Thursday, August 18, 2011

The Adjustment Bureau Blu-Ray Review

Rated PG-13 (Brief Strong Language, Some Sexuality and a Violent Image)

Running Time: 1 Hour & 46 Minutes

Cast:
Matt Damon-David Norris
Emily Blunt-Elise Sellas
Anthony Mackie-Harry Mitchell
John Slattery-Richardson
Terence Stamp-Thompson
Anthony Ruivivar-McCrady
Michael Kelly-Charlie Traynor

Directed by George Nolfi

"You must memorize this script before your future is adjusted."
Philip K. Dick is the very definition of a starving artist. With 121 short stories and 44 published novels to his name, the prolific science fiction writer unfortunately spent much of his career living in near-poverty. Although many of his works have been adapted into films by Hollywood, the results have been mixed due to unnecessary alterations to make it more palatable to mainstream audiences. 1982’s “Blade Runner,” adapted from the 1968 novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is widely regarded as one of the best films ever made, a neo-noir science fiction classic that initially received mixed reviews upon its release. However, for every “Minority Report” or “A Scanner Darkly,” we get something like “Paycheck” or “Next.” George Nolfi makes his directorial debut with “The Adjustment Bureau,” loosely based on Dick’s 1954 short story Adjustment Team published in Orbit Science Fiction magazine. While Nolfi isn’t able to mesh the science fiction and romantic elements as smoothly as he had hoped, the film’s themes of free will and predestination, combined with the strong chemistry exhibited by Matt Damon and Emily Blunt make “The Adjustment Bureau” a compelling and engaging experience. 

New York Congressman David Norris (Matt Damon) is running for the United States Senate in 2006 but his hopes of easily winning the election are shattered when a college prank video is dug up and published by the New York Post. While rehearsing his concession speech in the men’s bathroom, he encounters a young woman named Elise Sellas (Emily Blunt), who is hiding from hotel security for crashing a wedding. The two hit it off immediately and end up passionately kissing but is interrupted when his campaign advisor, Charlie Traynor (Michael Kelly), walks in on them. David, inspired by her words, eschews his prepared script and instead delivers a candid speech that is extremely well-received, making him an early favorite for the 2010 Senate race. One month later and privately employed by a venture capital group, David bumps into Elise on the bus ride to work and is surprised that it is the same woman he met in the men’s bathroom. They quickly catch up and Elise writes down her phone number for him before getting off on her stop. David arrives at work to discover all his co-workers immobilized and being examined by black-uniformed men, who quickly chase after him. He is eventually incapacitated and brought to an unknown warehouse to meet an impeccably-dressed man named Richardson (John Slattery). Explaining that he is from the ‘Adjustment Bureau’ and that their job is to make sure events go according ‘to plan’ as written by ‘the Chairman,’ Richardson delivers an ultimatum to David: he is to never try to contact Elise again or mention the existence of the Bureau to anyone under threat of being ‘reset’ or effectively lobotomized. Before being let go, Richardson burns Elise’s phone number to ensure David’s cooperation. Three years flash by and David is unable to forget Elise, taking the same bus everyday in the hopes of bumping into her. As luck would have it, he spots her walking down the street and the two reconnect. However, the Adjustment Bureau is determined to stop him but the more obstacles they place, the more David fights back to be with Elise. Left with no choice, they send a ruthless ‘caseworker’ named Thompson (Terence Stamp) to resolve the situation. 

