The Adjustment Bureau is based on a Philip K. Dick story, “Adjustment Team.” The role Emily Blunt plays in the movie doesn’t exist in the short story. The movie hinges on whether you buy the chemistry between Matt Damon, a rising politician, and Emily Blunt’s dancer character. I bought it Big Time. The premise is that our lives are guided by a Grand Plan devised by “The Chairman.” We humans don’t realize our lives are being “guided.” When there are derivations from the Plan, the Adjustment Bureau makes the necessary changes to resolve the “ripples” and bring events back into balance in accordance with the Plan. Questions of Free Will and Choice are raised. Yes, some of the movie is silly. The last 20 minutes of the movie is one long chase scene where the Adjustment Bureau attempts to keep Matt Damon and Emily Blunt apart. Diane didn’t figure out how the movie would end, but I did. GRADE: B+
I agree that their chemistry was what made the movie work.
My question, which wasn’t really made clear in the movie, was this: aew qw all</iL being overseen by the Bureau or just some of us?
Only “important” people were being watched, Jeff. People who could “disrupt” the Plan needed to be “adjusted.” Most people’s actions didn’t matter.
That’s the way I read it too. Thanks for the confirmation.
I’ve read reviews that called the Adjustment Bureau personnel “guardian angels,” Jeff. That’s the mystical interpretation of the movie.
I am hoping to see this before long. A friend said it was basically a love story. Did you see it like that?
Absolutely, Patti. The relationship between Matt Damon and Emily Blunt power this movie. After the movie, Diane asked me how the Philip K. Dick story worked without Emily Blunt’s character in it.
I think there’s a bureau out there determined to make my life miserable. I know for a fact that whenever I go somewhere in my vehicle they place people at cross streets whose sole purpose is to pull out in front of me and drive under the speed limit.
I think you should consult the Bureau of Road Rage, Bob.
I’ll just read the shrot story, thanks.
Bob – but we’re all SUPPOSED to drive under the speed limit – it’s a limit, not a minimum.
I’m waiting for the GOOGLE car that drives itself, Rick. I hate to drive and I’d love to be chauffeured to work by Artificial Intelligence so I could just read in the back seat.
Kathy said she kept expecting them to penetrate HQ, find The Chairman and have him turn out to be George Burns.
Ha! That’s a good one, Dan. I was a little disappointed that The Chairman never showed up.