The Film
Matt Damon desperately tries to sprinkle some sci-fi (and Philip K. Dick) into the action genre in The Adjustment Bureau.
Based on one of Dick's short stories, Damon plays David Norris, a promising politician on a downward spiral. On the night of a major defeat, he has a chance meeting with dancer Elise (Emily Blunt), who inspires him to make the speech of his life. Thankfully, Elise and David meet again. Unfortunately, it's not in the plans of The Adjustment Bureau, a group of guys in awesome hats who make life events happen, all according to a greater plan -- even the occasional coffee spill (that explains a lot).
Of course, this is Damon, who is quite the slippery bastard. So despite John Slattery and his carte blanche to the Mad Men prop closet, the doomed couple meet again and again. However, can true love prevail over sci-fi weirdness?
Universal originally pushed the release of The Adjustment Bureau, only to have the movie semi-flop at the box office. Maybe it's because it's not a great action flick. Anyone expecting Bourne will be extremely disappointed. Very few asses are kicked. Instead, the film is big on talk (and hats), with very little actual action. That would be fine and dandy, if the movie didn't tease so much. The best thing that first-time director George Nolfi did to this movie was hire Damon, Blunt and Slattery as its leads; they are basically the only thing holding the slow-paced, kind of silly film together.
Need to pick up the pace? Check out Karen Dahlstrom's theatrical review of The Adjustment Bureau.
The Picture
It may be slow, but no one can say that The Adjustment Bureau isn't an attractive movie. Looking like a bonafide blockbuster, Universal has created a winning image with this 1.85:1 transfer. The film does have a fairly dark palette, which gives it that slick sci-fi feel. The good news is that it handles that darkness very well. It not only looks good, but it's also sharp, which is insanely evident in the close-up on Damon's salt and pepper hair.
The Sound
Despite a very nice image, the DTS-HD Master Audio track is sort of a disappointment. It delivers the dialogue well. However, like the film itself, there are very few thrills. There's parking garage and warehouse echoes, the cheer of political supporters, a brief rainstorm, and a few other atmospheric sounds sprinkled throughout the film. In other words, it's not a total loss, but it feels like it could be a much more immersive experience. Instead, this track opts to make the film's score the star of the surrounds.
The Extras
Universal has packed The Adjustment Bureau with a decent selection of extras. There's commentary and deleted scenes. "Leaping Through New York" tries to cram in location, plot details and special effects in all of 8 minutes, while "Destined to Be" has both leads rehashing the script. Emily Blunt also gets her own spotlight in "Becoming Elise."
The most unique feature is the Interactive Map. Use your remote to click on a door, and you'll be whisked away to that location, via Google. Click on Travel Through the Door, and you'll get directed to another location and possibly film clips or behind-the-scenes snippets. It's kind of a cool way to present some making-of material, but it's also slow moving. That will probably keep you from checking out more than two or three locations in a sitting.
Final Thoughts
Instead of a sci-fi Romeo and Juliet, The Adjustment Bureau plays more like Jason Bourne's Day Off. It seems to spend the majority of the movie promising action that just never happens. If you must follow all things Matt Damon (or Emily Blunt), at least you'll have some comfort in a talented cast and the film's stylish image.
Product Details
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