by Etan Vlessing
TORONTO (The Hollywood Reporter) --- The Toronto Film Critics Assn. on Wednesday named Adaptation the best film of 2002 and tapped the film's star, Nicolas Cage, as best actor for his dual role in the unconventional comedy.
The Spike Jonze-directed film drew two other honors from the Toronto critics. Charlie Kaufman and Donald Kaufman were cited for best screenplay for the semiautobiographical story of a screenwriter, and Chris Cooper received the nod for his supporting performance. Cooper already has received prizes from the National Board of Review and the Los Angeles Film Critics Assn.
Runners-up for the leading actor prize were Daniel Day-Lewis in Gangs of New York and Jack Nicholson in About Schmidt.
In the best actress category, Julianne Moore won for her role in Far From Heaven, beating out fellow contenders Maggie Gyllenhaal (Secretary) and Isabelle Huppert (The Piano Teacher). Moore adds the nod to her prizes from the NBR and the LAFCA (which also cited her work in The Hours).
The Toronto critics named Paul Thomas Anderson best director for Punch-Drunk Love and gave the nod for best supporting actress to the film's Emily Watson.
The other multiple winner was Zacharias Kunuk's Inuit drama Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner, which was named best Canadian film of 2002 and best first feature.
© 2002 The Hollywood Reporter