The Adjustment Bureau

Plot
Matt Damon is a New York Senate hopeful - young, daring, honest. He loses an unloseable election due to some ill timed stories from his past but a chance encounter with Emily Blunt - a beautiful, sassy dancer - sets him back on track. But what is his 'track'? And who decided it?

Wha Haps?
The Adjustment Bureau was certainly trying for something. It was heavily inspired by our current 1950's obsession - even casting Roger Sterling (aka John Slattery from Mad Men) as the dogmatic 'angel' trying to keep Damon on track. But it just looked at bit try-hard - not very effortless. It all makes sense now that I learn that this was an adaptation of a Philip K Dick short story. The other adaptations of his work have shared an old time feel, perhaps even a parallel world feel, rather than a past or future world. What does this mean? It means that it feels not quite right.

Matt and Emily shared a few zingy exchanges, and there was a real rapport between the two leads, certainly helped by Emily's natural ease with Matt.

I kind of lost interest, or cringed, when they started really hammering home the whole 'Chairman' shtick. We get it. God. He's the boss. Top dog, numero uno honcho, the big man, the big cheese...

Despite the clunking, clumsy, couldn't be more explicit, slide that the second half of the movie shoots down, I guess it does raise some interesting questions about fate and choice. As I said, if we take the second half of the movie out of the equation (and please, lets) and just stick with the questions (and not the pathetic answers) the main question is: what real power do we have over our own lives? Are our 'choices' and our sense of control merely an intellectual attempt to order the true chaos? Are we just getting to pick the pencil colour, and someone/something else is drawing the picture?

Well, you'll get no answer to these issues from this movie. It's just God all along! Silly billy - it is your density. I mean your destiny.

Even more than that, the whole concept seems to be that true love, or basically just a talented woman on equal footing, prevents a real man from reaching his true potential. As if potential is a finite thing, and if you give some to your woman, then you're screwed for giving your all to your job. The old sex before a big game saps your strength routine... don't really buy into this. As far as I'm concerned, significent adult relationships can only make you a better, more well rounded individual. And one who is going to be better at their job.

Now go check your midichlorian count - there could be greatness in your future!