Adaptation.

Charlie Kaufman is a neurotic, self-critical screenwriter hired to turn Susan Orlean's nonfiction book The Orchid Thief into a movie, and he quickly finds himself outmatched by his own doubts. He’s squeezed by sexual frustration, crippling insecurity, and the shadow of his fabricated twin brother Donald, whose brash confidence only makes Charlie feel smaller. As Charlie interviews Orlean and confronts the eccentric plant enthusiast John Laroche, elements of the book and their lives start to bleed into his screenplay, and reality and fiction tangle in unexpected ways. The film follows his attempts to write something honest while his personal life fractures and the line between author, subject, and adapter grows increasingly uncertain.

Spike Jonze directed the film, which came out in 2002. The screenplay is credited to Charlie Kaufman and his invented sibling Donald Kaufman, and it’s adapted from Susan Orlean’s The Orchid Thief. The cast includes Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep, and Chris Cooper.

At the Academy Awards, Chris Cooper won Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of John Laroche. Nicolas Cage received a Best Actor nomination, and the screenplay, credited to Charlie Kaufman and the fictional Donald Kaufman, was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay. Those are confirmed high-profile recognitions tied to the film.

Adaptation left a noticeable mark on conversations about metafiction in movies and about how writers are portrayed on screen. Cage’s double turn and the movie’s self-referential structure became frequent reference points, and filmmakers and critics often point to it when talking about inventive ways to mix fact and invention in cinematic storytelling.

Critics generally reacted positively, and the film’s 7.343/10 average reflects solid audience appreciation. Reviewers highlighted the risky narrative approach, sharp performances, and dark humor, while discussion often centered on themes of artistic paralysis, identity, obsession, and the messy ethics of turning real lives into material. It’s a movie that’s as much about the trouble of writing as it is about the story being adapted.