Subscribe
Share
Adaptation. • The Next Reel
###"I wonder who's gonna play me? Someone not too fat. I liked that Gerard Depardieu, but can he not do the accent? Anyway, it's done. And that's something."
It's the second collaboration between director Spike Jonze and screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, and it's another brilliant film to talk about. This time, it's 2002's Adaptation. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we continue our Charlie Kaufman series with this cute, cliché, self-referential, meta film.
We talk about how the self-referential nature of the film works and how unique it is by creating the two sides of Kaufman's personality by not only writing himself into the novel adaption but also creating a fictional twin brother for himself. We talk about how the brilliant the performances are, from Nicolas Cage to Chris Cooper to Meryl Streep. We talk about the nature of writers writing themselves into their own works, referencing Hunter S. Thompson as one example. We talk about what the real Susan Orlean, the author of the novel on which the movie is "based," thought of how she was written into the film. And we chat about all the clichés that spring to life in the 3rd act, yet how it all works well because of the introduction of them earlier when the character Kaufman gets advice from screenwriting guru Robert McKee, played brilliantly by Brian Cox. We have a great time talking about this film. Listen in!
Film Sundries
Contests! We love ‘em. Want to increase your odds of winning them? Support The Next Reel on Patreon and you’re on the list for the #PonyPrize! — http://patreon.com/thenextreel
- Watch this film: iTunes • Amazon
- Script (2nd draft revised, 21 Nov, 2000)
- Script (2nd draft, 24 Sept, 1999)
- Original theatrical trailer
- Original poster artwork
- Flickchart
- Letterboxd
- Susan Orlean's thoughts on the film
- The Ebert Reviews: 2002, 2008
- Cinema Scope: Bridging Genres, Subgenres, and Movements
- The Film Board
- Movies We Like
- Sitting in the Dark
- You can buy our movie-related apparel, stickers, mugs and more from our MERCH PAGE.
- Or buy or rent movies we’ve discussed on the show from our WATCH PAGE.
- Or buy books, plays, etc. that was the source for movies we’ve discussed on the show from our ORIGINALS PAGE.
- Or renew or sign up for a Letterboxd Pro or Patron account with our LETTERBOXD MEMBERSHIP DISCOUNT.
- Or sign up for AUDIBLE.