Adaptation

Colour, 35 mm
USA, 2002, 114 min
Section: Horizons

Synopsis

Four years ago, during the shooting of Spike Jonze’ comedy Being John Malkovich, a story started whose hero is screenwriter Charlie Kaufman. The success of that film brings Charlie inexhaustible work offers. Eventually he accepts work adapting the non-fiction bestseller The Orchid Thief. Because the book lacks a straightforward storyline, Charlie gets into trouble which quickly evolves into a tormenting creative crisis. The situation is exacerbated by Charlie’s twin who ambitiously tries to butt in to Charlie’s work. Charlie is also driven into a corner by the book’s author and her protagonist. It is no wonder, then, that his adaptation starts noticeably deviating from its source and becoming ever more reminiscent of reality. For the second time, screenwriting prodigy Charlie Kaufman has teamed up with director Spike Jonze to create a sophisticated mix of reality and fiction along the generic lines of Being John Malkovich. This time he himself is the hero of the story. It is, however, only fair to mention that Kaufman has no twin and is in no way reminiscent of Nick Cage. But he did receive the BAFTA prize for his script, Chris Cooper an Oscar and a Golden Globe for his performance, and Spike Jonze a Silver Bear at the Berlin IFF.

About the director

Spike Jonze (b. 1969, Rockville, Maryland) is a most original director. He (with Andy Jenkins and Mark Lewman) published the successful Dirt Magazine, and was associated with Grand Royal Magazine. Not surprisingly, his first directorial activities were connected to the music scene. He has made successful videos for Beastie Boys, R.E.M. and Björk. In 1998 he directed the short documentary Amarillo by Morning. A year later he got the opportunity to debut in features with the comedy Being John Malkovich. He and screenwriter Charlie Kaufman also put together his second film, the similarly successful Adaptation. He is related to the Coppola filmmaking clan (as Sofia Coppola’s husband) and occasionally acts in film as well. He has appeared in Allison Anders’ Mi vida loca (1993), David Fincher’s thriller The Game (1997) and the comedy Three Kings (1999).