Slick, fast paced and compelling, The Adjustment Bureau is an absolute delight to watch. The film opens with David Morris (Matt Damon) preparing his concession speech as had run for the United States senate and lost. He meets Elise (Emily Blunt), a ballerina in the hotel bathroom and the two of them feel a strong connection. He then goes on to give an electrifying speech that pits him as a frontrunner for the next Senate Election.
What follows is a fast paced narration on the consequences of those who dare to challenge destiny. David wants to be with Elise, but his destiny is to be the President of the United States, without Elise. He is informed of this by a solemn looking man in a grey suit and hat. He is also informed that his destiny had been written and it was their duty to make sure he (David) followed it. David complies, leaving Elise abruptly. His campaign for Senate ramps up, with him in a clear lead. But they still bump into each other, accidentally. And this time they promise to never let each other go.
The film interweaves the alternate universe of the Adjustment Bureau, as the men are called with the regular world. The men at the Bureau put down the meeting between David and Elise to "chance". A slim ray of light in a destiny lined horizon. When David is accosted by the Bureau for trying to get back in touch with Elise, he objects "but my fate is determined by my choices, and I choose her!" It raises poignant questions about life and its queer twists and turns but without the gravity that is usually associated with these topics. And this is the most refreshing part of the movie. It comes off as an entertainer, first and foremost. The theory on destiny, fate, and choices enhance the story rather than drive it.
Matt Damon as David Norris and Emily Blunt as Elise are so natural it is almost real! The screen crackles with chemistry whenever they are in it. New York is shown in grim lines and connecting doors, which are an integral part of the story. All parts of this film have fallen into place perfectly, just like a jigsaw puzzle.
If "Inception" was a meal, then "The Adjustment Bureau" would be the desert. A must watch.
What follows is a fast paced narration on the consequences of those who dare to challenge destiny. David wants to be with Elise, but his destiny is to be the President of the United States, without Elise. He is informed of this by a solemn looking man in a grey suit and hat. He is also informed that his destiny had been written and it was their duty to make sure he (David) followed it. David complies, leaving Elise abruptly. His campaign for Senate ramps up, with him in a clear lead. But they still bump into each other, accidentally. And this time they promise to never let each other go.
The film interweaves the alternate universe of the Adjustment Bureau, as the men are called with the regular world. The men at the Bureau put down the meeting between David and Elise to "chance". A slim ray of light in a destiny lined horizon. When David is accosted by the Bureau for trying to get back in touch with Elise, he objects "but my fate is determined by my choices, and I choose her!" It raises poignant questions about life and its queer twists and turns but without the gravity that is usually associated with these topics. And this is the most refreshing part of the movie. It comes off as an entertainer, first and foremost. The theory on destiny, fate, and choices enhance the story rather than drive it.
Matt Damon as David Norris and Emily Blunt as Elise are so natural it is almost real! The screen crackles with chemistry whenever they are in it. New York is shown in grim lines and connecting doors, which are an integral part of the story. All parts of this film have fallen into place perfectly, just like a jigsaw puzzle.
If "Inception" was a meal, then "The Adjustment Bureau" would be the desert. A must watch.