Adaptation

There are people who think a career in Hollywood is easy to achieve. That getting your name in lights takes little effort. Boy, how stupid some people are.

By all accounts, it takes years to garner a name for yourself if you want to be an actor. It'll take even longer if you want to be a director or a writer. Spike Jonze's Adaptation shows the situation for the latter albeit an already established one. Even after you've made a name in Hollywood, it's hard to follow up.

The film was not only written by Charlie Kaufman but also has him as the main character. Kaufman is played by Nicolas Cage, who also plays Kaufman's (fictional) twin brother Donald. Seeing Cage play both the repressed Charlie and the eccentric Donald is an absolute marvel. (When will Cage get another role like this?)

Also among the cast are Meryl Streep and Chris Cooper, both nominated alongside Cage. (Cooper was the victor of the trio.) Both have done a number of serious roles, so seeing them do something more free-spirited is a nice touch. Their nominations (and Cooper's win) were completely justified.

Adaptation could have a number of ways and I'm grateful that it didn't. It gets a little too crazy in some scenes but that didn't stop me from loving it. And again, can someone in Hollywood give Cage a good role again please?

My Rating: *****