The Adjustment Bureau
Heavenly caretakers
I’ve had the opportunity to participate in long bar table conversations about fate, chance, luck, traced paths, etc. But, I don’t remember any movies where these concepts have been dealt with, at least until I watched the interesting “The Adjustment Bureau” (USA, 2011), by first-time director George Nolfi.
This film certainly tease another discussion, also endless. Is that the film is based on the short story “Adjustment Team”, by sci-fi writer Philip K. Dick, whose books inspired the movies “Blade Runner” (USA, 1982), “Minority Report” (USA, 2002), “Paycheck” (USA, 2003) and “Total Recall” (USA, 1990) and (USA/CAN, 2012). Like others screenwriters did, the writer’s pessimistic view was softened, which always causes furor in fans of the books.
At the beginning of the film we are introduced to the protagonist, the politician David Norris (Matt Damon). David is a promising young congressman from Brooklyn who is running for a seat in the US Senate. Although he was very well in the polls, an indiscreet picture of him in the college, made him lose many votes, and he had to face defeat.
While brooding over his disappointment in the bathroom, he was trying to rehearse his speech of defeat, only to discover that a girl has hidden there. The woman was Elise (Emily Blunt), and the first conversation between them inspires David in a speech that became memorable.
Some time later, David meets Elise again on a bus, rekindling their mutual interest. They didn’t know it, but mysterious men in hats wanted, at all costs, to avoid this encounter, which had only happened due to the fault of one of them.
When David arrives at the office, he finds people paralyzed, and strange men brainwashing his best friend and advisor, Charlie (Michael Kelly). David tries to run away, but strange men in hats seem to be everywhere. He is captured and threatened by the men with having his brain “wiped out” if he reveals anything about them, or if he tries to get close to Elise again.
Some time later, David receives a strange invitation. One of the men in hats who had threatened him offers to explain what he can about the strange events of the past few days.
Mitchell (Anthony Mackie) explains to David that they are Agents, who are in the service of the President. They had many powers, and some limitations, and their job is to see to it that the Plan works as planned.
He explained that they had already tried to let Humanity control its own destiny, but they had nearly killed each other, forcing the President to regain control of the Plan. Astonished, David asked what he had to do with it, and why he had been forbidden to meet Elise, but the answer was always the same, that it was part of the Plan.
Three years after these events, David meets Elise again, which arouses the Agents’ irritation. One says that, originally, David and Elise should have met and live together. However, a change in the Plan had changed that, and this attraction between the two was a residual effect.
As David seems to be increasingly stubborn about Elise, a new Agent, Thompson (Terence Stamp) is assigned to demolish him. Thompson is tough and direct – his nickname at work was “Hammer” – and doesn’t hesitate to cause an accident with Elise to convince David. Out of fear that she will suffer because of him, David decides to walk away from her.
This decision only lasts until he learns that the girl is going to marry her former fiancé. With Mitchell’s precious help , he decides to face – literally – God and the world to be with her.
While conservative Philip K. Dick fans writhe between crying and gnashing their teeth, as they see it as a disfigurement of the haunted writer’s oeuvre, there is no doubt that George Nolfi, who wrote and directed the movie, brought a much more palatable story to the public of our days.
One of the elements that didn’t exist in the original tale is the impossible love affair, which gains a lot of strength with the excellent chemistry of the central couple. Matt Damon shows his versatility, ranging from super agent Jason Bourne to the long-suffering medium of “Hereafter” (USA, 2010) with equal competence. Emily Blunt, in turn, grows with each film, since her envious secretary of “The Devil Wears Prada” (USA, 2006).
The supporting cast also brings a lot of life to the film, especially John Slattery, Anthony Mackie, and the ever-magnificent Terence Stamp, who does as well the tough roles as the transvestite Bernadette in “The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” (AUS, 1994).
The film’s production is a further highlight, and although the Agents remind Smith of “The Matrix” (USA, 1999), it has a mysterious and dubious atmosphere, which gives a special atmosphere to the story. A detail that gives a very different dimension, and leads the reader to understand that this is not a farce, are the famous doors, which can connect a broom closet to the Yankees stadium.
This port gimmick, put to good use by the crisp and vigorous edition, combined with an engaging soundtrack, gives the film an extremely dynamic rhythm that is sure to please fans of action movies.
And where is the philosophical discussion, theology, angels, God, etc.? Well, all of this is presented in an understated way, allowing the viewer to draw their own conclusions. Nolfi’s optimistic view, which contradicts Dick’s, certainly leans towards free will as God’s main gift to men. See and draw your own conclusions.
The movie is available on the Amazon Prime Video platform .