3.02.2003
Multi-layered and Clever |
Adaptation
Starring: Nicholas Cage, Merryl Streep, Chris Cooper and Nicholas Cage (again) Direction: Spike Jonze So where do we start it? Let's start with the characters. Nicholas Cage plays the twins, Charlie Kaufman (the real Charlie who screenplays Adaptation) and Donald Kaufman. Both genius screenplay writers start at opposite ends with their style of writing (Neurotic vs. Deliberate), their way of dressing (Plaid vs. Plain), their way of looking at their career (Do It Your Own vs. Attending Screenplay classes). This comical view of the movie allows for some light moments as well as terse ones when the real conflict arises. As screenplay writer (Kaufman) and director (Jonze) in a similarly multi-layered and anti-normal perspective movie, "Being John Malkovich", both again prove in "Adaptation" that there is so much material (maybe not that great a material) out there to do outside the usual office romance, or comic book adaptations. Cage and Streep are their normal best here. But the characters they played could have been played by up and coming great actors as well. It didnt fit Streep or she looked boring as a philanderous addict while Cage to be a neurotic genius. It failed in casting, just as it failed in getting people's attention during the first 45 minutes. But. If you stay on and give the movie a chance after the first 45, you'd discover the film had some clever moments (and script too) worth your time, and validate that it was a great adaptation after all. |