The latest collaboration between screenwriter Charlie Kaufman and director Spike Jonze (with Brother Donald Kaufman along for the ride) is more than just a quirky self-indulgent trendy movie but a living metaphor spelled out aptly in the title "Adaptation."

The last collaboration brought us "Being John Malkovich" which crossed the bounds of reality and fantasy by providing the actual subject portaying himself as others used a portal to find out what it would be like to be John Malkovich. Exploring such themes as celebrity, inner spirit and change, the comedy drama provided us with a genre I term reality-fiction.

Adaptation revisits this genre by placing the writer in his own story with elements of his reality including his brother, the writer and the subject of her book (of which he is adapting) and opens with the filming of his last movie "Being John Malcovich".

The Kaufman brothers expand the characteristics explored in "Malcovich" through the less than gentle self-effacing of their own characters. Self-descriptions include "fat, bald and pathetic", for Charlie and "loud, embarrassing and obnoxious" for Donald. Similar to the down on your luck role portrayed by John Cusack, these characterizations are important to the main theme of adaptation and change which dominates the film. Nicolas Cage provides a near to flawless performance as both overweight brothers, with their different personalities.

Meryl Steep and Chris Cooper provide excellent support as the writer and her subject which are being adapted by Charlie Kaufman. The use of their characters to further explore personal change as they are the polar examples. Susan, the writer, is confused by John's continual change with personal passion towards objects and subjects.

Obviously, the movie provides thought to very human matters, but as entertainment in of itself, Spike Jonze's direction provides comedy timing, suspense, and action that gives your mind a rest as well, as the movie tickles your funny bones and keeps you on the edge of seat and jumping back from moment to moment. "Adaptation" is more than an adaptation of the novel "The Orchid Thief" but an illustration of the actual act of adaptation and the changes we live through everyday.