Plot: What’s it about?
There are those out there who believe that everything happens for a reason. This phrase has been used on many a copout and chalking things up to “fate.” I’m not one of those people. I think we make our own futures and to simply dismiss something saying it was “meant to be” is downright preposterous. Now maybe I’m incorrect, maybe I am meant to die in a plane crash on March 27, 2046 and nothing I say or do will prohibit that. It’s just going to happen no matter what I do to prevent it. Still, I won’t turn this review into some sort of debate, but therein lies the plot of “The Adjustment Bureau.” And while on topic of the movie, let’s talk Matt Damon. Damon has been one of my favorite actors for years and I think both the “Ocean’s” trilogy and the “Bourne” movies have made him into a star that won’t be going anywhere for quite some time. He’s proven that he can do anything from action to comedy to drama and is consistently a box office draw. That makes Hollywood happy and let’s face it – his movies aren’t exactly bad. So with “The Adjustment Bureau” I was intrigued to see what all the buzz was about. Here it is.
David Norris (Matt Damon) is running for Congress. A few years prior, just after winning the election for a Representative, he got into a bar fight. This hasn’t ruined his reputation, but its memory still lingers. Norris is defeated handily, but not before he runs into Elise (Emily Blunt) in a men’s room. Their attraction is instant and his subsequent concession speech is something that is talked about for the next couple of years. Years pass and it’s once again time to consider running for re-election and David hasn’t been able to track down Elise. As it turns out, this isn’t by happenstance and they’re being deliberately kept apart by the “adjustment bureau”, a seemingly magical race of humans who can control the destinies of everyone on the planet. As fate would have it, pardon the irony there, David does see Elise again by sheer luck and the two meet up. She’s a ballet dancer. Once the two get to know one another, it’s a race against time and the adjustment bureau (who’s trying to keep them apart). Will David and Elise end up together and what of David’s political aspirations?
Admittedly I went into this movie somewhat half-heartedly. I wasn’t too compelled by the trailers, but I did like the lead actors and I decided to give it a chance. As it turns out, I found the film to be very gripping, well-made and a movie that actually made you think. I like that. I hate to sound like a rep. for Universal, but it does combine certain elements of “Inception” that really did seem to make sense to me. I think I’d have liked a little more information on the actual “adjustment bureau” like where they came from and how old they really were, but we all know this is a “Matt Damon” film and he’s pretty much in every scene. Amid the chaos of your run-of-the-mill films, this one does stand out to me and I’m sure that I’ll spin this disc at least once a year. Recommended.
Video: How does it look?
I’m noticing a trend in that movies seem to be going to the more narrow 1.85:1 format. Or maybe it’s just me? Nevertheless, this 1.85:1 VC-1 HD image looks pretty darn good and it’s certainly expected with a new to Blu-ray film. The majority of the film takes place in the concrete jungle of New York City and, as such, we get our fair share of cold grey and black images. This creates a very saturated look and we see every detail on Matt Damon’s face (contrasted with the porcelain skin of Emily Blunt). Contrast is good and black levels were, by and large, as well. There were a few instances in which there was a bit of muddiness, but those were pretty few and far between. On the whole, it’s a great-looking film and won’t disappoint.
Audio: How does it sound?
The DTS HD Master Audio soundtrack is engaging as well. While not as “in your face” as some of the “Bourne” movies, this one is robust enough to at least be memorable. Dialogue takes center stage here, with a very hearty and strong sound that has no distortion. The surrounds are engaged from time to time and there are a few scenes of outright action. By and large this is a front-heavy mix and it all adds up to a very nice-sounding mix.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Universal has given “The Adjustment Bureau” a nice selection of supplements. We start out with an audio commentary by writer/director George Nolfi. In it he scours the script and some of the more compelling challenges he faced while doing the film. He’s a true “film student” if there ever was one and it’s not a bad track in the least. Next we get a series of featurettes starting out with “Leaping Through New York” in which we see some of the various locations shown in the film (Yankee Stadium, Ellis Island, etc.). “Destined to Be” focuses on Damon and Blunt and their characters. “Becoming Elise” shows the physical challenges that actress Emily Blunt had to endure to become a ballerina (maybe she should have spoken to Natalie Portman?) We also get half-dozen deleted scenes. Moving onto the HD extras we get an interactive map of New York which is pretty cool. With a little help from Google Maps, you can “leap” from door to door just like in the film. The second disc is a digital copy/DVD of the film.
