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Adaptation

© James C. Hess

Ever since Nicolas Cage appeared in "Raising Arizona" I have not been able to take him seriously as a serious actor. The reason for this is thus: Cage is one of a very few who can successfully perform comedy, albeit it a certain form of comedy, the sub-genre that is eccentric, off-beat, but everyman comedy.

But for years since he burst onto the acting scene with his performance in the aforementioned cult film, "Raising Arizona", he has gone out of his way to take on roles that are anything but this.

Apparently he has finally come to his senses and returned to his acting roots: "Adaptation".

Now before I get into this particular film I need to explain one or two things about it. Not that such an explanation will go to explain the actual movie, but getting you confused helps to get you in the proper state of mind when it comes to the actual story that is this film. Which, by the way, is a comedy.

Are you confused? Is your head starting to throb? Not to worry. This is--believe it or not--a good thing.

All right: First of all, this film is one of those films that no matter how many times you attempt to describe it to someone you never describe it the same way twice. There is, of course, explanation for this. Not to mention logic and reason, although these two concepts are sufficiently strained within the context of "Adaptation". Second, despite what I may have implied, this film is nothing less than genius. A genius that comes from the fact this movie is confusing, confounding, and very cluttered. A genius that comes from the fact there are not only recognizable characters--screenwriters and sophisticated New Yorkers--but outrageous albeit colorful characters--orchid thieves and persons who pay undue compliments to such terms as 'swamp rat'. A genius that comes from truth and fiction, fact and lie.

Now. All this said, let me say this: The film starts with a book entitled "The Orchid Thief", which is based on a "New Yorker" article by one Susan Orlean (Meryl Streep), who wrote about a Florida orchid grower and fancier named John Laroche (Chris Cooper), who comes from a long history of men so obsessed with the orchid that they will do anything to have them. Laroche is not only a flower guy but he is also a con man, which serves him well in his pursuit of the orchid: He thinks he has found a certain, foolproof way to poach orchids growing in protected Florida Everglades: He enlists the services of American Indians, whose ancestors once lived in the Glades, and since the Glades were once Indian lands, well, they can take the flowers without concern of breaking the law.