would be made? :)
2	Magb	90 _85th
Funny, tragic, clever. In Being John Malkovich, Kaufman's writing was sometimes too gimmicky, but that's rarely the case here. Nicolas Cage does a good job and Meryl Streep is as good as always.
2	Nouilles	86 _74th
Tiresome, annoying, meta and recommendable.
2	CCLZA	85 _89th
One of the best movies about the creative process of narration. Outstanding performances from its practically flawless cast.
2	fabfunk	98 _96th
One of our endearing classics. So much love, pain, hope and sadness encaptulated within Kaufman's prose. Is a richer, more rewarding experience every time.
2	cellophane	96 _93rd
An atounding film with so many intriguing levels that is also a smart and scathing Hollywood film.
2	Moribunny	30 _15th
A hollow postmodernist experiment, wrapped around a cheap, hackneyed storyline.
2	megladon8	75 _64th
Interesting and occasionally hilarious movie with great style. Nicolas Cage gives the best performance of his career. Great ending.
2	dwhee	100 _99th
A piece of inspired cinematic brilliance. Edgy and satirical. It breaks the fourth wall every minute, but the film is so great that the audience doesn't even realize that they're being fooled. An absolutely necessary work of self-indulgence for Kaufman.
2	Chuchaqui	97 _93rd
Greatest screenplay ever and a wonderful movie. One of the most original films ever made, hail Charlie Kaufman.
2	JohnLocke	100 _96th
This screenplay is an absolute masterpiece. I can't think of a single thing that I don't like about this one. Charlie Kaufman and Spike Jonze should make movies together forever. If I were to ever teach a class on film, this would be the number one movie to show.
2	weirdyoda	98 _98th
umm...brilliant Charlie Kaufman. Unlike any other film ever make. When Nick Cage makes a great movie, he makes a GREAT movie.
2	twincinema	90 _92nd
The last act is a thing of beauty -- both changing the tone of the film to fit McKee's principles while also breaking those same principles. We need more man butts in movies. Thanks, Chris Cooper.
2	sebby	90 _98th
One of the best screenplays ever written. How good? It fooled me into thinking Nic Cage was awesome.
2	Adrianics	94 _90th
The tagline for this really should be 'We wrote this during a bout of writer's block. Also, Nicholas Cage can act'. A tender look at the dark side of screenwriting with a breathtaking performance from the leading man. Absolutely essential for all those crazy enough to take up a career in writing.
2	Zealot185	92 _93rd
Rather than directly adapting Susan Orlean's The Orchid Thief, Charlie Kaufman opts to write a script in which he writes about himself fantasizing about having sex with Susan Orlean. The film is too self-deprecating for one to call it pretentious, and it's too self-aware for one to call it cliche. It's probably the most original visual dissertation on Hollywood screenwriting that you will ever witness. (It's also about flowers.)
2	XakkMaster	96 _97th
Having read 'The Orchid Thief' just before seeing the film, I see Kaufman's handling of the idea of adaptation as a beautiful homage to the pyschological nature of Orleans' narrative journalism. It also serves as a second-hand guide to the cult of Orchid hunters - rather than just the 'movie version' of the book. Nicolas Cage is unforgettable in a challenging role as the Kaufman 'twins,' but Chris Cooper steals the show, bringing Laroche to life exactly the way I had imagined him in the text.
2	Ocelot	90 _97th
Possibly the best screenplay ever written. Fuck, there's so much to say about this movie, but I'll just tell you that it's amazing and that you should watch it.
2	ABUNCHOFCATS	91 _89th
Another excellently written movie from Kaufman, delving into his own psyche and frustrations (though really he does this with most of his scripts, it's just a hundred times less subtle here). Cage is great playing Kaufman and his "twin" and the rest of the cast play their parts extremely well. I kept getting reminded of Tristram Shandy and Synecdoche, New York throughout this movie and I wish I'd seen this movie before Synecdoche, building up to that one. Hindsight and all that.
2	Okkervil	89 _95th
Utterly brilliant and by far Nic Cage's best film. The delicate and engaging plot is wonderfully played out by Jonze to its fantastic conclusion. The whole cast are excellent, particuarly Cage, who is a joy to watch when he tries and isn't playing up in some retarded action bollocks. Totally mesmerising from the first second to the last.
