Stephen Tobolowsky Movies
Perhaps one of the most instantly recognizable -- yet seemingly unidentifiable -- character actors to have succeeded in Hollywood, Stephen Tobolowsky's non-movie star looks have enabled the native Texan to portray a wider variety of characters more conventional movie stars simply could not. Born and raised in Dallas, Tobolowsky attended Southern Methodist University for his undergraduate degree and went on to earn a Master's degree in acting from the University of Illinois. While at S.M.U., the young Tobolowsky won his first film role in a low-budget horror film entitled Keep My Grave Open. Soon after finishing his studies, he went west to Los Angeles and started working somewhat consistently in both television and film in the early '80s -- while gaining some notice for his work in the films Swing Shift and Mississippi Burning. After toiling on the West Coast for a few years, Tobolowsky became a bi-coastal star with a role in a 1981 Broadway production of Beth Henley's play The Wake of Jamey Foster. In 1986, he collaborated with Henley -- who also happened to be a fellow student of Tobolowsky's during his undergraduate studies at S.M.U. -- and David Byrne to co-write the script for Byrne's 1986 film True Stories. The multi-talented thespian then went on to write and direct his own play, Two Idiots in Hollywood, which he also turned into a film in 1988. The early '90s brought Tobolowsky his greatest exposure to the movie-going public, with a number of diverse and interesting roles that highlighted the actor's great range and skill -- nearly to the extent of upstaging these films' higher-profile stars. Perhaps the most prototypical Tobolowsky characterization can be found in the 1993 Harold Ramis comedy Groundhog Day, in which Tobolowsky portrayed the hapless insurance salesman Ned Ryerson. Other memorable performances from this decade include Thelma & Louise, Basic Instinct, Sneakers, and The Radioland Murders. Tobolowsky continued creating endearing characters into the 2000s, starting with Christopher Nolan's indy hit Memento. As amnesiac Sammy Jankis, Tobolowsky created one of the most powerful dramatic performances of his career. His next significant film role came via the 2002 Spike Jonze/Charlie Kaufman film Adaptation, which further displayed the nearly chameleon-like actor's range and talent that make him one of the best character actors in the industry. ~ Ryan Shriver, All Movie Guide
- 2009
- PG13
- Add The Time Traveler's Wife to Queue
A Chicago librarian suffers from a rare genetic disorder that sends him hurtling through time whenever he is under extreme duress; despite the fact that he vanishes at inordinately frequent and lengthy intervals, he attempts to build a stable future with the beautiful young heiress he loves. Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams star in this dramatic fantasy, which is directed by Robert Schwentke and based on the best-selling book by author Audrey Niffenegger. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rachel McAdams, Eric Bana, (more)
- 2007
Though filmed in Oregon, this Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation is set in the American South, several months after the end of WW2. Decorated war hero Noah (Chris Klein) returns home to find his parents dead, his brother Travis (Jackson Rathbone) in prison, and his family farm in the hands of strangers. With literally nothing to keep him in his home town, Noah embarks on a personal odyssey, using his remarkable fishing skills to stay alive. In the course of his perambulations, he meets a mysterious old codger named Hoke (Robert Prosky), who claims a gift for "seein' the other side." Hoke guides Noah to another small town "over the ridge", where he is immediately made welcome by the townsfolk, and before long has become a local legend by virtue of his fishing prowess. He has also bonded with a lonely war widow named Eleanor (Gretchen Mol), and with a fatherless mute boy named Matthew (Zach Mills). But when tragedy strikes again, will the disillusioned Noah desert his new home, to say nothing of his new friends and loved ones? Throughout the latter half of the story, Noah's fate is inexorably linked with that of a huge bass which has eluded capture for years--and which has transformed the town into a mecca for fishing enthusiasts throughout the nation. Made for television and first seen over the CBS network on January 28, 2007, Valley of Light is based on the novel by Terry McKay. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chris Klein, Gretchen Mol, (more)
A mismatched group of bored suburbanites longing to escape the stress of their daily lives and embrace the freedom of the open road finds that it takes more than polished chrome and leather jackets to truly experience the biker lifestyle in this revved-up road comedy starring John Travolta, Tim Allen, Martin Lawrence, and William H. Macy. Upon trading the comfort of their couches for the thunderous rumble of two-wheeled street machines, these four adventurous riders cross paths with the notorious Del Fuegos -- an authentic biker gang that doesn't take kindly to the weekend warrior type. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Allen, John Travolta, (more)
