Movie with Abe: The Adjustment Bureau

The Adjustment Bureau
Directed by George Nolfi
Released March 4, 2011

Philip K. Dick’s science fiction short stories have been the basis for a number of high-profile films, ranging in quality from Steven Spielberg’s superbly futuristic vision of dystopia, “Minority Report,” to the incomprehensible garbage of the Nicolas Cage starrer “Next.” Fortunately, this one falls much closer to the former in terms of quality, enjoyability, and suspense. While it may not be overly complex, it is a simple love story enhanced by a fantasy setup where the characters don’t quite have control over the events in their lives. Their perseverance in the face of inevitability is inspiring, and this is one uplifting, enthralling film.

This movie succeeds largely on its assumption that less is more, choosing not to explain much of its mythology but instead to leave it mostly to the imagination. While some viewers will find that lack of detail frustrating, it ultimately helps to keep the focus on the characters and their motivations and relationships. The presence of the members of the adjustment bureau, ranging from the youthful Harry (Anthony Mackie) to the fast-talking Richardson (John Slattery) to the stern and unforgiving Thompson (Terence Stamp), is ominous but never overly dominant, serving as a shadowy, influential backdrop and not the central point of the plot.

The story follows a young politician, David Norris (Matt Damon), vying for a seat in the New York Senate. His chance encounter and immediate connection with a beautiful woman named Elise (Emily Blunt) leaves him able to think about nothing else, which makes his life even more difficult when he is unable to locate her to pursue a relationship. This is a great role for Damon, where he gets the chance not just to throw punches or run from danger but instead to embody a three-dimensional, somewhat immature character capable of functioning equally well in a romantic drama and an action thriller. Blunt is perfectly seductive and memorable, and the two make for a marvelous pair.

“The Adjustment Bureau” is equal parts strong drama, compelling thriller lite, and enduring love story. On top of that, there’s a bonus in store for New York City residents. The film features much running around the city, jumping from one major locale or area to the next, making it a fun scavenger hunt to recognize where the scene was filmed. That dedication to filming in the city gives the film an air of authenticity aided by the performances of its lead actors. The combination of believable characters and a supernatural love story helps elevates this film to a winning and thoroughly entertaining experience.

B+

Tuesday’s Top Trailer: The Adjustment Bureau

Welcome to a new weekly feature here at Movies with Abe, Tuesday's Top Trailer. One of my favorite parts about going to see movies is the series of trailers that airs beforehand and, more often than not, the trailer is far better than the actual film. Each week, I'll be sharing a trailer I've recently seen. Please chime in with comments on what you think of the trailer and how you think the movie is going to be.

The Adjustment Bureau – Opening September 17, 2010



This trailer was recently released online, and it looks really cool. What starts off as an intoxicating meeting between two strangers quickly turns into a shadowy sci-fi thriller akin to “Dark City” where mysterious figures rearrange events and details about people’s lives to restore (their own sense of) order to the universe. It’s easily the kind of tale that can intrigue, enthrall, and then make completely no sense, but I discovered after watching the trailer that it’s based on a short story by Philip K. Dick, whose has had many of his works – “Blade Runner,” “Total Recall,” “Impostor,” “Minority Report,” and “A Scanner Darkly” – brought to the screen. His stories are always fascinating, and this should make for some great sci-fi. Matt Damon and Emily Blunt are wonderful actors to take on the lead roles, and they’ve both nailed their respective parts in the trailer – Damon as the man in search of the woman he can’t stop thinking about and Blunt as the one who enchanted him instantly but has yet to be found. Teaming up Terence Stamp and John Slattery as the Big Brother figures with their hats makes for an intimidating duo of villains. I’m eager to see this because it looks like a thriller that should work, though it could turn out like two failed adaptations of Dick concepts: “Paycheck” and “Next.” Still, I’m hoping this will be an excellent instance of smart sci-fi, and I can’t wait to see it.