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"The Adjustment Bureau”
Grade: A-
Historically, Hollywood treats the first four months of the year as a dumping ground for cinematic dregs. Hence, the release of “Big Momma’s House 3.”
The films are considered neither commercial enough for the spring-summer blockbuster season nor worthy enough for the fall-winter Oscar season. They have as much chance of breaking box office records and winning an Academy Award as Moammar Gadhafi has of being named Humanitarian of the Year.
Fortunately, there are exceptions and “The Adjustment Bureau” is one of them. Intelligent, clever, well-acted, keenly written and confidently directed, it offers an antidote to all the brain-challenged, teen tripe currently playing at the multiplex. It’s like finding a rose in a pile of garbage.
“The Adjustment Bureau” comes from good stock as it’s based on a short story by Philip K. Dick, whose credits include “Blade Runner.” Writer-director George Nofli takes a few liberties with the story—OK, several—but slavish adaptations seldom deliver the goods.
Matt Damon, who apparently can do no wrong no matter what genre film he appears in, goes the romantic route here but with a twist. He plays David Norris, a politician who seems destined to being elected senator of New York. His reckless past comes back to bite him in the ballot, however, and he loses. As he practices his concession speech in the men’s room of the Waldorf Astoria, he meets a dancer, Elise Sellas (Emily Blunt), who is hiding there after crashing a wedding party.
The two quickly connect—some might say too quickly—and after they part, David does something unheard of from a politician—he speaks the truth. Going off-script in his concession speech, he tells his supporters how everything is planned by his handlers and focus groups to make him appeal to the widest audience possible, right down to how scuffed up his shoes look. The honesty surprisingly pays off and lands David a job at a venture capital firm.
Later, David meets Elise again on a bus coincidence, chance, fate? but it’s a meeting a group of mysterious men wearing hats don’t want to take place. They are members of the Adjustment Bureau who take whatever steps necessary to make sure the plan set out by the Chairman is followed. No variations are allowed.
One of the members, Harry Mitchell (Anthony Mackie), fails in his assignment, however, and the two meet, requiring the bureau to tell David what they’re about and that he has to stop seeing Elise. They also warn him that if he tells anybody about them they’ll wipe out his memory like the agents in “Men in Black.”
"The Adjustment Bureau”
Grade: A-
Historically, Hollywood treats the first four months of the year as a dumping ground for cinematic dregs. Hence, the release of “Big Momma’s House 3.”
The films are considered neither commercial enough for the spring-summer blockbuster season nor worthy enough for the fall-winter Oscar season. They have as much chance of breaking box office records and winning an Academy Award as Moammar Gadhafi has of being named Humanitarian of the Year.
Fortunately, there are exceptions and “The Adjustment Bureau” is one of them. Intelligent, clever, well-acted, keenly written and confidently directed, it offers an antidote to all the brain-challenged, teen tripe currently playing at the multiplex. It’s like finding a rose in a pile of garbage.
“The Adjustment Bureau” comes from good stock as it’s based on a short story by Philip K. Dick, whose credits include “Blade Runner.” Writer-director George Nofli takes a few liberties with the story—OK, several—but slavish adaptations seldom deliver the goods.
Matt Damon, who apparently can do no wrong no matter what genre film he appears in, goes the romantic route here but with a twist. He plays David Norris, a politician who seems destined to being elected senator of New York. His reckless past comes back to bite him in the ballot, however, and he loses. As he practices his concession speech in the men’s room of the Waldorf Astoria, he meets a dancer, Elise Sellas (Emily Blunt), who is hiding there after crashing a wedding party.
The two quickly connect—some might say too quickly—and after they part, David does something unheard of from a politician—he speaks the truth. Going off-script in his concession speech, he tells his supporters how everything is planned by his handlers and focus groups to make him appeal to the widest audience possible, right down to how scuffed up his shoes look. The honesty surprisingly pays off and lands David a job at a venture capital firm.
Later, David meets Elise again on a bus coincidence, chance, fate? but it’s a meeting a group of mysterious men wearing hats don’t want to take place. They are members of the Adjustment Bureau who take whatever steps necessary to make sure the plan set out by the Chairman is followed. No variations are allowed.
One of the members, Harry Mitchell (Anthony Mackie), fails in his assignment, however, and the two meet, requiring the bureau to tell David what they’re about and that he has to stop seeing Elise. They also warn him that if he tells anybody about them they’ll wipe out his memory like the agents in “Men in Black.”
David, of course, disobeys. He’s falling in love with Elise and tries his best to see her again while the bureau, led by the relentless Richardson (John Slattery), try its best to keep that from happening. The scene where David attempts to get to Elise’s dance rehearsal is, appropriately enough, choreographed superbly, mixing action and humor with a deft touch.
And just when it looks like David and Elise are going to be an item, Thompson (Terence Stamp) arrives on the scene. Known as The Hammer, he’s a bureau member who takes no prisoners. He tells David that if he and Elise stay together the results will be disastrous for both of them. Apart, however, their careers will flourish. What’s a lover to do?
The film has a lot to say about fate and free will. Do we simply accept our destiny, even if we know what is, or do we fight the powers to be to get what we want no matter what the consequences? In this case, it’s love so who won’t be pulling for David and Elise? Yes, the film is a conventional love story where forces work to keep the lovers apart, but the story gets told in a unconventional way complete with a flair for science fiction as doors don’t always lead to where you think they will.
People with a strong religious bent might have trouble with the movie if they assume that members of the Adjustment Bureau are angels and the Chairman is God. Typically, angels get portrayed in movies as the good guys who work to make life better for the protagonist. See “The Bishop’s Wife,” “It’s A Wonderful Life” and “Heaven Can Wait,” for example. Here, however, they’re the “heavies,” dare I say the villains? They’re making life miserable for David all because he’s varying from the Creator’s—excuse me, the Chairman’s plan. Hey, at least, the film might spawn a discussion about man’s place in this wild and crazy universe. That won’t happen after a viewing of “Hall Pass.”
“The Adjustment Bureau” marks a very auspicious directorial debut for Nolfi, whose previous screenplay credits include “The Bourne Ultimatum,” also starring Damon. Nolfi takes a low-key approach to the story, keeping the film grounded in reality as much as possible.
In the acting department, Damon is slowly evolving into the next Tom Hanks, playing the everyman with seemingly effortless grace. Whether he’s an assassin or a politician, Damon comes off as a likable guy. The real revelation here, however, is Blunt (“The Devil Wears Prada”), who, based on this knockout performance, should have no trouble getting cast in other romances, or anything for that matter. She can flat out act and the chemistry between her and Damon smokes. They are ably supported by a top-notch supporting cast, especially Mackie, Slattery and Stamp.
Cynics might not have anything good to say about “The Adjustment Bureau,” but romantics should rejoice. Heart and soul, baby, heart and soul.
“The Adjustment Bureau” is rated PG-13 for brief language, some sexuality, a violent image. Running time: 106 minutes. The film opens March 4.