James Keach's romantic comedy Blind Dating concerns a 22-year old blind man named Danny (Chris Pine. Though Danny refuses to let his visual deficiency keep him from enjoying every aspect of life, he does shy away from women. When his brother Larry (Eddie Kaye Thomas) discovers Danny is a virgin, he makes every effort to lift that burden from him. Although a series of dates goes very wrong in a number of ways, Danny eventually meets a nurse (Anjali Jay), who agrees to go out with him, although her Indian family may prove a greater hindrance to their happiness than his medical condition. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chris Pine, Eddie Kaye Thomas, (more)
Director Lee Abbot takes a satirical look at the stereotypes and mythologies of marijuana in this satirical mockumentary following a father who is forced to speak honestly with his daughter about pot, and a pro-pot advocate who hatches an ingenious plan to change the way America views weed. Thirty-seven year old concerned father Dave Berman was hosting a barbecue for his old college debate team when militant medical marijuana activists kicked in the door and seized his home. Later, after discovering that his teenage daughter Gina Marie has taken to reefer, Dave is forced shed his preconceptions about the drug if he holds out any hope of reconnecting with her. Meanwhile, pro-pot advocate Dr. Willa Peterson has grown so frustrated with her grassroots campaign being sabotaged by prohibition-minded corporations that she ultimately decides to take the battle to the next level. After convincing the makers of Fun-Onion snack foods that their profits would soar following legalization, Dr. Peterson enlists the aid of Public Relations genius Arturo Goldman in changing public opinion about pot. If his firm can successfully counter the government's tactics of using terrorism to frighten people away from pot by convincing the masses that pot can prevent homosexuality, Goldman may achieve the elusive goal of finally decriminalizing a substance that has never been proven either addictive or deadly. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
A lazy day lounging under the California sun turns into a cash windfall for two high school surfers who create a new sport that starts to spread like wildfire. Bored teens Ty Neptune and James James were just attempting to have a bit of fun when they spotted a refrigerator box in a dumpster, slapped some wheels on it, and ventured out to take their new creation for a test drive. The result is a new sport called Boxboarding, and it isn't long before a local news crew arrives on the scene and word of this quirky new sport begins to spread. Before long, the boys are celebrities in their high school and the hilly streets of Laguna Beach are filled with aspiring Boxboarders. But of course where there's fame competition is sure to follow, and a scheming rich kid Alexander Keene attempts to organize a "winner takes all" event in which the best Boxboarder secures all the rights to this popular new sport. While folks like Ty and James are in it purely for fun, others like stuck-up hanger-on Tara are just trying to cash in on the Boxboarding craze and get a little exposure on MTV. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Immekus, Austin Basis, (more)
As a trio of fantasy-obsessed, sword fighting geeks attempt to prove that the giant tracks discovered deep in the forest offer undisputed proof that Bigfoot truly exists, a stoned out bully and his best friend scheme to profit from their elaborate prank before an overzealous Sasquatch hunter arrives to blow the whole scam sky high. His beloved Pontiac Firebird threatened with repossession by the bank, mullet-haired menace Zerk (Justin Long) convinces his best-friend Shirts (Joey Kern) to help raise money to save car by selling plaster casts of fake Bigfoot tracks on the internet. When role playing dweebs Gavin (Jeremy Sumpter), Hobie (Hubbel Palmer), and Maynard (Rob Pinkston) stumble upon the falsified "evidence" they naively assume it to be the genuine article. Now, self-proclaimed Sasquatch expert Dr. Artemis Snodgrass (Carl Weathers) is on his way to town to verify the widely reported discovery. With little time to loose before their ruse if revealed, the lame-brained internet scammer and his pal rush to cash in as quickly as possible in order to save Zerk's sweet ride from the dreaded repo man. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Justin Long, Jeremy Sumpter, (more)
