Adaptation (Spike Jonze, 2002)

Charlie Kaufman has written some fascinating screenplays including "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" and "Being John Malkovich." Now we get "Adaptation" which is like Pirandellos "Six Characters..." in reverse. Rather than characters being abandoned by there author; we have an author who decides to join his characters. Nick Cage is brought on to play Kaufman and his slightly askew twin. Tilda Swinton and Meryl Streep are our other A listers who are on board for this otherwise "B" feeling movie. Never a dull moment though with Jonze visually delivering the goods on Kaufman's script; and Cage playing two variations of Kaufman's written character. The story moves from the world of the frustrated writer to the world of his dull subject matter, which turns out to be not so dull at all; but rather filled with murder, intrigue, mystery and spy-thriller style action as the nosy writer uncovers the secrets of his subject. I had seen this film when it was initially released, and it was nice to see it again.