Although “The Adjustment Bureau” was marketed on its sci-fi premise leading up to its release, it is essentially a romance film with science fiction elements. Nolfi is primarily a writer and his credits include 2007’s “The Bourne Ultimatum” but as a novice director, he isn’t able to smoothly mesh these disparate components as well as he had hoped for yet the intimate focus afforded to its two main characters actually help ground the film even when it threatens to go off the rails. The Judeo-Christian roots of the film’s themes aren’t exactly subtle nor does it try to be with the Adjustment Bureau’s unseen Chairman analogous to an omnipotent and omniscient God.  David even asks a sympathetic ‘caseworker’ named Harry Mitchell (Anthony Mackie) if they’re actually ‘angels,’ to which he replies, ‘We've been called that.’ A number of interesting questions crop up over the course of the film: are our lives already written and we’re just acting out our predetermined roles with the illusion of free will or are we in control of our destiny and forge our own path? Without proper guidance, is humanity doomed to a never-ending cycle of violence? Can love ultimately conquer all obstacles? The answer to that last question is perhaps hammered home with a little too much zeal while the concepts of predestination and free will aren’t taken as far as they potentially allow and are handled in broad strokes but the fact that Nolfi aspired for his film to be more than what Hollywood typically offers is admirable, even if he’s not always successful. The ending is also rather anticlimactic and low-key given its build-up but it leaves the audience emotionally satisfied, despite the fact that Philip K. Dick himself held a very pessimistic worldview. To spruce up the proceedings, there are a number of slickly-directed chase scenes that adds a nice sense of urgency as David turns the tables by using the Adjustment Bureau’s own abilities against them but for the most part, this is a character-driven affair. 

While the foundations of its sci-fi premise may be shaky, the romance proves to be the film’s saving grace thanks to the strong chemistry between Matt Damon and Emily Blunt. Both of their roles aren’t inherently challenging yet we become emotionally invested in their situation because the likable rapport they share allows us to believe, just for two hours, that true love will win. In fact, I found myself smiling whenever Damon and Blunt are on-screen together as they seem to genuinely enjoy each other’s company. The rest of the cast such as John Slattery and Anthony Mackie look appropriately mysterious with their impeccable suits and bowler hats that reminded me of the Men in Black, which remain popular in UFO conspiracy theories. Terrance Stamp brings his usual gravitas to his roles, supporting or otherwise, and is always a welcome sight in any film with his distinctive, aristocratic voice. 

“The Adjustment Bureau” was released on Blu-Ray back in June and the results are quite impressive. New York City always looks stunning on film and while John Toll’s cinematography leans toward a filtered blue/gray tinge that mimics the cold, impersonal world of the Bureau, the picture still manages to pop with color. Shadows are vivid and have depth but while much of the film takes place in dimly lit environments, it never drenches everything in darkness as textures maintain strong detail and skin tones exhibit a healthy tone. Being a dialogue-driven film, audio is more subdued but it still immerses thanks to its use of ambience in exterior scenes and there’s even some thumping bass when David and Elise find themselves at a nightclub. While it won’t light the world on fire, this is a technically proficient Blu-Ray release. Special features are on the average side with an audio commentary from Nolfi plus a number of five-to-eight minute featurettes with the cast discussing their characters and shooting on-location in New York City. There’s also an interactive map where you select locations as if you’re traveling like a member of the Adjustment Bureau and are shown a brief behind-the-scenes clip associated with that location. 

Released on March 4, 2011, “The Adjustment Bureau” received generally positive reviews with 72% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics noted that ‘Nolfi struggles to maintain a consistent tone, but [the film] rises on the strong, believable chemistry of its stars.’ Opening against director Gore Verbinski and Johnny Depp’s animated western “Rango,” the film debuted at #2 at the box office with a solid $21 million and went on to gross $127 million worldwide against a $50 million production budget. Although George Nolfi makes a few noticeable missteps as a rookie director with a weak ending and struggles to reconcile the film’s science fiction and romantic elements, “The Adjustment Bureau” ranks as one of the better Philip K. Dick film adaptations, managing to engage with its thought-provoking themes, stylish cinematography, and the winning chemistry of Matt Damon and Emily Blunt.

Final Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“Most people live life on the path we set for them…too afraid to explore any other. But once in a while, people like you come along who knock down all the obstacles we put in your way. People who realize free will is a gift you'll never know how to use until you fight for it. I think that's the Chairman's real plan, that maybe one day we won't write the plan. You will.”