Movie Review: The Adjustment Bureau

"The Adjustment Bureau" is a blend of genres: Science Fiction, Romance, Political Thriller. For the first forty mintues, the film seems to not really know what it is, beginning, oddly, as a portrait of a young politician, the personable yet rowdy David Norris (Matt Damon). Unfotunately for Norris, it seems his political career may be over after a picture of his butt emerges in the morning paper. However, after a chance (or is it fate?) encounter in the men's bathroom with none other than the beautiful Elise Sellas (Emily Blunt), he is inspired to make the single best political concession speech of his career, a sort of exposé on the phoniness of politics.

Too much time is devoted to his political campaigns, with interviews from various cable news entities (Jon Stewart) thrown in there in an attempt at authenticity. All the while, we're occasionally seeing glimpses of sinister, middle aged men in trench coats and fedoras, and an overall sense that something is amiss.  These men (?) walk in synchronized fashion, as if rods were up their butts, and occasionally share in small, awkward conversations with each other e.g. "You should take some time off; even we need vacations sometimes".

These adroit, uncomfortable beings are apparently angels, or something. "Some have called us that", says Anthony Mackie, straining to maintain a straight face. They are members of The Adjustment Bureau, a team of supernatural business men who control everything. Yes, everything. For reasons unknown, it is of the utmost importance that David Norris not fall in love with Elise Sellas, and whenever Norris attempts to be with her, he is thwarted by this mysterious bunch.

This is the part of the review where I might be inclined to tell you there are spoilers ahead, but the logic of the film is so skewed that I honestly could care less. The plot holes are gaping, expansive, awe-inspiring.

The worst parts of Adjustment Bureau are without a doubt when the bureaucrats attempt to explain their existence. "What about free will?" bursts Damon, in a fit of bewilderment. They explain that they've tried free will, but humans have a tendency to screw things up when left to their own devices (hence, this movie). "We (the adjustment bureau) brought you to the height of the Roman Empire", explains a deadpan Terrence Stamp. "Then, we stepped back. We watched as you destroyed yourselves; the fall of the Roman Empire, the dark ages. Then we came back in, and gave you the Renaissance, the Enlightenment. Then in 1910, we stepped back again, and watched you descend into World War I, World War II, and then bring yourselves to the brink of destruction with the Cuban Missile Crisis. Since then, we've stepped back in, before you altered the plan so irreversibly that even we wouldn't be able to save you". Well, he knows his history!

Not only is it absurd to think that this supernatural bureau went back and forth between controlling human behavior and giving us free will. But also, I guess we're supposed to assume that all of the atrocities that occurred while under the influence of the bureau were, actually, performed according to a devised plan? Slavery, the Civil War, Vietnam, September 11- these are all events that apparently occurred under the Bureau's divine influence. "Do you ever wonder if the plan is wrong?" submits the bold Anthony Mackie. Hmmmm, let's think about that. Or better yet, let's not.

The movie then descends into laughable parody. The bureaucrats can open doors, and travel to any location through the doorways, as long as they're wearing their magical fedoras. This makes for some ridiculous chase scenes through baseball fields, banks, and my personal favorite, the Statue of Liberty. "Teach me how to use the doors", says Matt Damon, in a pivotal scene. Spoiler alert: all you need is a fedora, and to turn the doorknob clockwise.

The bureaucrats are so powerful, and can do so many things, that it is often extremely frustrating to watch how horribly incompetent they are. Haven't they been doing this for thousands of years? Even Terrence Stamp, the bureaucrat whose nickname is "The Hammer", has a tough time quelling the unstoppable force that is Matt Damon.

The saddest part about "The Adjustment Bureau" is that there's potential here for a good movie. Matt Damon is excellent as the likable politician, and the chemistry between Damon and Emily Blunt is solid. I truly think this would have been a better movie if there was no adjustment bureau, and it was simply about a young politician forming a relationship which could potentially threaten his political career. I wish I could adjust this movie's fate, abandoning it's silly premise for a simpler, better one. But I can't. Why? Because I don't own a fedora.