2	netmonk	95 _97th
This is an amazing movie. An intellectually enjoyable puzzlebox that folds in on itself and meditates on the many meanings of adaptation (Darwinian, filmed books, psychological, etc.). Fun, fun, fun. Smart, smart, smart. And mr. Nicolas Cage does an excellent job playing two brothers.
2	jmarkthespot	90 _94th
Not really a review, but I had a class taught by Susan Orlean and she never once talked about Adaptation.. Kind of made me wonder if she didn't appreciate being portrayed as drug-addict-cheating-whore.
2	DavidBlast	90 _92nd
Just when you had given up on Nicolas Cage, he delivers a career best as himself and his twin brother. This is meta-meta-meta-bonanza from Kaufman and Jonze, almost to the point of it being a technical exercise. Still, it's as smart as anything out there, it's great fun and if anything can shake the mental image of Cage screaming "How'd't'getburned?!" - this would be it.
2	ehk2	80 _95th
"I'm saying I don't want to...cram in sex or guns or car chases. You know, or characters...learning profound life lessons, 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."
2	jkathrens	97 _99th
Some films want you to get lost in their story -- this one begs you to look beneath the surface. Watching this film while boggling at how Kaufman/Jonze intertwine the layers of reality is one of my favorite movie-watching experiences. Even better was hearing some of the comments from other moviegoers who clearly weren't along for the whole ride -- "It was slow at first, but picked up toward the end!" Wow.
2	glumpy_99	100 _99th
Outstanding, loopy meditation on existence and the Hollywood system, fired by an impeccably chosen cast, headed by Cage, Cooper and Streep who all bring extraordinary dimensions to their oddball characters. Dizzying mix of fantasy and reality, combined with clever plotting (and twisting of the plot, and twisting of the twists) makes for a unique, one-of-a-kind experience.
2	signegram	100 _93rd
What can I say, Kaufman's a genius!
2	stevekimes	89 _84th
The strangest adaptation of a book ever, about the fictional adaption of the book this movie was supposedly adapting. Not a great adaptation, but a great original screenplay about truth.
2	eCitizen	50 _49th
A screwy movie that switches from the present to a story being written, but reality gets mixed up with the writers story. Nicholas Cage plays two roles at the same time. This movie is interesting, but so very confusing. The plot points are not very believable and some are simply absurd. I oscillated between liking it and not, almost from one minute to the next. It is hard to completely dismiss it, since it is very odd and worth watching if only for that, but nothing was particularly great.
2	3dRevelation	88 _95th
Very enjoyable. Kaufman does a great job (as usual) and Cage gives his most enjoyable performance portraying Kaufman and his fictional twin. Add to that a couple of excellent supporting roles by Cooper and Streep and good direction by Jonze and you've got a very good film. I loved how the film was simultaneously funny, dramatic, sad. The sheer abruptness of some of the more darker parts really highlighted the effect on the film's characters.
2	Cotote2018	93 _98th
One of the most clever, funny and interesting movies I have ever seen
1	jenna	95 _81st
Spectacular, clever, keen, cool, original and very orchidy with a bloody brilliant N. Cage in a double role.
1	mammy	65 _22nd
I did not see any humor at all in this film, even though it was suppose to be "dazzlingly funny", but I did watch it to the end.
1	Cthulha	89 _86th
One of the cleverest scripts I've seen for a long time. I notice something new whenever I see this movie.
1	syzygy	83 _61st
I really was not expecting anything that happened in this movie, it being my first Charlie Kaufman experience. Also, I think it is the only movie Nicolas Cage has been in that I enjoyed.
1	hyped83	95 _85th
Spike Jonze and Nick Cage? Why, whodathunk!?!?!?
1	triffid	70 _18th
Kaufman's script is very cleverly constructed, as expected. But this time it doesn't really work for me. Feels forced, doesn't have the natural flow of "Malkovich".
1	svicciarelli	86 _59th
Brilliant in parts, but too consumed in its own idiosyncracies.
1	grimace98	90 _96th
A brilliant, pomo, meta, whatever you want to call it, piece of cinema that I can't quite describe.
1	JoshStew06	95 _95th
I love this movie even a little more than Eternal Sunshine... because it had me in laughing fits most of the way through, and at the same time I really bought these ridiculous characters, mostly due to outstanding performances from all involved. And the ending is sheer brilliance.
