Culture

Directed by George Nolfi. Starring Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Anthony Mackie, John Slattery (3/5).
If I had left half way through this movie, I probably would have written a favourable review. Regrettably I stayed for its entirety and now I’m duty-bound to tell the truth. A good start with interesting and likeable characters takes descends into bizarre (and not in a good way) plot twists which only serve to highlight the many holes in the story, culminating in a particularly disappointing finale along the lines of “and then I woke up”.
 

The Adjustment Bureau attempts to track the story of David Morris (Matt Damon), an up-and-coming senatorial hopeful who meets an intriguing woman (Emily Blunt) just after being defeated in elections. The two are inexplicably drawn to each other but separate before they can exchange names. Enter the men from the Adjustment Bureau, a secret agency of God that keeps humans running according to a plan, because we have proven ourselves ineffective at governing humanity’s fate. A good start tails off into a listless story that fails to keep you either intrigued or entertained. Luckily the chemistry between Damon and Blunt is electric and the love they profess for each other is the most believable aspect of an otherwise unexciting tale.
 

One upside is that the score is by Thomas Newman (American Beauty). The banality of the last half hour isn’t as terrible when accompanied by his music, particularly the piece that plays during the credits. If this had been written as a movie about a young senator it would have been a great film, but when you introduce other-worldly themes alongside human elements it just gets too much. I also have a feeling they were trying to make a snide but insightful commentary on the progress of mankind throughout the ages and the power of free will; big failure. This is definitely one for the illegal download list; subvert the studios and hopefully they will discontinue average story lines in the hope that the lead actors will be enough to carry the film through.