According to Wikipedia, 58% of Americans pray weekly. The concept of higher powers manipulating Earthly affairs should not, therefore, be something too far-fetched for most people. George Nolfi’s new film The Adjustment Bureau shoves aside all of the drab parts of theology to spin a fast-paced, engrossing yarn about the battle between predestination and free will. To the film’s credit, it is refreshingly specific, achieving a nice bit of world-building without going limp on the plot, stakes or characters. It is a peculiar, quirky and altogether enjoyable movie.
We open with Matt Damon as a young, powerhouse Congressman on the campaign trail for a Senate seat. His election looks like a lock until a dopey photo of him looking like a party boy leaks to the press. It isn’t just Damon and his team who are upset by his loss, but a group of Fedora-wearing spooky guys who stride around and say ominous things.
They speak quite a bit about a plan and even carry around a morphing notebook ten times cooler than any iPad. When physical laws prevent Anthony Mackie from spilling coffee on Matt Damon’s shirt, chance (or fate?) gets our characters’ timelines way off-course.
Matt Damon then peeks behind the curtain of reality in a way not seen since The Truman Show or The Matrix. Through his eyes we discover the secret development on humankind, and it kinda. . .all makes sense.
Matt Damon is a film hero, however, so don’t expect him to accept to eat whatever plate is in front of him. If he stays and nurtures his pain, he will be driven to become President of the United States and (it is implied) a great one. But to do this he must lose his one, true love and, perhaps more importantly, tamp down the raging human spirit that burns within.
Heavy!
Luckily, the bulk of The Adjustment Bureau isn’t simply high falutin’ conversation about God and Man. There are some cute rom-com moments between Damon and Emily Blunt and some nice action-y set pieces, too. The Adjustment Bureau certainly has the best use of magic doors since Monsters, Inc.. And the best use of well-tailored angels (or whatever they are) since Wim Wenders’ Wings of Desire, too.
The Adjustment Bureau is a slick, mid-budget movie that’s just brainy enough to excite moviegoers looking for something a little different. Film geeks will love seeing Terence Stamp as a big boss in a cool suit and New Yorkers will love the location photography that (shocker!) is actually fairly legit. There’s a bus ride from Madison Square down to SoHo through Ladies’ Mile that doesn’t suddenly flash to Long Island City like most NYC location shoots. For that reason alone, it stands above.
