Has anyone here seen a film called "adaptations"?

[lenny&carl]

I saw it the other day and was really blown away. It's the most brilliant script I've ever seen, and the acting, visuals etc are also first rate.

It's hard to say exactly what it's about. If someone had told me it's about a writer who's having a hard time writing a movie script, I would have run away fast. Well, it IS sort of about that. Actually, it's about a writer who's having a hard time writing a movie about a writer who's having a hard time time writing a movie about a writer who's having a hard time writing a movie! Still sounds crap??? Don't worry, it has two amazing car crashes, a kidnapping, a crocodile attack, confrontations with the law, drug taking and some sexy women. It's very cereberal, but it's also a total ****-take, but done in a clever and infuriating way. Some parts are really sad, some parts are pathetic (well, the character is meant to be,) and there's also some very funny bits too. The plot is the most outrageously convoluted "thing" that's ever been pulled off.

Nicholas Cage is the superstar of the film. I was suprised to learn he can really act - never noticed before. He plays two brothers at the same time, but they're both acted soo differently and seamlessly that you forget it's really the same actor being filmed twice. The other star imho is the guy (dunno his name,) who was the gay marine nextdoor neighbour dad in American Beauty. His character is unbelievably likeable; amazing acting.

It's written and directed by the guys who made "Being John Malkovich," which would give you some idea what it's like if you've seen that one. Actually, the main character in Adaptations IS the guy who wrote BJM, i.e. the film is about himself. Which sounds like a big w.ank, but they realise that at the outset and go with it.

I reckon this film is even better than Being John Malkovich, but if you didn't like BJM then chances are you won't like this. But for me, it's the best thing I've seen since Fight Club.

 

[lenny&carl]

Oh, and i forgot to mention, it includes a comedy cameo from Ron Livingston, i.e. Peter Gibbons from Office Space. Worth the weekly vid rental price alone.

 

[fitzmantle]

Adaptation.
Charlie Kauffman who wrote Adaptation and Being John Malkovich also wrote Human Nature, its just as insane and funny as the other two.

 

[Portmagpies]

It lost the plot two thirds the way in.

 

[lenny&carl]

Right you are, fitzmantle. It's "Adaptation," no "s".

Portmagpies, I lost the plot 1/3 the way through and thought "Excellent! It's doesn't have a plot! Those sneaky bastards!!" But then it sort of does have one. You see the guy in the film stressing about how his story - and therefore the story you're watching - doesn't have a plot & is impossible to pull together. So in the end, he doesn't. But he does. So it does. But it's not meant to... life isn't really like that.

I was stoned when I watched it and I'm sure that this helped me grok the whole thing. I'm sure there's still multiple levels to the story that haven't dawned on me yet.

 

[NICK THE PIE MAN]

Absolutely brilliant film.

When you say it loses the plot, I assume you are talking about the end. I think that is the point. It becomes about sex, drugs, car chases, characters learning life lessons etc. All the formulatic crap that they continually stress shouldn't happen in films and it actually happens at the end and it was a deliberate thing and thought it was hilarious and had great effect.

The movie has so many levels.

 

[Portmagpies]

I realise that Nick, but for me, the last twenty minutes was almost an entirely different movie.

Before that, we got the struggle of the writer a la Barton Fink, which I got hooked up in.

But then Mr Kauffman, once again, had to show how clever he is. Definitely a case of the writer imposing on the story.

 

[Macca19]

Hired it last night and watched it and thought it was excellent. Nicholas Cage is fantastic in the movie. One of the better movies ive seen in the past year.

 

[jim boy]

Originally posted by Portmagpies

But then Mr Kauffman, once again, had to show how clever he is. Definitely a case of the writer imposing on the story.

I really don't think he could keep his hand off it when writing it.

The ending, which was predictable, dragged on way too long and I was quite bored with Kauffman's fascination with himself.

Also I'm not too enamoured with films that have to keep reminding you that they are a film. For example you're not meant to think that the main character is Charlie Kauffman, you're meant to think that it is Nichloas Cage playing Charlie Kauffman.

 

[NYMets]

fOR ME - IT WAS TWO FILMS.......an interesting and dynamic one in the swamps....I had to keep telling myself that the orchard guy was an actor.....with a crap ending

And the one that was supposed to be an ironical take on writers ... that one and a grungy Nick Cage left me cold.

 

[Mobbs]

My step-daughter worked on Adaptation hence we have the DVD.

Chris Cooper is a great actor.

 

[Portmagpies]

Trust me, the take on writers was very spot on.

 

[lenny&carl]

you see right... the last third of the film is different because that's when he gets his brother Donald to start helping him with the script. That's why it turns into a colour-by-numbers Hollywood story, and that's why Donald Kaufman gets an actual writing credit in the actual real world, even though he doesn't exist in the real world. It's right after Donald does the twin switcheroo cliche thing and interviews Susan instead of Charles doing it.

Or something like that.