A group of typical high-school students finds their foundations shaken and their beliefs challenged by a newly arrived debate teacher who makes it his mission to explore their innermost feelings on the subject of life and death. The setting is Palos Verdes, CA, and the teacher is Robert Lee (Dale Midkiff), a graduate of the Georgia Military Academy who has gained a reputation as one of the best debate teachers in the country. Every teenager has his or her fair share of problems, but when Lee specifically pairs his new students up with partners whom they don't get along with and assigns them a debate on the hot-button topic of euthanasia, high-school rivalries soon heat up to epic proportions. However, the students aren't the only ones with problems; as Lee struggles to come to terms with an adolescent trauma he has never quite been able to shake, the innermost passions of teachers and students alike begin to emerge though fierce competition and the questioning of longstanding beliefs. Beau Bridges, Danielle Harris, Kaley Cuoco, and Billy Kay co-star in a thought-provoking teen drama from director Dan Polier. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Daniel Letterle, Beau Bridges, (more)
For this follow-up to their mega-hit Ice Age, directors Carlos Saldanha and Chris Wedge team with the screenwriting duo behind Parenthood and City Slickers, Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel. Robots stars Ewan McGregor as the voice of Rodney Copperbottom, an idealistic robot who wants to convince his electronic brethren to come together and work toward making the world a better place. As the story unfolds, Rodney faces opposition from an evil corporation headed by Big Weld (Mel Brooks) and finds some unlikely allies in the form of a ragtag group of misfit robots called the Rusties and voiced by the likes of Drew Carey and Amanda Bynes. Stanley Tucci and Dianne Wiest provide the voices of Rodney's parents, and Halle Berry portrays his love interest, Cappy. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ewan McGregor, Halle Berry, (more)
A young dreamer and directionless drummer attempts to get his terminally-ill mother an audience with the Pope while doing his best to impress his dream girl, earn a decent living by working in his father's warehouse, and navigating the unpredictable road to happiness. In a number of ways, Andy Venable is your typical nineteen year-old boy; he loves music and girls, and hopes to one day become a successful musician. But Andy's mother has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, a deadly form of cancer. She doesn't have long to live, and as a devout Catholic she has always dreamt of meeting the pope. Now, between impressing a girl who's truly out of his league and answering the calls of two Broadway producers who want to recruit him for an upcoming production, Andy will do whatever it takes to fulfill his mother's dying wish. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Phillip Vaden, Julie Hagerty, (more)
- 2005
- PG13
- Add Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous to QueueAdd Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous to top of Queue
FBI agent-turned-reluctant beauty queen Gracie Hart (played by Sandra Bullock) is taking on both bad guys and high glamour again in this sequel to the comedy smash Miss Congeniality. After her undercover mission at the Miss United States pageant becomes public knowledge, Gracie becomes something of a celebrity, and the FBI uses her notoriety to generate positive PR for the bureau; however, Gracie would like to get back to some solid police work, especially after scuffling with fellow female agent "Sam" Fuller (Regina King), who isn't impressed with Gracie. Despite their differences, the two find themselves working side by side when two of Gracie's pals from the pageant -- contest winner Cheryl Frasier (Heather Burns) and master of ceremonies Stan Fields (William Shatner) -- fall victim to kidnappers. As she did on the first film, Sandra Bullock served as both producer and star for Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous, while director John Pasquin's credits include several episodes of the situation comedy George Lopez, also produced by Bullock. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sandra Bullock, Regina King, (more)
- 2005
This Hallmark Channel TV movie is one of a series starring John Larroquette as McBride (no first name), a hard-nosed cop turned compassionate defense lawyer, specializing in "lost causes." This time, McBride's client is Leo Eckert (David Bowe), who is convinced that he accidentally shot and killed his therapist George Prescott (Richard Fancy) after Prescott double-crossed him during Eckert's courtroom efforts to gain custody of his child. Rushing to the "murder scene", McBride finds that Prescott's body has disappeared--and in fact keeps on disappearing no matter where it turns up. Confronted with a plethora of suspects who like Eckert had more than enough reason to want the therapist dead, McBride comes to the conclusion that Eckert may have shot Prescott when the victim was already dead--then fine-tunes his conclusion a bit when it begins to look like Prescott may still be alive! Gigi Rice, who'd costarred with John Larroquette on the latter's eponymous sitcom of the early 1990s, make a significant guest appearance. McBride: The Doctor Is Out...Really Out first aired on June 12, 2005. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2005
