Adaptation

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2:23

Adaptation

R,

2002,

1h 54m,

Comedy/

Drama

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Adaptation: Trailer 1

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Adaptation: Official Clip - You Are What You Love

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Adaptation: Official Clip - Charlie Can't Adapt

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Adaptation: Official Clip - Technology vs. Horse

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Adaptation: Official Clip - Wasting McKee's Time

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Adaptation: Official Clip - Sweating at the Meeting

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Adaptation: Official Clip - The Deconstructionist

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Adaptation: Official Clip - Donald's Script Pitch

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Adaptation: Official Clip - Done with Fish

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Watchlist

90%

209 Reviews

Tomatometer

85%

100,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

90%

Tomatometer

209 Reviews

85%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Nicolas Cage is Charlie Kaufman, a confused L.A. screenwriter overwhelmed by feelings of inadequacy, sexual frustration, self-loathing, and by the screenwriting ambitions of his freeloading twin brother Donald (Nicolas Cage). While struggling to adapt "The Orchid Thief," by Susan Orlean (Meryl Streep), Kaufman's life spins from pathetic to bizarre. The lives of Kaufman, Orlean, and her book, become strangely intertwined as each one's search for passion collides with the others'.

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Critics Consensus

Dizzyingly original, the loopy, multi-layered Adaptation is both funny and thought-provoking.

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Joshua Rothkopf

In These Times

Mar 16, 2020

There's no good reason why this should work-the picture is a schizzy, self-indulgent mess-but magically, it does.

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Sep 2, 2010

5/5

Adult stuff only but hilarious and fresh.

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David Ansen

Newsweek

Jul 6, 2010

In the wrong hands, the lunacy could have gotten out of control, but Jonze has near-perfect pitch. He never forces the farce, rooting even Kaufman's wildest digressions in real emotions.

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Charlotte Simmons

The Treatment (Substack)

Jan 31, 2026

Kaufman’s experience is not for me, just as my experience is not for anybody else, just as the experience that Charlie commits to at the outset of Adaptation is not for him.

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Stephen Silver

Tilt Magazine

Dec 13, 2022

4/5

While not quite as absurd as Being John Malkovich had been, Adaptation was indeed plenty weird. (20th anniversary)

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Vadim Rizov

Filmmaker Magazine

Nov 29, 2022

This is, essentially, a long demonstration of why not to give people more money for them to prove a point about how bigger-budget filmmaking is inherently an artistically self-defeating proposition.

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Luke P

Feb 27, 2019

An inventive, unconventional film.

Harry G

Feb 23, 2019

Highly entertaining!

Leia W

Feb 5, 2019

Unique and unbelievably original - like everything from the mind of Charlie Kaufman. This film is not for viewers who like to watch things on auto-pilot. Funny & thought-provoking, Adaptation is an unpredictable wild ride of epic proportions. Stellar performances by Meryl Streep and Chris Cooper take the film to another level.

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Hagrid L

Jan 31, 2019

A movie about turning a book into a movie. Clever, witty, with a great cast.

Jan 15, 2019

Superb screenplay writing by the great Kaufman. Also one of the finest performances by Nicolas Cage. Brilliant originality. Anyone remotely interested in ever being a writer will be in for a treat watching this awesome film.

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Rey S

Jan 11, 2019

Another classically written movie by Charlie Kaufman, Where there is poison there is passion, where there is passion there are clones.. Where there is poison there is elixir, where there is elixir there is love...

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Spike Jonze

Director

Nicolas Cage

Charlie Kaufman

Meryl Streep

Susan Orlean

Chris Cooper

John Laroche

Tilda Swinton

Valerie

Cara Seymour

Amelia Kavan

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Adaptation: Trailer 1

2:23

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Synopsis

Nicolas Cage is Charlie Kaufman, a confused L.A. screenwriter overwhelmed by feelings of inadequacy, sexual frustration, self-loathing, and by the screenwriting ambitions of his freeloading twin brother Donald (Nicolas Cage). While struggling to adapt "The Orchid Thief," by Susan Orlean (Meryl Streep), Kaufman's life spins from pathetic to bizarre. The lives of Kaufman, Orlean, and her book, become strangely intertwined as each one's search for passion collides with the others'.

Director: Spike Jonze
Producer: Edward Saxon, Vincent Landay, Jonathan Demme
Screenwriter: Charlie Kaufman, Susan Orlean
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Production Co: Clinica Estetico, InterMedia Film Equities Ltd.
Rating: R (Sexuality|Language|Some Drug Use|Violent Images)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 6, 2002, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 16, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $22.2M
Runtime: 1h 54m
Sound Mix: Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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