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Metascore
83 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 40 Critics What's this?

User Score
7.6 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 115 Ratings

Your Score
10 out of 10
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  • Starring: Chris Cooper, Meryl Streep, Nicolas Cage
  • Summary: The lives of screenwriter Charlie Kaufman (Cage), author Susan Orlean (Streep) and orchid poacher John Laroche (Cooper) become strangely intertwined as each one's search for passion collides with the others' in this adaptation of the best-selling "The Orchid Thief." (Columbia Pictures)

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 36 out of 40
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 40
  3. Negative: 2 out of 40
  1. Rolling Stone
    Reviewed by: Peter Travers
    100
    Screenwriting this smart, inventive, passionate and rip-roaringly funny is a rare species. It's magic.
  2. Film Threat
    Reviewed by: Rick Kisonak
    60
    At the end of the day, though, this is Charlie Kaufman's movie and I'm not sure he proves quite the visionary puppetmaster many in the media are making him out to be.
  3. Dallas Observer
    Reviewed by: Robert Wilonsky
    30
    The most overrated movie of the year (of all time?) by people who should know better.

See all 40 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 55 out of 70
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 70
  3. Negative: 12 out of 70
  1. NK
    10
    People who think this was poorly written are not paying attention! Kaufman gets as close as any masterpiece I've known to expressing something true and simple and universal. The humor and wit are clever (I get the "winking at the audience" part), but beyond being playful, they are executed with such a steady and deliberate hand to lend to a greater, troubling problem of how to survive -- to preserve our uniquely human consciousness -- in an era of mass-production. Fantastic, reflexive and self-indulgent? Yes. And yet! It still issues a "message" (for unfortunate lack of better word) relevant to the world we live in. This is a film you can watch repeatedly and find something new every time.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  2. ryancarroll88
    9
    Self Indulgent? Yep. Pretentious? Of course. But the real miracle here is how the film can take all of these self-references and neuroses to create a story of characters with which the viewer can empathize and actors can let their talent shine (most notably Nicolas Cage in his dual role). And believe me, I would give this movie a lot less credit if the screenplay wasn't so damn good.… Expand
    • 1 of 1 users said yes
  3. MichaelC.
    2
    To be honest, the feelings on this movie seemed to be mixed among the masses. I've talked to just as many people who loved it as I have who hated it. In all fairness, it is a very original idea for a movie. But this is not enough to overcome the one major problem with this movie: BORING! BORING! BORING! ! F....ING BORING!!!!! There...I said it.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes

See all 70 User Reviews

Trailers

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