- Add Stephen Tobolowsky's Birthday Party to QueueAdd Stephen Tobolowsky's Birthday Party to top of Queue
The documentary Stephen Tobolowsky's Birthday Party stars the well-respected character actor as a camera crew follow him around on his birthday, He shares numerous stories about his adventures in Hollywood, and relates a number of strange anecdotes from his remarkable life. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stephen Tobolowsky
Amanda Goodwin's Living 'Til the End concerns a man who, after being told by a psychic that he will die on his next birthday, decides to set up his life so that he never has to leave his apartment. His phobia about the prediction coming true manifests itself as a form of severe agoraphobia. The first challenge to his fear comes from a female neighbor, a pretty young woman who is also dying. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sean Maher, Jaime Ray Newman, (more)
Directed by Nick Hurran, Little Black Book follows Stacy (Brittany Murphy), an associate producer of a popular daytime talk show starring Kippie Kann (Kathy Bates), as she tries to figure out the root of her boyfriend's (Ron Livingston) commitment-phobic nature. Rather than continue to fruitlessly question Derek (Livingston) regarding his slew of failed relationships, Stacy sneaks into his Palm Pilot and begins interviewing his ex-girlfriends under the pretense of gathering information for a future show. Though she justifies the deception with her need to find out whether or not Derek can be trusted for a long-term relationship, complications arise when Stacy becomes good friends with one of Derek's former flames. Holly Hunter makes an appearance as Stacy's boss (the show's senior associate producer), while Josie Maran, Julianne Nicholson, Rashida Jones, Sharon Lawrence, and Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale are featured in supporting roles. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brittany Murphy, Holly Hunter, (more)
Jim Davis' famous cartoon cat finally makes his way to the big screen in this adaptation of the popular comic strip Garfield, which combines live action with CGI animation. Jon Arbuckle (Breckin Meyer) is a sweet, if somewhat clueless, man who shares his home with his pet cat, Garfield (voice of Bill Murray). Garfield is not your ordinary tabby -- he's fat, he's smart-mouthed, he's arrogant, he won't do anything he doesn't have to, and would rather stuff himself with lasagna than do something Jon asks of him. Despite this, Jon loves his cat, but when he decides to expand his animal family, Garfield is less than enthusiastic about the presence of Odie, a lovably enthusiastic dog whose only flaw is his extreme stupidity. While Jon is crazy for Odie, and especially likes having two pets that necessitate periodic visits to Dr. Liz Wilson (Jennifer Love Hewitt), a veterinarian he has a crush on, Garfield decides to remove Odie from the picture. Garfield arranges for Odie to become the property of Happy Chapman (Stephen Tobolowsky), a television host who acts like an animal lover on the round-cornered screen but doesn't much like pets on his own time. While Garfield at first enjoys ruling the roost again, he soon realizes the error of his ways, and in a rare example of selfless and ambitious behavior, hatches a plan to rescue Odie from Chapman. Garfield also features the voice talents of Debra Messing, Brad Garrett, Jimmy Kimmel, and Alan Cumming. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bill Murray, Breckin Meyer, (more)
- 2003
A SARS-like virus, initially spread at a high school science fair, threatens to claim Johnny's son, J.J. (Spencer Achtymichuk), as a victim. In order to save the boy's life, Johnny (Anthony Michael Hall) must deploy his psychic powers to solve a medical mystery. Alas, this also requires Johnny to inject himself with the virus in order to galvanize the medical community into expediting a cure. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Successful television director and film producer Michael Pressman sets off with high hopes when he decides to helm a film production of Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune. He believes the experience of directing a film starring his struggling actress of a wife (Lisa Chess) will be a fun and relatively easy way to revitalize their marriage. Unfortunately, the decision to cast Alan Rosenberg to play Johnny proves disastrous -- Rosenberg is incredibly difficult to work with and Pressman's already tense relationship becomes steadily worse as the horrific rehearsal and filming process intensifies. The situation looks bleak when, after a devastating preview, Pressman is forced to shut down the play, relinquish his investment, and possibly lose his wife. Of course, the aggrieved director has one option: to take over the role of Johnny. The stakes have never been higher for the married couple, considering their future together appears to hinge on the final outcome of the film. Frankie and Johnny Are Married was directed in real life by the protagonist, Michael Pressman. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lisa Chess, Michael Pressman, (more)