1	lihkin	100 _90th
Kaufman's best
1	yilb	50 _39th
Floundering & kind of dumb.
1	josauuce	92 _81st
charlie kaufman is a great screenwriter.
1	djross	60 _62nd
Probably deserves another viewing, but the cleverness here seemed a little laboured. Perhaps its greatest service was to spread the imperative against saying "industry".
1	iqcumber	65 _36th
A film that wants to have its cake and eat it too. It wants to out-Hollywood Hollywood, which is an ambitious and admirable project, but it fails by pretty much just becoming Hollywood.
1	mynameismax	89 _87th
A fantastically deep script, really clever and interesting with Nicholas Cade playing both the scriptwriter and his fictional twin brother, it's another Kaufman masterpiece.
1	mischief	50 _30th
The best part was the car accident. Cage should seriously hang it up.
1	timmo	95 _88th
Equally as well done as Being John Malkovich in every way. More original than pretty much every film ever made.
1	easydiff	90 _96th
Meta filmmaking sums it up. A movie about a writer who can't figure out a way to end a movie without stupid Hollywood cliches, that itself ends in Hollywood cliches. Perfect.
1	Semiramis	90 _83rd
Great acting. Cool storyline.
1	cowfrappe	90 _99th
An absolutely intriguing piece of filmmaking, with excellent performances all aorund, but especially from Streep (surprise!) and Cooper.
1	fatbuddha	95 _93rd
Kaufman does it again.
1	Farzan	92 _92nd
A fantastic film with breathtaking performances from the entire cast, especially Cage. Cage's greatest performance. A very personal look at the genius of Charlie Kaufman. A lot of writer's can relate to the struggles he goes through. Very effective, hilarious, and just downright amazing.
1	christiaanb	84 _78th
Charlie Kaufman tried to adapt the Orchid Thief, reached a deadlock, then somehow managed to carve a wonderful script out of this experience. He cleverly weaves the different storylines together and ends up with a story that's funny, passionate and smart at the same time. This is all splendidly translated onto the screen by Jonze, and brought alive by three comical talents (Nicolas Cage, Nicolas Cage and Chris Cooper) and the marvelous Meryl Streep.
1	frankswild	95 _98th
I got dirty looks in the theater when I was laughing at the end of this movie
1	MonsterGear	87 _83rd
Tremendously funny, wickedly clever.
1	martryn	93 _95th
It's about what you can expect from a movie directed by Spike Jonze, written by Charlie Kaufman, starring Nicolas Cage.
1	brando814	100 _98th
Genius.
1	mistersplice	95 _99th
9+ amazing :: How daunting. it's enough to make someone give up on their story about a story and the person writing that story. I'm completely serious.
1	Staticnz	99 _98th
I. Love. this film.
1	JokerXgg	70 _82nd
This movie was really good, it was something that was never done before and it had a great soundtrack to it. Good movie this one was.
1	Shmendrek	5 _96th
I thought this film was really creative and the unconventional narrative structure makes it engaging and enjoyable. I typically dislike Nicolas Cage, but he's actually funny and likeable in this film.
1	moviefan99	79 _44th
Did not like this as much as many others, but Charlie Kaufmann script is original and smart.
1	Drewlephant	94 _95th
This movie is just brilliant.
1	Dustyd	90 _98th
Brilliant, well acted, and exciting film.
1	meerkat	100 _96th
Profoundly moving & very well acted/directed.
1	zombiezeus	95 _96th
The apex of Charlie Kauffman's career, and a must for any true movie afficiando or writer. Brilliantly layered, expertly acted, and a strong vaildation of what writing is all about. Funny, too.
1	Johanna	95 _98th
I just love Kaufmann's scripts!
1	Wiche	82 _84th
I was really amazed how good this was. I can't believe so few people have heard of it, while it's just great. First of all: great performances. Cage just blew me away. Great writing to. We get a good look inside the head of a writer, going through al his problems in a romantic, yet tragic, yet funny kind of way. Playing with all these aspects of cinematography makes this one a must see!
1	John Locke	100 _98th
Perfect.
1	miss jesus	71 _70th
A rather great film. If I sound half-hearted it's because this film is obviously brilliantly written--but it's so self-aware that it quickly becomes predictable. And Nicolas Cage has his career best in this film, but I can't stand the man and two of him is simply too much. Brian Cox was a lot of fun, though, and Meryl Streep is unbelievable. I can't help but feel that this would have been more enjoyable if it had been more straightforward.
