Synopsis: An account of screenwriter Charlie Kaufman's (Cage) attempt to adapt Susan Orlean's (Streep) non-fiction book The Orchid Thief, which is the story of John Laroche (Cooper), a plant dealer who clones rare orchids then sells them to collectors. We see the action of the book as we see Kaufman struggle to adapt it into a movie. This is presumably a somewhat true story, as Charlie Kaufman is the real life screenwriter of Adaptation.

Now for the Zone's Eye View:

By Claire Hoang

Director: Spike Jonze

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Tilda Swinton, Meryl Streep, Chris Cooper, Maggie Gyllenhaal

Let's start off like the film, talking about me. There is no possible way to review this film if you are insecure or paranoid (of which I am both).

Are we as an audience being tricked? Is Charlie Kaufman just messing with our heads or does he really believe what he writes?

Let's start at the beginning…

Nic Cage is Charlie Kaufman….that's right, Charlie Kaufman: screenwriter and all round genius (as 'Being John Malkovich' has proved). He's been told to adapt a book. He can't, so he writes about himself adapting the book. So the film is based on a screenplay of a screenplay written about a book. With me so far?

Nic also plays his brother Donald. A hanger on who is also tries to break into the industry via a route of sensationalism, writing seminars and hackeyed Hollywood plots…who's to succeed?

The thing is the Adaptation 'screenplay ' is a combination of both. The film explores the delicacy and 'basicness' of human nature via the metaphor of flowers and the subtleties of 'The Orchid Thief', the book Charlie is trying to adapt. ( The 'adaptation' of the title refers to both adapting the book and human nature adapting to its surroundings.)

However, after Charlie is not able complete the plot or 'structure' it, the film descends into a Hollywood farce complete with sex, drugs and multiple personalities, kind of like Donald's script…

All the actors are brilliant, especially Nicolas Cage who is playing the 'multiple personalities' as the twin brothers. As Charlie he is a man who is painfully inadequate socially, yet analyses to the last thread. As Donald he is goofy, confident and seemingly ignorant. Chris Cooper thoroughly deserves his Oscar nod, as does the ever-reliable Meryl Streep. Even a cameo by '8 Mile' director Curtis Hanson is good.

However…..the niggling thing is; has Kaufman 'lost respect' for his audience? And is it intentionally meant that the guns and sex bit is the boring bit?

The problem with being clever is making sure everyone else gets the joke…which I'm not to sure if I have….

6 out of 10