The Adjustment Bureau: A Refreshing Look Into Fate

This weekend in between college assignments, I was able to catch The Adjustment Bureau, starring Matt Damon and Emily Blunt. If you see this movie and think, "Hey, this movie reminds me a lot of the Bourne series," you are not far off key for two reasons:

1. It's a high tech action movie starring Matt Damon.
2. The first time director, George Nolfi, wrote the screenplay for The Bourne Ultimatum.

I was actually surprised with how much I liked this movie, because even as a film novice as compared to most critics, I tire of the formulaic methods used in most films today. I expected a sort of run-from-the-law type of movie with a love interest on the side, which is actually what I got, but something about the science fiction aspect really drives the story. Adapted from the short story "Adjustment Team" by Philip K. Dick, The Adjustment Bureau breaks from the typical governmental policy rulings and dives into the workers of the universe, into fate itself. We do not know exactly who controls fate in this film, as the prevailing question over this is a somewhat religious one: do we have free will to make our life choices, or is there something greater than us directing our path?

Damon, whose performance is much akin to his Jason Bourne performances, shines in this type of role. He knows what he is doing; therefore, the premise of the movie does not seem farfetched. He is David Norris, a man with a goal; after discovering that his fate is almost completely ruled by a group of men, he decides to deviate from their plans and make his own fate, disregarding his political destiny for the love of Blunt's character, Elise. This quest for love spans over years, with Norris relying on chance encounters to lead him towards his personally chosen destiny with Elise. I thought that the scenes in which Damon's character has to fight against fate, whether by a canceled appointment, a disconnected phone, or a taxi accident were well executed and kept the flow of the story moving. 

The only problem that I had with this movie is that the ending, I felt, was a bit of a cop out. I won't spoil here, but of course, the Expected Happy Ending occurs in the end, which results in a bit of an anticlimactic ending after a large build up. I was actually on the edge of my seat in the theater as I watched the two characters run from the masters of fate. However, let me say once again that I really enjoyed this movie, even though it was not without its snags. 

Recommendation: See it in theaters!