# The marvelous Adaptation thread (possible spoilers)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-marvelous-adaptation-thread-possible-spoilers/165011>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [March 29, 2003, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-marvelous-adaptation-thread-possible-spoilers/165011 "2003-03-29T12:17:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Short\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Short\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Short_Guy)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-marvelous-adaptation-thread-possible-spoilers/165011/1 "2003-03-29T12:17:10Z")

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I saw _Adaptation_ a few days ago (hey, it’s Europe: we’re a few months behind on American releases). While I thoroughly enjoyed watching Nicolas Cage in possibly the best performance of his career, I wasn’t really convinced by the film itself. Strangely enough, all the people I was with (save one) seemed to think it was brilliant. Personally, I thought it was contrived, not very original, and not half as funny as the creators obviously meant it to be. I really enjoyed _Being John Malcovich_, but this just didn’t work for me. Anyone else feel the same way?

On the same subject, does anyone else think Nicolas Cage should have won the Oscar?

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**Author:** ![butter\_pie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aca169/32.png) [@butter\_pie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butter_pie)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-marvelous-adaptation-thread-possible-spoilers/165011/2 "2003-03-29T14:44:52Z")

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No, and I hated that movie with a passion. I thought it was awful. But I hate Nicolas Cage, and this movie wasn’t an exception.

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**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-marvelous-adaptation-thread-possible-spoilers/165011/3 "2003-03-29T17:57:53Z")

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Yeah, while I liked Nicholas Cage’s performance quite a bit, I found the movie sorta derailed about halfway through and just got seriously annoying. (And yes I get the “joke.” I don’t know why that’s supposed to be subtle or anything – seemed like we were beat over the head with it repeatedly.)

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**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-marvelous-adaptation-thread-possible-spoilers/165011/4 "2003-03-29T18:02:49Z")

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I didn’t find it contrived. I found it witty, original, and well-acted.

However, when I walked out of a theater when I saw it, most people came out grumbling in terms similar to the OP.

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**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-marvelous-adaptation-thread-possible-spoilers/165011/5 "2003-03-29T19:30:24Z")

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Yeah, I thought it was OK but not great. Maybe I was expecting another “Being John Malkovich”. It’s weird because all the performances (Nicholas Cage, Chris Cooper, Meryl Streep) were really good but the movie just wasn’t that great.

I had to laugh at one point during the movie when my wife leaned over and whispered “Who is that playing Nicholas Cage’s brother?”