The Adjustment Bureau

I say it all the time: Do you want an original sci-fi idea? Close your eyes, stick your hand in the pile of Phillip K Dick's unfilmed thoughts, don't mess it up and success is guaranteed. Like, for example, The Adjustment Bureau. The short and unremarkable short story “Adjustment Team" (which begins with a dialogue between two clerks, one of whom is a man and the other a dog, the dog being big and black, and I'll bet that in the film adaptation he became the black janitor, because they both make practically the same mistake - they fall asleep) has become an original sci-fi "angel-god" fairy tale without unnecessary action scenes, without violence and without expensive special effects, which is very pleasant to watch. The debuting director handled it well, The Adjustment Bureau is pleasantly magical from start to finish, the actors also played their part... Yes, I am satisfied.__P.S. Anyone who wants to read the story will find it in the second volume of the collection “Second Variety".__P.P.S. Now, Hollywood, please make me a movie of that blackly humorous book “Counter-Clock World". Thank you. (08/09/2011)

Has it ever happened to you that you meet Ms (or Mr) Right and circumstances spoiled it all for you? Well it wasn’t the circumstances, but guys in hats controlling your fate. A refreshing plot, even fateful romance (Dick is an endless fountain of ideas), excellently transformed into movie format. Nolfi may not be Spielberg or Scott, but he best captures the playfulness and versatility of P.K. Dick’s imagination. Matt Damon plays another nice guy and Emily Blunt is surprisingly well matched to him. Maybe it doesn’t deserve a clean five, but I have a weakness for this genre. And Thomas Newman rocks again. (23/06/2011)

This film may not be great within the genre, but it’s so original that it's above average. A great combination of a romantic plot with a sci-fi theme, excellent casting and Newman's rhythmic soundtrack. The main character stunned me with his behaviour, he was going against his destiny for his desired love, and I wished him luck. The final happy ending felt a bit contrived, but as I said, I was really looking forward to it this time. 75% (05/02/2013)

I’m sorry, but if someone is predestined for something big, they shouldn’t waste their time with love, which is nothing but a solace for blundering mortals! :-) Anyway, The Adjustment Bureau is a nice genre crossover flick that places a hackneyed romance plot in an original setting and enriches it with interesting musings about destiny. A week after watching it, I’m increasing my rating to four stars thanks to the film’s originality. If it had a different, sadder ending, I wouldn’t have hesitated. (27/03/2011)

Most people say it’s a pleasant surprise, but I knew at the beginning of the year that The Adjustment Bureau would be a hit, so the resulting 70% impression remains slightly below my expectations. In any case, it’s a pleasant and playful film in every sense. The outlined mythology of the gentlemen with hats is interesting and I would love to look deeper into it, maybe at the expense of the romantic retro line of a man in trouble and a woman unaware. But I’m being unnecessarily critical. The Adjustment Bureau works perfectly as a romantic sci-fi/fantasy snack, there’s no reason to complain. The ending it’s a pity, though, everything is sorted out almost too smoothly. A successful début no doubt. (05/03/2011)