1	cestmoi	85 _72nd
Loved the scene where they try to make the dial tone. Great move.
1	Luna6ix	90 _97th
A simply wonderful idea for a movie with some truly a-list performances.
1	teacup	95 _88th
Soooo great
1	bren	100 _99th
The movie that changed how I look at movies. I haven't quite been the same since I saw this.
1	rob oh!	100 _98th
An awesome mind-fuck of a movie! Spike Jonze, Charlie Kaufman, and Nicholas Cage knock this one out of the park with amazing performances by Chris Cooper and Meryl Streep! If you can keep up with the plots and characters and realize Adaptation is really a story-within-a-story you'll easily see just how fucking brilliant this movie really is!
1	polster	98 _98th
Yes! I can't believe I found this in the discount bin! This movie makes me consider life in a different light... Not to mention, the movie in essence details the writing of the movie as it goes, and I love complexity like that.
1	TV+Film-Hub	3 _18th
Seriously people. This is an empty movie. It practically echoes.
1	AshWilliams	80 _65th
Not exactly as great as I once thought, but still a very good movie.
1	chemical404	78 _93rd
I expected to dislike this film because I hated Synecdoche, New York. And, boy, could I be any more wrong. Some people can't help but be observers rather than participants of their life. They live meta-life, always bored of what they understand, and hating what they don't. This film is about this type of character, written by this type of character.
1	UniqueName	60 _18th
Barf.. don't like this Kaufman movie sorry, it screams "Hey look at me guys I'm clever.. hey aren't I clever!!" which is a shame because there are some great scenes in this.
1	smootysveen	98 _98th
My life on film. On film.
1	thesleepwalk	92 _95th
I love the film scripting ideas of Charlie Kaufman. He constructs scripts that can only exist as film. This is a great satire of the film industry and writing process.
1	QVT	1 _3rd
A disaster. Nicolas Cage is catastrophic and the character(s) he plays are so repugnant I spent the whole time wishing they'd die rather than being able to regard the film. I managed to make it almost an hour and a half into the film, but when she snorted the orchid and imitated the dial tone, I broke down and couldn't take any more.
1	Corleone	95 _99th
This film is just one beautiful mess. Characters are a quirky and exaggerated (partly fictional) band of misfits, story takes a u-turn at the end and it's all rendered through Kaufman's anxiety-ridden brain ... but for some magical reason it works just perfectly.
1	begoniabol	85 _87th
Well-made movie. I think the more times I will watch it, the more I will like it. Excelent performance of Nicolas Cage and I thought the ending was quite moving (for me). Had also its funny parts
1	sharpcool	95 _98th
Nicholas Cage shows once and for all that he's a great actor (when he wants to be).
1	Sammy003	33 _1st
i havent seen it completely but its boooring for me
1	arisoncain	96 _95th
i first saw this movie 6 years ago and i am still discovering new things about it.
1	filmdot	96 _95th
Kaufman is one of the best screenwriters in the world. He makes these original and crazy stories and scripts work by just adding his own human touch. Cage is beyonf anything I have ever seen before and Cooper deserved the Oscar. Streep gave a subtly depressing and hilarious performance. The whole film is beautifully done by Mr. Jonze. A must-see. Helped with my screenwriting also.
1	JohnSandwich	90 _95th
Excellent film.
1	erlanuai	90 _83rd
Impressive work
1	dmguidry	90 _91st
Possibly the best performance of Nicholas Cage's prolific carear. A unique and in interesting story, coupled with great acting all around.
1	JordanDcFc	88 _88th
Nicholas Cage CAN act.
1	FunkyAstro	95 _97th
Brilliant writing from the great Kaufman
1	Architeutis	25 _0th
I just don't get it.
1	SirStuckey	95 _97th
Charlie Kaufman is fucking brilliant.
1	yesistasty	85 _54th
The first half of the film, the actual adaptation, is fantastic, as in one of the best movies I've ever seen. The second half of the film, presumably the part written by "Donald Kaufman", is unbearably silly and self-serving. I found this shift in tone and structure disappointing after such a brilliant first hour.
