Stephen Bures

A Chicago weather man, separated from his wife and children, debates whether professional and personal success are mutually exclusive.

Nicolas Cage is Charlie Kaufman, a confused L.A. screenwriter overwhelmed by feelings of inadequacy, sexual frustration, self-loathing, and by the screenwriting ambitions of his freeloading twin brother Donald. While struggling to adapt "The Orchid Thief," by Susan Orlean, Kaufman's life spins from pathetic to bizarre. The lives of Kaufman, Orlean's book, become strangely intertwined as each one's search for passion collides with the others'.

Jack's lavish, fast-paced lifestyle changes one Christmas night when he stumbles into a grocery store holdup and disarms the gunman. The next morning he wakes up in bed lying next to Kate, his college sweetheart he left in order to pursue his career, and to the horrifying discovery that his former life no longer exists. As he stumbles through this alternate suburban universe, Jack finds himself at a crossroad where he must choose between his high-power career and the woman he loves.

Upon learning that he has to come out of retirement to steal 50 cars in one night to save his brother Kip's life, former car thief Randall "Memphis" Raines enlists help from a few "boost happy" pals to accomplish a seemingly impossible feat. From countless car chases to relentless cops, the high-octane excitement builds as Randall swerves around more than a few roadblocks to keep Kip alive.