Who is in charge of our fate? What is point? Where are we going? When will they make a movie explaining this? Why am I writing this review!? These questions have plagued me for years. Do we have a fate? Is it all random and we make the decisions? I have gotten into many arguments with people that think its both. For the longest time I believed it was either one or the other. Some all knowing “thing” has a plan for all of us, well that’s nice. The flip side there is no one looking out for us, we make our own way. While the ladder is more bleak, people could see that one as more empowering. “I decided what happens to me”. People like to think both apply, they want the best of both worlds. To be honest not knowing one or the other kind of frustrated me. I would just like to know either way.
‘The Adjustment Bureau’ dives right into all these questions. I was worried going into this movie, I have obvious feelings on the subject. I am please to say the questions and answers in this movie are done very well. They talk about all the thoughts I’ve had on the subject of fate and destiny. First off, Matt Damon and Emily Blunt are really good in this movie. They probably won’t be winning any awards, but I found them likeable and believable. I found myself hoping they would succeed and surprised by the characters depths. Some of my favorite scenes in the movie are just Matt and Emily’s characters having conversations that have nothing to do with the movie’s plot.Now ‘The Adjustment Bureau’ didn’t answer any questions for me, about my own fate, but when I left the theater I felt hopeful and satisfied (although, parts of the movie felt a little heavy handed.) Any time they mention the “chairman” I rolled my eyes. But for the most part the idea of someone watching over you was done very well. It could have easily felt too religious or preachy, but it surprised me how subtle they made it. I hope you will enjoy this movie as much as I did.
The Rating System
Production ( Directing, Editing, Music) 3-5
Story ( Plot)4-5
Characters ( Likability, Acting)4-5
Writing ( Dialogue, Cleverness)4-5
Emotions ( Was it; Fun, Scary, Sad, Do I care)5-5
Over all score 20-25
I saw this yesterday, and like you, I was pleasantly surprised by it. And yes, the idea of the chairman made me laugh, but the use of the word was deliberate. The adjustment bureau treated their duties as exactly that, a job, in turn making them detached and unfeeling as any humdrum day-to-day would do to a human (hmm was that intentional as well? To relate the audience to the bureau by giving them limited human qualities?). One thing I loved was the camaraderie between Harry and David (Matt Damon), giving the audience the feeling that we are all emotional beings but it is the degree to which we allow our emotions control us that dictates our personalities. With that said, I also thought it was appropriate how Harry reached out to David by sharing information but exactly answering direct questions: if they were angels and if it was god creating the plan, what is free-will and does it indeed exist, etc. I think the overarching theme was that everything is up to our personal interpretation; a supreme being can exist in any form in the eye of the beholder, fate is what we make of it and our course is decided upon our actions when we meet each "adjustment”. By not giving away too much information David was forced to work things out on his own, use his free will to determine his actions., which lead to a change in his plan. And that is what I loved most, the vulnerability of the "master plan", how it could be exposed and debunked by any single person who has enough ambition and gumption to forge their own course in life; nothing is permanent, nothing is decided - even the existence and omnipotence of a higher being is refutable.
ReplyDeleteThe answer is… there is no answer.