1	Launch	95 _97th
Jonze and Kaufman nailed this fantastic film. Definately one of the most underrated and original movies of the 00's
1	Hatman101	93 _91st
Very original, inventive movie
1	DonP	94 _81st
Another movie it's taken me too long to see. Brilliant film. And if Robert McKee really teaches like Brian Cox does, I'd definitely sign up for his screenwriting course :)
1	luckyboy	46 _8th
boring to death
1	CarsonWid	90 _98th
You can really tell that Donald did most of the writing.
1	deaddilly	85 _84th
Probably the most original movie to come out within the decade. Who says Cage can't act?
1	Dinosaur	90 _93rd
Awesome moive. It reminds me way too much of myself.
1	ScrumYummy	100 _99th
Hilarious and engaging. The film equivalent of taking a sharpie to the fourth wall.
1	HenryVape	82 _37th
Quirky as pretty much all Kaufman films, it feels somewhat lacking.
1	tinysausage	92 _99th
Kaufman's meta script is just so clever it takes your breath away. Profound and moving meditations on passion and the creative process. The acting is great, it's really funny and the whole postmodern layered tangle fits together in a coherent, enjoyable whole. Just wonderful.
1	jeff_v	90 _98th
"Adaptation" refers not just to the process of translating a book into a screenplay, but achieving personal growth through pursuing one's passion. With no change in prosthetics, Cage manages to create two distinct characters, believable as brothers, solely through gestures, posture, facial expression and vocal inflection--you know, acting!
1	fantastard	88 _87th
one of few movies starring Nick Cage which I'd recommend. Complex and twisted with rich characters and an interesting plot.
1	Dizzle	100 _93rd
Kaufman's never ceased to amaze me, and Adaptation is no exception. Words escape me at the moment, but the film's intricately woven, ingenious plot and dynamite performances from all involved have successfully transformed it into one of the best cinematic experiences of the past decade.
1	sheddle	90 _85th
This should have been an incoherent mess. There aren't many writers who could have made such a complex subject seem so simple. It sometimes gets flak for it's simplicity, but that's the beauty of it.
1	Rufam	65 _42nd
Cage and Streep are terrific and the premise is undeniably original, but the way it evolves makes it less interesting than it sounds. Α little too self-conscious.
1	PetrosTser	70 _66th
The cast is good (even Cage's performance becomes surprisingly interesting halfway through) and the script is definitely original, albeit (and alas) not able to secure the overall quality of the film, which somehow manages not to thrill.
1	boofasten	98 _99th
My favorite movie of all time.
1	Matthew Parkinson (CineMarter)	80 _89th
Adaptation is a thought-provoking movie that's either pure genius or a complete mess. Either way you look at it, it's a compelling work that is unlike almost anything out there. It might make complete sense, and it might make no sense. I'm still not sure. It might be both. It gives you something to think about, though, and the narrative rarely comes in front of that. It's funny and touching in its own way.
1	outTake	69 _26th
- I wrote myself in to my story, i'm pathetic, oh, i'm pathetic.. - l'm sure you had good reasons, Charles. You're an artist.
1	Noblet	87 _89th
Extremely interesting story with good acting from Cage.
1	stuie299	70 _33rd
I get what this movie was trying to accomplish but I thought it was just too in your face. I mean any subtlety that was in this film is all but extinct by the time it ends. The movie was meta to the point that it drags. Its as if it starts stumbling over its own self awareness. However it was intriguing and different. The acting was great. At times it shows signs of brilliance, but in the end the pacing of the plot leads to a simplistic ending that wasted the superb character development
1	DetoxP	1 _0th
I didn't love it, but it's a solid film and I do appreciate its existence as a prime example of meta-fuckery. Score is not a grade.
1	lethias	90 _89th
Don't you love Kaufman! Agh, Cage made me nervous but whatever, it just means he acted well. Truly personal work by Kaufman and it shows. Writing blocks, artist's adaptation to the artists... Phenomenal!
1	AlexanderMG	94 _92nd
The first time I saw this I didn't care for it much for whatever reason. After rewatching it, it is easily one of my favorite movies. It defies established genres. I must have watched it well over a dozen times now and can honestly say I still laugh out loud every single time at several points in the film. THIS MOVIE IS HILARIOUS. Cage, Meryl, and Cooper play perfect caricatures of archetypal characters: the neurotic writer, the NY intellectual, and the hick who is more than meets the eye.
1	gill0383	96 _88th
Thought-provoking. One of Cage's great performances.
