Brian Cox in 'Adaptation': 'Succession' star's menacing role as screenwriting guru revisited
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Known for his versatility and class, Brian Cox is probably best remembered as Dr Hannibal Lecter in 1986's 'Manhunter' or as the deadly villain William Stryker in 2003's 'X2: X-Men United'. The actor's reputation has seen a resurgence lately thanks to his work as the cunning and intelligent Logan Roy in HBO's ongoing series 'Succession'. However, Brian Cox's most menacing and impactful role was perhaps in the often-overlooked 2002 movie 'Adaptation'.
The Oscar-winning movie was written by Charlie Kaufman and Susan Orlean and directed by Spike Jonze. 'Adaptation' had a stellar ensemble cast, including Nicolas Cage playing the twins Charlie and Donald Kaufman, Meryl Streep as Susan Orlean, Chris Cooper as John Laroche, Tilda Swinton as Valerie Thomas, Cara Seymour as Amelia Kavan, Brian Cox as Robert McKee, Ron Livingston as Marty Bowen, Maggie Gyllenhaal as Caroline Cunningham, Judy Greer as Alice and Jay Tavare as Matthew Osceola.
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Cox's underrated 'Adaptation' role
'Adaptation' was based on the real-life struggles Kaufman faced while trying to adapt Susan Orlean's 1998 nonfiction book 'The Orchid Thief'. The movie included several elements outside the book as well, including Brian Cox's role as the real-life lecturer and story consultant, Robert McKee. The character, though relatively small in the movie, has a bigger impact in terms of the storyline. When Charlie is suffering from writer's block and can't seem to adapt to non-fiction, his twin Donald, after attending the seminar, manages to complete and sell his spec script. With no option left, Charlie goes to McKee's seminar in New York and asks for advice. But McKee's screenwriting advice only elicits a confused stare from Charlie.
Impactful voice
Charlie reached out to McKee out of desperation. Socially awkward and self-conscious, meeting McKee only made his anxiety worse. When Charlie gets a brief chance to speak with McKee, Cox portrays the screenwriting guru in a firm and impactful way. When Charlie tells him his plan to interview the real protagonist of the novel, John Laroche, Cox's McKee immediately scoffs and drops some truth bombs. He flat-out tells Charlie that his writer's block is his own doing and screams, "If you can't find that stuff in life, then you, my friend, don't know crap about life. Why are you wasting my two precious hours with your movie?"
Layered performance
The brief encounter stays in Charlie's head for the rest of the movie. To be fair, the movie goes against McKee's well-known principles of screenwriting. This includes Charlie's trip to Florida, the usage of Deus ex machina by having Donald miraculously save Charlie from the bullet, and the usage of voice-overs. However, Cox's performance makes a deeper impact as it is through him that we learn the emptiness of fame and the importance of a writer's vision. Cox shines through the complexity with a subtle yet evocative portrayal of the real-life legend.
Besides, Cox nails the tutor side of McKee - perhaps drawing inspiration from his own teachers and coaches. While McKee might not be considered a menacing character in the traditional sense of the term, Cox's portrayal makes it a relatively terrifying role.