'Adaptation' pair creates second succes

Director Spike Jonze has done it again. "Adaptation" is a creative romp through the psyche of real-life screenwriter Charlie Kaufman. Kaufman and Jonze worked together in "Being John Malkovich," and after the success of that film the two teamed again to create another hit with "Adaptation." Beginning on the set of "Being John Malkovich," the film chronicles Kaufman's frustration about going unnoticed after writing the movie script. Kaufman, played by Nicolas Cage, becomes an emotional time bomb as he tries to find the most appropriate way to translate Susan Orlean's novel "The Orchid Thief" to the silver screen. Kaufman is so neurotic at times that it's comical. "The Orchid Thief" is the story of John Laroche, a dedicated orchid expert. In Orlean's story, bits and pieces of her own life seep into the novel. As Kaufman tries to make the novel into a screenplay, the storyline becomes his own, just as Laroche's story became that of Orlean. As he strives to pen the best depiction of Orlean's novel, Kaufman dances on the brink of insanity, obsessing day and night with very few words written and a deadline quickly approaching. The plot of the movie is chiefly about a struggling, passionate screenwriter trying to encompass a novel and bring it to the silver screen. Those who find themselves riveted by the life of John Laroche will learn a lot about themselves in the process. The story of Orlean, played by Meryl Streep, parallels the struggles of Kaufman, while at the same time showing how their lives overlap. Cage's charisma and intense charm is hard not to love, not to mention the afro he sports and an extra 50-plus pounds. Seeing Streep and Cage together is an oxymoron, but their talents compliment one another quite well. Confusing? A little bit. Fascinating? Definitely. For the most part, director Jonze and screenwriter Kaufman make an interesting pair. Rating: A