1	Lady Moe	89 _82nd
Another unique story from the brilliant mind of Charlie Kaufman. Nicholas Cage completely disappears in not just one, but two roles. Meryl Streep is fantastic as always.
1	TrixRabbi	92 _98th
The best acting I've ever seen Cage do. All around excellent film.
1	methad1	87 _90th
A really interesting, clever and different film. I have said before Nic Cage is a 50/50 actor - half of his films are crap and half are great; this one is great.
1	GreatScott85	98 _92nd
Simply a phenomenal film. It demands to be seen.
1	fuzzleshnops	50 _24th
I really wanted to like this. But I couldn't. Was bored pretty much the whole time.
1	dmbbearcat	94 _94th
I thought this was clever and hilarious, but extremely informative all the same. A rare film. Charlie Kaufman is awesome.
1	Leonardis	94 _80th
If you ever need something that's odd and entertaining, you can always count on Spike Jonze. Adaptation features one of Nicolas Cage's best performances, not to mention good acting from Cooper and Streep. I really liked the movie all around. Had a nice feel to it.
1	Paxton	80 _87th
The many faces of Nicolas Cage. This movie is essentially a remake of Wes Craven's New Nightmare, but with flowers instead of Freddy.
1	RBLove	95 _93rd
Charlie Kaufman is brilliant!
1	sunhushin	100 _98th
Charlie Kaufman is a genius.
1	Merv_Taylor	96 _91st
Weird
1	drnkurmlkshk	85 _92nd
I put off watching this forever because: Meryl Streep bugs me, no one could tell me what the film was about exactly, and fat Nic Cage. Well, I was dumb because Streep and Cage were amazing, and its impossible to explain what it's "about"! This movie is sublime and deeply affecting, the rare kind of film that gives you that tugging feeling in the pit of your stomach.
1	TheSaberfool	86 _92nd
For me, this film perfectly represents the "fridge brilliance" trope. At the end of my first viewing, I was left disappointed and confused. It wasn't until I was reflecting on the film a couple hours afterwards that all of the pieces clicked into place and I was able to see clearly through the thick haze of meta. Once that happened and I realized that the great performances were, in fact, in service of a very clever script I was able to confirm that I loved the film.
1	msdstc	50 _48th
Painfully overrated.
1	slaasrs	91 _99th
Blew my mind. A very well written script and highly entertaining. Unpredictable in a good way and excellent acting.
1	s2marcel	96 _98th
great script, great characters, great acting (nick cage included). original and funny.
1	sentiny	95 _90th
also Barton Fink reccomended
1	zdeno chara	88 _84th
double the cage, double the pleasure
1	JSchlansky	93 _94th
Self consciously genius
1	flubbin	86 _82nd
A dizzying ride. Totally bizarre in a good way.
1	Boxcars	9 _89th
As one would expect from a combination of Spike Jonze and Charlie Kaufman, this self-depreciating drama is both strangely creative and funny while also being poignantly profound.
1	kito1	50 _24th
If you like something "meta", then you will have great moments with this film. But overall it's too uneventful to be good on its own.
1	feublo	90 _90th
Genius.
1	peyrin	90 _96th
The third act does the "Hollywood thriller played straight" angle for a bit too long, especially considering how incredibly creative everything before it was. Kaufman/Jonze/Cage is a monstrously good trio.
1	Ceekay19	80 _81st
Robert McKee: "I'll tell you a secret. The last act makes a film. Wow them in the end, and you got a hit. You can have flaws, problems, but wow them in the end, and you've got a hit. Find an ending, but don't cheat, and don't you dare bring in a deus ex machina. Your characters must change, and the change must come from them. Do that, and you'll be fine."
1	TheSheriff	100 _87th
This is the best Nicholas Cage movie. This movie is very meta as well and it really puts you in the mind of Charlie Kaufman. Sure there isn't a lot fact, but there is a lot of truth.
1	Scrib	75 _65th
I was enjoying the themes of disappointment and directionlessness... Then it went all... Conventional. I know that's the POINT, I get that. Very clever. Clap clap. But it still didn't satisfy. I have so many questions. How much of this is autobiographical? How much isn't (quite a lot, I'm guessing)? Did this really start out as an adaptation of The Orchid Thief? How does the author of that feel about this? Odd film. Cage is surprisingly docile.

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Average Percentile 67.34% from 8831 Ratings