Adversaries become wary allies in this free-wheeling action comedy. Hank Rafferty (Steve Zahn) is a Los Angeles Police Department officer who finds himself out of a job after he becomes involved in a violent altercation with police academy flunk-out Earl Montgomery (Martin Lawrence), escalating into a media event which brings the LAPD a wealth of bad publicity. Unable to find work, Hank finally takes a job as a "rent-a-cop" with a private security firm -- and discovers to his annoyance that his new partner is Earl. While neither of them are thrilled to be working together on the lowest strata of the law enforcement community, the two find themselves dealing with bigger crime than they expected when they stumble across evidence of a elite smuggling network operated by criminal mastermind Nash (Eric Roberts). Hank and Earl want to put Nash out of business, and they try without success to persuade the police of the importance of the case. But before long they discover it's not just Nash's men who are after them, but two high-ranking LAPD officials, Lt. Washington (Bill Duke) and Detective McDuff (Colm Feore). National Security was directed by Dennis Dugan, who'd previously helmed antic comedies starring Adam Sandler and Chris Farley; this film also marked Martin Lawrence's entry into the elite of Hollywood's comedy stars, with Lawrence taking home a 20-million-dollar paycheck for his work on the picture. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Martin Lawrence, Steve Zahn, (more)
A high-strung mom and her punky daughter learn what it's like to walk in each other's shoes -- literally -- in Disney's second update of their 1977 teen fantasy comedy. The new-millennium Freaky Friday has disgruntled teen Anna Coleman (Lindsay Lohan) living, sans father, with her uptight therapist-author mom Tess (Jamie Lee Curtis) and bratty brother Harry (Ryan Malgarini). The angst between the two reaches a fever pitch on the eve of Tess' wedding rehearsal: Anna wants to ditch the proceedings for an all-important band audition, but Tess sees the conflict as a show of resentment toward imminent step-dad Ryan (Mark Harmon). When the whole clan goes out to dinner at their favorite Chinese restaurant, their sage waitress (Lucille Soong) picks up on the tension between the mother and daughter and casts a spell on them via two magic fortune cookies. The next day, Tess and Anna must put up with life in each other's bodies -- until, as the fortune says, they can come to a greater understanding of one another. Freaky Friday was previously remade for TV in 1995 with Shelley Long and Gaby Hoffman in the leads. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan, (more)
Widely touted as NBC's answer to The Sopranos, the six-episode series Kingpin also drew heavily from the British mini-series Traffik. The nominal protagonist in this seamy, violent tale of a Mexican drug-trading family was Yancey Arias as Miguel Cadena, the Stanford-educated heir apparent to the Cardena criminal dynasty. Together with his icy, coke-addicted wife, Marlene (Sheryl Lee), Miguel coolly guided the destinies of his worldwide family business, eliminating enemies, friends, and loved ones alike to maintain his empire. Others in the cast included Bobby Cannavale as Miguel's vicious "enforcer" brother, Chato; Ruben Carbajal as Miguel and Marlene's disillusioned eight-year-old son, Joey; Angela Alvarado Rosa as relentless DEA agent Delia Flores; Brian Benben as the Cardenas' personal plastic surgeon, Dr. Heywood Klein; and Shay Roundtree as Texas-born torpedo Junie Gatling, who acted as a sounding board for the other characters. Among the creative contributors to the series was Allen Coulter, who direct several episodes of The Sopranos. Originally slated for a March 2003 debut, Kingpin was moved up to February 2, 2003 to take advantage of a traditional network "sweeps week." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Yancey Arias, Sheryl Lee, (more)
Love Liza is a psychological drama about a man trying to come to terms with his wife's suicide. Wilson Joel (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) is searching for answers as to why his wife, Liza, killed herself. He is unable to bring himself to read the suicide note Liza left behind. Instead of facing his demons, Wilson becomes addicted to sniffing gasoline. Kathy Bates co-stars as Liza's mother. This film was written by the star's brother Gordy Hoffman, and directed by newcomer Todd Louiso. Love Liza was screened at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Philip Seymour Hoffman, Kathy Bates, (more)
