Anyone who appreciated Being John Malkovich will probably enjoy Human Nature, another offbeat comedy from Academy Award-nominated writer Charlie Kaufman. It’s a silly, quirky story about Puff (Rhys Ifans), a man raised as an ape, who is rescued by Nathan and Lila (Tim Robbins and Patricia Arquette), a team of married researchers. Taking Puff into their laboratory, the husband and wife embark on a mission designed to bring this feral man back into the civilized fold.

Robbins (AntiTrust) plays the brilliant, obsessed Nathan with a tongue-in-cheek flair as only he can. When Nathan strives to teach an ape how to use the right fork, sit in front of fireplace or enjoy a symphony, one funny scene after another evolves. "It was a well-written script that was funny and told a story that was indeed human," said Robbins.

Kaufman found great satisfaction in Robbins’ interpretation of the snobbish Nathan. "I always thought Nathan was as much a victim as anybody in the movie," he said. "There was always that danger with Nathan -- of him not being sympathetic, and not being likable. The fact that he is, is certainly a tribute to Tim Robbins’ performance."

Arquette (Little Nicky) brings her talent as both an actress and comedian to the role of Lila, a woman with more than her share of bad hair days because of an unusual hormonal disorder. Lila’s character arc is probably the biggest in the film, and at one point she joins Puff as they return to nature and live outdoors in the buff. (There’s lots of nudity in this film -- which no doubt helped earn its "R" rating.) Arquette saw the story as a Darwinian roundelay. "Nathan … Puff … and Lila are all grappling for the top-dog spot," she said.

Human Nature would not be a successful film without the perfect Puff – enter Rhys Ifans. Because he’s not yet a household name, I have dubbed Ifans "the naked man," for he’s appeared that way in many of his films. Among his other roles are Hugh Grant’s eccentric roommate in Notting Hill, a reporter in The Shipping News and a sports nut in The Replacements.

Ifans viewed his Human Nature character as a once-in-a-lifetime role. "Puff was an opportunity to really invent something original," he said. "He may take steps to be civilized, but from the beginning to the end of the film, he’s still a child. I wanted to explore Puff’s very human feelings of isolation, loneliness and fear; to play Puff as a human as opposed to an ape. Because Puff is a human, obviously."

At a time when the news blitz constantly reminds us all is not right in the world, Kaufman’s comedic look at Puff’s world – through the eyes of the erratic Lila and Nathan – offers viewers a chance to laugh at themselves. I, for one, left the theater with a welcome light-hearted feeling.

(Released by Fine Line Features and rated "R" for sexuality/nudity and language.)