“All I have are the choices I make”
Well that’s what you think. According to George Nolfi’s directorial debut, based on a short story by Philip K. Dick, you may think you made those choices but there is every chance your path through life has been adjusted by a secret organisation that exists solely to lead you to your preferred (by the ‘Chairman’) conclusion.
Matt Damon plays David Norris, a young congressman running for senate in New York when, on the night of the election, he comes across beautiful and invigorating Elise (Emily Blunt) who alters his path entirely. His following meetings with her seem to be the working of fate but indeed fate has other plans and will seemingly stop at nothing to keep them apart.
The Adjustment Bureau has many good things going for it, not least a deftness of touch and lightness of tone, that make it excellent weekend viewing fodder. It isn’t too taxing, the leads are charismatic with good chemistry and the film zips along at a nice pace.
If the film suffers from anything it is the current E4-esque obsession with ‘x’ meets ‘y’ marketing. It may not have been so bad had the films chosen by Total Film not been such inappropriate comparisons. It is much too light to bear much resemblance to Bourne once you look past Matt Damon’s above the title credit, and comparing anything to such a recent behemoth as Inception can rarely lead to anything other than shooting oneself in the foot.
This misrepresentation leads to such complaints as I have heard regarding the ‘thriller’ aspect of the film. Yes, it is a thriller, but the Adjustment Bureau itself doesn’t seem to offer much threat other than keeping the two potential lovers apart for the rest of their lives. Other threats are made but for most of the film you forget about them. The film is more of an adventure rollercoaster and does perfectly well for itself on these terms.
Matt Damon once again puts his everyman charm to excellent use managing to successfully portray that most fictional of characters – a likeable politician. Emily Blunt shows off some truly impressive dance moves and, when not losing her head in the confusion of it all, brings out all the requisite strength and effortless charm of Elise.
I will admit to complete bias when I say that Thomas Newman provides the film with a beautiful score; driving the more thrilling aspects along and wonderfully underscoring the more romantic moments. The cinematography is less in-your-face than gritty Bourne-like thrillers tend to be lending the film a more commercial look. It feels more open, cleaner. Even in its darkest moments it manages to look pretty.
All in all The Adjustment Bureau is a perfectly capable adventure story which I would happily watch again should it pop up as a 9 o’clock showing on Film 4. It’s that kind of film; easy, watchable and interesting enough to keep you entertained for the full running time if not a little longer.
Not going to revolutionise film-making in the way Bourne and Inception did and it’s unfair to expect it to. Excellent popcorn-movie making – 7/10
Well that’s what you think. According to George Nolfi’s directorial debut, based on a short story by Philip K. Dick, you may think you made those choices but there is every chance your path through life has been adjusted by a secret organisation that exists solely to lead you to your preferred (by the ‘Chairman’) conclusion.
Matt Damon plays David Norris, a young congressman running for senate in New York when, on the night of the election, he comes across beautiful and invigorating Elise (Emily Blunt) who alters his path entirely. His following meetings with her seem to be the working of fate but indeed fate has other plans and will seemingly stop at nothing to keep them apart.
The Adjustment Bureau has many good things going for it, not least a deftness of touch and lightness of tone, that make it excellent weekend viewing fodder. It isn’t too taxing, the leads are charismatic with good chemistry and the film zips along at a nice pace.
If the film suffers from anything it is the current E4-esque obsession with ‘x’ meets ‘y’ marketing. It may not have been so bad had the films chosen by Total Film not been such inappropriate comparisons. It is much too light to bear much resemblance to Bourne once you look past Matt Damon’s above the title credit, and comparing anything to such a recent behemoth as Inception can rarely lead to anything other than shooting oneself in the foot.
This misrepresentation leads to such complaints as I have heard regarding the ‘thriller’ aspect of the film. Yes, it is a thriller, but the Adjustment Bureau itself doesn’t seem to offer much threat other than keeping the two potential lovers apart for the rest of their lives. Other threats are made but for most of the film you forget about them. The film is more of an adventure rollercoaster and does perfectly well for itself on these terms.
Matt Damon once again puts his everyman charm to excellent use managing to successfully portray that most fictional of characters – a likeable politician. Emily Blunt shows off some truly impressive dance moves and, when not losing her head in the confusion of it all, brings out all the requisite strength and effortless charm of Elise.
I will admit to complete bias when I say that Thomas Newman provides the film with a beautiful score; driving the more thrilling aspects along and wonderfully underscoring the more romantic moments. The cinematography is less in-your-face than gritty Bourne-like thrillers tend to be lending the film a more commercial look. It feels more open, cleaner. Even in its darkest moments it manages to look pretty.
All in all The Adjustment Bureau is a perfectly capable adventure story which I would happily watch again should it pop up as a 9 o’clock showing on Film 4. It’s that kind of film; easy, watchable and interesting enough to keep you entertained for the full running time if not a little longer.
Not going to revolutionise film-making in the way Bourne and Inception did and it’s unfair to expect it to. Excellent popcorn-movie making – 7/10