Brazilian filmmaker Bruno Barreto directs this comic look at the world of flight attendants starring Gwyneth Paltrow as Donna, a small town Nevada woman who dreams of seeing the world by becoming a first class international stewardess. Lacking the requisite poise and class, Donna finds a mentor in retired trade veteran Sally (Candice Bergen), a wealthy, best-selling author who assists with advice and her considerable influence. Despite Sally's help, Donna finds the process of fulfilling her career ambitions more difficult than she imagined when she’s betrayed by a trusted friend (Christina Applegate) during flight training, a daunting course taught by the bitter John Whitney (Mike Myers), a once-aspiring steward whose eye condition kept him forever out of the friendly skies. Donna also faces a romantic crisis when she falls for a handsome law student (Mark Ruffalo) whose education consigns him to Ohio, far away from the major urban hubs Donna dreams of working. A View from the Top (2002) costars Rob Lowe, Josh Malina, Kelly Preston and Jon Polito. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gwyneth Paltrow, Mark Ruffalo, (more)
This family musical enjoys the dubious distinction of being the first film ever based on a theme park attraction, the "Country Bears Jamboree" at Disneyworld. Beary Barrington (voice of Haley Joel Osment) is an adolescent bruin raised by a human family after he was found by a park ranger, abandoned in the forest. Curious about his biological roots, Beary travels to Tennessee to seek out his birth parents while attempting to locate the members of his favorite musical group -- a defunct country music act called the Country Bears -- along the way. Country Bear Hall, the famed venue where the band was launched, is facing imminent destruction at the hands of greedy banker Reed Thimple (Christopher Walken), but young Beary has a plan to save the hall by staging a reunion benefit concert. Beary's path takes him through a guitar duel, a vintage coffee house, and a car wash, as he's pursued by a pair of bumbling cops (Diedrich Bader and Daryl "Chill" Mitchell) trying to reunite him with his adoptive parents. Meanwhile, a panoply of musical legends including Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt, Elton John, and Queen Latifah appear Behind the Music-style to comment on the Country Bears' alleged artistic influence on their work. The Country Bears, the first in a pair of planned Disney projects based on the company's theme park rides (the second is slated to be based on "Pirates of the Caribbean"), co-stars Stephen Tobolowsky, Brad Garrett, Alex Rocco, and Stephen Root. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christopher Walken, Stephen Tobolowsky, (more)
The creative team behind Being John Malkovich -- director Spike Jonze and screenwriter Charlie Kaufman -- return with this equally offbeat comedy, in which Kaufman himself becomes the leading character. Charlie Kaufman (Nicolas Cage) is a gifted but profoundly neurotic screenwriter who, after the success of Being John Malkovich, has been hired to write a script adapted from the nonfiction book The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean. But while Charlie is obsessive about his work, he's also intensely paranoid, given to deep depression, socially inept, and terrified of talking to women, qualities which are making it difficult to get on with his work or hold on to his tenuous relationship with girlfriend Amelia (Cara Seymour). Meanwhile, Charlie's identical twin brother, Donald Kaufman (also played by Cage), has shown up to move in with his brother. Emotionally, Donald is Charlie's polar opposite -- a loudmouthed, over-confident, superficial party animal who has an easy way with the ladies. Donald has decided to follow his brother's footsteps and take up screenwriting as well, but embracing the dictates of screenwriting tutor Robert McKee (Brian Cox), he's cranking out a cliché-ridden serial-killer thriller when not busy making time with new girlfriend Caroline (Maggie Gyllenhaal). As Donald blazes through his screenplay, Charlie slowly picks away at his story, in which author Susan Orlean (Meryl Streep) chronicles John Laroche (Chris Cooper), a scruffy but devoted plant enthusiast who tries to save rare species of orchids by stealing them from their natural home in the swamps of Florida. As John and Susan become better acquainted, they find themselves attracted to one another; similarly, Charlie finds himself increasingly fascinated with Susan, and finds himself falling in love with her, even though he's only seen her photo on the dust jacket of her book. Charlie arranges to meet Susan, but is too nervous to confront her face to face, so he sends Donald (who has just scored a seven-figure deal for his script) in his place, while he attends a screenwriting seminar held by McKee. Adaptation also features Tilda Swinton, Judy Greer, and Stephen Tobolowsky. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep, (more)
