Adaptation · written by Charlie Kaufman and Donald Kaufman · 2002

Charlie returns to the restaurant, completes his screenplay, and begins a real conversation with Alice.

Scene 201 of 202 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act three

Save the Cat: Break into Three
Alice
Kaufman

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 1:55 into a 1:57 film

The story so farBefore scene 201

Unable to find a conventional story in The Orchid Thief, screenwriter Charlie Kaufman turns his own crisis into an increasingly self-referential adaptation.

Scenes 1–9
Charlie inhabits an isolated, self-condemning world while Orlean’s book supplies a distant model of obsession.
Scenes 10–88
Charlie wants to write honestly and make flowers matter, while also longing to be desired and understood.
Scenes 89–105
He leaves his familiar writing room and goes to Florida to search for the story firsthand.
Scenes 106–126
The swamp is ordinary, Orlean’s research fails, and Charlie experiments with increasingly personal versions of the book.
Scenes 127–144
Charlie finds a way to focus the material by putting himself in it, then commits to meeting Orlean.
Scenes 145–199
He gets the dramatic ending he wanted but pays for it through danger, self-exposure, and Donald’s apparent death.
Just before
Scene 198
Laroche prepares to kill Charlie while Orlean gets high; Donald surprises them and pulls his brother away.
Scene 199
A swamp pursuit kills Donald and Orlean as Charlie survives gunfire, alligators, and the Swamp Ape’s attack.
Scene 200
Charlie identifies the bodies, credits Donald with saving his life, and proudly agrees that the twins look alike.
Scene 201
This scene

201INT. CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN - DAY

Kaufman sits in a booth, working longhand on a legal pad. He's a little scraped-up, a little tougher. A copy of Story by McKee is among his reference material. Alice, the waitress, walks by and glances at the table.

ALICE

Oh, I love McKee!

(recognizes Kaufman, gets reserved)

Oh, hi. Haven't seen you in a while.

KAUFMAN

Hi. Yeah, I've been away.

ALICE

So you studying screenwriting?

KAUFMAN

I'm actually finishing one up.

ALICE

Good for you! Me too. God, it's so hard

to get in, huh? Everyone and their

brother is writing a screenplay.

KAUFMAN

Yeah. Actually I'm writing this one for

Sony Pictures.

ALICE

Really? Wow. Really? That's so cool.

(beat)

Wow! So what's it about, if you don't

mind my asking?

KAUFMAN

That's tough. Let's see... about being

yourself, maybe. It's about learning

that if you can't love yourself, you

can't really love anyone.

ALICE

That's true. God, that's so true. It's

such an important message, y'know?

KAUFMAN

See, my twin brother was murdered

recently --

ALICE

Oh God! I'm sorry. That's so horrible.

KAUFMAN

Thanks. Like part of me ripped away.

Forever. It was a wake up call.

ALICE

I'm so sorry. You poor man.

KAUFMAN

Anyway, it helped put things in

perspective. Life is a miracle. All

life, from the flower to the human being.