Director
Spike Jonze
Leading Actors/Actresses
Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep
Supporting Actors/Actresses
Chris Cooper, Tilda Swinton, Maggie Gyllenhaal
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Language
English
Awards
Won 1 Oscar: Best Performance by and Actor in a Supporting Role - Chris Cooper
Date of Release
2002
Producer
Jonathan Demme, Vincent Landay, Edward Saxon
Setting and Context
Los Angeles, New York City and Florida - 2002
Narrator and Point of View
POV is that of Charlie
Tone and Mood
Comedic and Dramatic
Protagonist and Antagonist
Protagonist is Charlie and Donald, Antagonists are Susan and Laroche
Major Conflict
Charlie can't get his adaptation of Orlean's book written, he resorts to going to speak with her in person but asks his brother Donald to do it for him.
Climax
Charlie catches Orlean sleeping with Laroche and discovers the pair are working to manufacture a drug from the ghost orchid. Donald is killed in a car accident after being shot by Laroche, and before Laroche can kill Charlie he is attacked and killed by an alligator. Orlean is eventually arrested.
Foreshadowing
Donald's excitement of writing his screenplay regardless of what his brother thinks foreshadows his 6-7 figure spec script sale.
Understatement
It is understated that Orlean is hiding Laroche and her love affair and that the ghost orchid is used as a drug.
Innovations in Filming or Lighting or Camera Techniques
N/A
Allusions
The film is an allusion to how Kaufman wrote the screenplay, as it combines elements of his actual process and obstacles along with the collaborative elements of his imagination.
Paradox
Orlean writes a book about the orchid thief, but paradoxically falls in love with him.
Parallelism
Charlie's meeting with Valerie and how badly it went parallels his meeting with Orlean...whom he can't meet with and sends Donald instead.
