Cinefile

Steven Spielberg's masterful Minority Report was based on material by Philip K. Dick and the film explored the ethics of fate, chance and consequence. In that film, police officers were assigned to a "pre-crime" unit where they were able to pinpoint criminals (with cognitive assistance) and arrest them before the crimes actually occurred. Of course, the dilemma there is that since the crime never happens, are these people really guilty? It's an interesting crisis and now director George Nolfi (who wrote The Bourne Ultimatum) brings us The Adjustment Bureau, another Dick adaptation, which is a film that tries its hand at predestination. The premise behind Bureau is that the world is secretly controlled by men in suits who can freeze everything and "adjust" our paths, routes--you get it. Even with the "sci-fi" element aside, Bureau should have been a compelling piece of cinema that used the deception of its plot to emote primal fears of self-purpose and the meaning of life but it instead plays as a silly Saturday morning episode of The Outer Limits.

Matt Damon stars as bad boy Senator-to-be David Norris. At the start of the film Norris is on the verge of winning a Senate seat. We know this because we see a cheesy montage of cheering crowds, a boat on a river and an array of newspaper headlines. Then, through an unflattering find from Norris' past, the public changes its mind and votes for the opponent. It's here when The Adjustment Bureau first shows a believable pulse. While prepping his losing speech in the men's restroom of a civic building, Norris bumps into Elise Sellas (Emily Blunt). Elise is hiding from building security and charms the living hell out of Norris. In fact, Damon and Blunt are so much fun to watch during these moments that it feels like we started watching a different movie.

After some time passes, Norris meets Elise again and it's obvious that the two enjoy each other's company. A romance seems inevitable and here's where the big "twist" comes in: Norris was never meant to see again Elise again! The men from the Adjustment Bureau abduct Norris and reveal that the world is in fact controlled by a bigger personality (always referred to as "him" but never as "God") who employ men with suits and fedoras to move people around like room furniture. Dun-dun-duuuhhh!!!

The problem with Nolfi's direction is that he instructs the suited men to deliver their lines like carpet salesmen. No one seems excited or thrilled about their God-like occupation and therefore we in the audience never really feel intimidated by these figures. Instead of creating threatening or elusive figures who lurk in the shadows, we are met with the cast of Mad Men who run around with leather-bound journals in their hands. Anthony Mackie (The Hurt Locker), an actor who usually brings depth and clarity to his roles, is completely wasted here as a suited man who may or may not want to help Norris. Late in the film Terence Stamp (The Limey) shows up and injects some presence the film desperately needs but by that point people in the audience have either checked out or have fallen asleep. The biggest crime here is that we never really get a sense of the overwhelming power that comes with the concept of predestination. Instead, we're distracted with perfunctory elements of screen action (wait until the last twenty minutes give you a crash course with the colors of doors) that are supposed to conjure up suspense but actually subtract from any remaining substance. While watching The Adjustment Bureau I found myself searching the screen for a compelling insight or visual--think of the water tunnels coming out of characters' chests in Donnie Darko--about the human experience here on Earth. I was sad to realize that all I found was a mediocre film that worked best when Matt Damon was running around. For that, stay home and watch the Nolfi-penned Bourne Ultimatum.