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Adaptation.

  • 20022002
  • RR
  • 1h 55m
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
192K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,866
66
Adaptation. (2002)
Trailer 2
Play trailer2:28
3 Videos
99+ Photos
ComedyDrama
A lovelorn screenwriter becomes desperate as he tries and fails to adapt 'The Orchid Thief' by Susan Orlean for the screen.A lovelorn screenwriter becomes desperate as he tries and fails to adapt 'The Orchid Thief' by Susan Orlean for the screen.A lovelorn screenwriter becomes desperate as he tries and fails to adapt 'The Orchid Thief' by Susan Orlean for the screen.
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
192K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,866
66
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Spike Jonze
    • Writers
      • Susan Orlean(book "The Orchid Thief")
      • Charlie Kaufman(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Nicolas Cage
      • Meryl Streep
      • Chris Cooper
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Spike Jonze
    • Writers
      • Susan Orlean(book "The Orchid Thief")
      • Charlie Kaufman(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Nicolas Cage
      • Meryl Streep
      • Chris Cooper
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 783User reviews
    • 110Critic reviews
    • 83Metascore
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 65 wins & 100 nominations total

    Videos3

    Adaptation.
    Trailer 2:28
    Adaptation.
    Adaptation.
    Trailer 2:32
    Adaptation.
    Adaptation.
    Trailer 2:26
    Adaptation.

    Photos153

    Nicolas Cage in Adaptation. (2002)
    Meryl Streep in Adaptation. (2002)
    Nicolas Cage (center) plays Charlie Kaufman, a stymied writer who seeks advice from screenwriting guru Robert McKee, in Columbia Pictures' unconventional comedy Adaptation.
    Nicolas Cage and Brian Cox in Adaptation. (2002)
    Twin-brothers Donald, left, and Charlie Kaufman (both played by Nicolas Cage) travel across the country in their attempt to unlock the mysteries of The Orchid Thief.
    Twin-brothers Donald, right, and Charlie Kaufman (both played by Nicolas Cage) are both trying to write a new screenplay.
    When screenwriter Charlie Kaufman (Nicolas Cage) tries to adapt The Orchid Thief to the screen, he develops a serious case of writer's block.
    Chris Cooper, who plays orchid thief John Laroche, will go to any lengths to find rare species of the flower.
    Twin-brothers Charlie, left, and Donald Kaufman (both played by Nicolas Cage) couldn't be less alike.
    There is no limit to John Laroche's (Chris Cooper) passion for orchids.
    Nicolas Cage in Adaptation. (2002)
    Of twin-brothers Donald, left, and Charlie Kaufman (both played by Nicolas Cage), guess which one is the life of the party.

    Top cast

    Edit
    Nicolas Cage
    Nicolas Cage
    • Charlie Kaufman…
    Meryl Streep
    Meryl Streep
    • Susan Orlean
    Chris Cooper
    Chris Cooper
    • John Laroche
    Tilda Swinton
    Tilda Swinton
    • Valerie Thomas
    Jay Tavare
    Jay Tavare
    • Matthew Osceola
    Litefoot
    Litefoot
    • Russell
    • (as G. Paul Davis)
    Roger Willie
    Roger Willie
    • Randy
    Jim Beaver
    Jim Beaver
    • Ranger Tony
    Cara Seymour
    Cara Seymour
    • Amelia Kavan
    Doug Jones
    Doug Jones
    • Augustus Margary
    Stephen Tobolowsky
    Stephen Tobolowsky
    • Ranger Steve Neely
    • (scenes deleted)
    Gary Farmer
    Gary Farmer
    • Buster Baxley
    Peter Jason
    Peter Jason
    • Defense Attorney
    Gregory Itzin
    Gregory Itzin
    • Prosecutor
    Curtis Hanson
    Curtis Hanson
    • Orlean's Husband
    Agnes NaDene Baddoo
    • Orlean Dinner Guest
    • (as Agnes Badoo)
    Paul Fortune
    Paul Fortune
    • Orlean Dinner Guest
    Paul Jasmin
    • Orlean Dinner Guest
    • Director
      • Spike Jonze
    • Writers
      • Susan Orlean(book "The Orchid Thief")
      • Charlie Kaufman(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      To portray John La Roche, Chris Cooper grew out his hair, shed weight and used a prosthesis to create the illusion of a toothless mouth. Spike Jonze granted Cooper's request for numerous takes so he could find the right tone for the eccentric character.
    • Goofs
      At the end of the film when Charlie pulls out of the parking garage, crew member Jennifer Porst sits next to him in the car for a single shot, though he is riding alone.
    • Quotes

