The Adjustment Bureau

They stole his future. Now, he's taking it back.
They stole his future. Now, he's taking it back.
THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU (15)
D: George Nolfi
Universal/Media Rights Capital (George Nolfi, Chris Moore, Michael Hackett, Bill Carraro, Isa Dick Hackett & Joel Viertel)
USA 🇺🇸 2011
99 mins
 
Science Fiction/Thriller/Romance
 
W: George Nolfi [based on the story "Adjustment Team" by Philip K. Dick]
DP: John Toll
Ed: Jay Rabinowitz 
Mus: Thomas Newman
 
Matt Damon (David Norris), Emily Blunt (Elise Sellas), Anthony Mackie (Harry Mitchell), John Slattery (Richardson), Michael Kelly (Charlie Traynor), Terence Stamp (Thompson)

Personally, I think the writing of Philip K. Dick is conceptually excellent. He's the mind behind the inspiration of several movies, including Total Recall, Blade Runner & Minority Report, science fiction with an intellectual twist, lifting it above the mundanity of laser guns and spaceships alone. 
From the advertising of this movie, I'd be forgiven to expect a political thriller dipped in sci-fi gloss. Unfortunately, the advertising flat out LIED TO ME!
I've not read the short story upon which this was based, so can only review the movie on it's own basis. It centres around a New York senator who, by chance, meets a beautiful woman who he develops feelings for, but 'the adjustment bureau' (a loose allegory for God/faith/destiny/whatever) cannot allow their relationship to blossom for the good of mankind and use increasingly desperate measures to intervene whenever their paths cross, but the human spirit always finds a way to overcome such endeavours. Ugh! Total dross!
Firstly, I couldn't care less about American politics, so automatically I can't connect with Matt Damon's characters as easily as though he were playing the average Joe Bloggs.
Secondly, the movie contradicts itself on a suicidally stupid level. Basing it's logic that two people are destined to be together (or not) the movie then cops out with a mixed message which doesn't have any real resolution at all.
The third factor is that, upon his initial meeting with Emily Blunt's character, she's undoubtedly beautiful, but also very much a bit of a promiscuous nutcase. Their meeting place is, after all, a men's room which she happens to burst into, simply for shit and giggles. Nevertheless, this doesn't stop Damon's character pining over her for years despite not determining whether she has the slightest touch of class to go with her ditziness. Sure, she's a good looking girl, but it's not like Damon's lumbered with the facial features of Quasimodo to prevent him from meeting, well ANYONE with similar interests or personality traits in the period over the movie is set, which just happens to be several years (This point kind of ties in with my second).
Easily the most annoying thing about this film is that it advertises itself as "Bourne meets Inception". Promotional lies irritate more than all the potential that the idea lacked.
5/10

Emily Blunt & Matt Damon in The Adjustment Bureau
Emily Blunt & Matt Damon in The Adjustment Bureau
Did You Know:
The phone number given to Matt Damon by Emily Blunt in the movie ((212) 664-7665) is owned by Universal Studios and has appeared in other films distributed by them in an effort to avoid the much clichéd "555" prefix. If called, it will ring indefinitely.

Award Wins & Nominations:


MILSTEAD MOVIE AWARDS:

Wins: none

Nominations: none


OSCARS:

Wins: none

Nominations: none


BAFTAS

Wins: none

Nominations: none


OTHER WINS:

Saturn Award (Best Supporting Actress)