The Adjustment Bureau - Movie Review

I like good science fiction. Although I don't like derivative films. While The Adjustment Bureau may have flavors reminiscent of The Matrix or Butterfly Effect, the film is fresh enough to be something unique. While the story is not as compelling as The Matrix, it proved to be a solid science fiction suspense film. It also predates the other films, as an extension of the short story The Adjustment Team by Philip K. Dick, one of the most prolific, genius science fiction writers to set pen to paper.

David Norris (Matt Damon) is a rising politician. He is a popular Congressman who loses his first bid for Senate with the timed release of an embarrassing photograph. A chance meeting with a ballerina, Elise (Emily Blunt), helps him change course. A stirring concession speech places Norris squarely on the path to run for the Senate again.

As we learn more about Norris, we find that his mother and brother died one month apart when he was still young. His father stirred the political fires inside him before he died as well. These events did not happen in a vacuum. It seems that Norris' path has been directed by a group of "adjusters" who work for a mysterious figure known as "The Chairman." When one of the adjusters makes a subtle mistake, the ripple effect puts Norris and Elise on a converging path that continually strengthens, in spite of increasing intervention.

Norris receives a direct intervention after discovering the existence of the Adjustment Bureau. If he reveals their existence to even one person, his mind will be wiped clean. He must keep his knowledge a secret, but the emptiness that Elise fills for him cannot be denied. Norris risks everything to reclaim Elise while trying to keep her in the dark regarding the bureau. The intervention continually escalates to higher authority before The Chairman personally intervenes.

Director George Nolfi adapted a short story by Pillip K. Dick to create this screenplay. The one hour and 39 minute run-time never felt like filler. That surprised me since this film was based on a short story. Nolfi did an excellent job of character development and making the plot matter. He was also careful to pay homage to other films without stealing their ideas. The film felt original to me. The dialogue was decent, but the plot was predictable at times.

Matt Damon could play a janitor and win my approval (although he currently appears to be on a losing streak). He has an ease with his characters that helps him connect with an audience. His portrayal of a young Congressman running for the Senate required a combination of youthfulness and composure, which he meshed effortlessly. His chemistry with Emily Blunt was credible. Blunt was excellent as well. While I don't know much about dance, her dance routines were convincing enough to lend me to believe her character would eventually achieve great things in dance. Anthony Mackie was also credible as Adjustment Case Worker Harry Mitchell, who had an unusual emotional connection with Norris.

The Adjustment Bureau is rated PG-13. I took my twelve year old son to see the film when it was still in theaters, and was not embarrassed. There was one sex scene, but it was quick and did not include nudity. The film contains some strong language and also violence. There was also talk about death. There are some good, intense chase sequences, but nothing that would create nightmares. Overall, this film is pretty tame.

I enjoyed The Adjustment Bureau. (I am also a huge fan of Philip K. Dick's work). Other viewers may see it as a knock-off. While the film gives a mild nod to other science fiction pieces, this version is mostly original. The plot is fairly simple, but well executed. The fact that it was based on a short story does not show in the feature length run-time. The film did not have any visible fluff to stretch the length. It felt like a complete, unique complement to the Science Fiction genre. 7.5/10.