      Charlie Kaufman: There was this time in high school. I was watching you out the library window. You were talking to Sarah Marsh.

      Donald Kaufman: Oh, God. I was so in love with her.

      Charlie Kaufman: I know. And you were flirting with her. And she was being really sweet to you.

      Donald Kaufman: I remember that.

      Charlie Kaufman: Then, when you walked away, she started making fun of you with Kim Canetti. And it was like they were laughing at *me*. You didn't know at all. You seemed so happy.

      Donald Kaufman: I knew. I heard them.

      Charlie Kaufman: How come you looked so happy?

      Donald Kaufman: I loved Sarah, Charles. It was mine, that love. I owned it. Even Sarah didn't have the right to take it away. I can love whoever I want.

      Charlie Kaufman: But she thought you were pathetic.

      Donald Kaufman: That was her business, not mine. You are what you love, not what loves you. That's what I decided a long time ago.

    • Crazy credits
      "We're all one thing, Lieutenant. That's what I've come to realize. Like cells in a body. 'Cept we can't see the body. The way fish can't see the ocean. And so we envy each other. Hurt each other. Hate each other. How silly is that? A heart cell hating a lung cell." - Cassie from THE THREE
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: The Best Films of 2002 (2003)
    • Soundtracks
      One Part Lullaby
      Written by John Davis, Lou Barlow and Wally Gagel

      Published by Careers-BMG Music Publishing, Inc. o/b/o itself, Endless Soft Hits, Loobiecore and Blisswg Productions

      Performed by The Folk Implosion

      Courtesy of Interscope Records

      Under license from Universal Music Enterprises

    User reviews783

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    Could you be more Original?
    Incredible.

    Charlie Kaufman might just be the most genius screenwriter (I daren't say ever) at the moment. I mean, trying to adapt a book for a screenplay, not succeeding, yet in the process writing a screenplay about how you can't seem to adapt this book for a screenplay. Oh yeah, and also being helped by your not existing twin brother, and crediting him as co-writer, and being nominatad for an Oscar together with him.

    Is anyone following this?

    Kaufman seems to be the master of destroying the line between reality and fiction.

    I kind of have a hard time saying anything about this movie, because I don't know what to say. You should just go and say it. There's nothing like it.

    If you liked Being John Malkovic you wil definitely love this. If you hated BJM you might still like it. It doesn't have the absurdity and surreality of BJM. The story is just incredibly intelligently written.

    Even though the movie is about how Kaufman is unable to adapt this book, he actually succeeds in doing just that in the process.

    Jesus, I'm still totally stunned.

    Jonze does do a very good job once again. But the direction is just outshined by the story...
    helpful•210
    61
    • krispatmo
    • Mar 15, 2003

    FAQ2

    • Is Donald imaginary and an aspect of Charlie's multiple personality disorder?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 14, 2003 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Sony Pictures
    • Languages
      • English
      • Latin
    • Also known as
      • The Orchid Thief
    • Filming locations
      • Santa Barbara, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Beverly Detroit
      • Clinica Estetico
      • Good Machine
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $19,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $22,498,520
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $384,478
      • Dec 8, 2002
    • Gross worldwide
      • $32,801,173
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 55 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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