i thought it was perfect the difference between the first and second half. the turning point where he goes to the screen writing conference and then "real movie stuff" starts to happen - gun fights and drugs.

"Don't like Nicolas Cage?! Here, take TWO!"

Adaptation's postmodern twist definitely appreciated, film and reality intersecting beautifully. It's a movie about writing that movie. As soon as the thriller-writing brother touches the script, the film turns Hollywood, again, a good twist, but it's still the least interesting part of the film. Necessary to make its point, but thriller clichés nonetheless. But there's something else going on, I think. The twin idea seems to have a relationship to the script for "The 3", and the brothers are definitely two sides of the same coin: The anguished artist who wants to create something new, and the deft technicians who knows how to cater to the Industry. Not as unusual as Being John Malkovitch, but a nice piece.