Free will v. pre-determination. Always a fun conversation. This typically philosophical discussion actually plays quite well on the big screen in the Adjustment Bureau, starring Matt Damon and Emily Blunt. Matt Damon is a brash, idealistic politician from New York. His greatest asset, his devil-may-care attitude, is also his biggest liability. We learn that Damon is that rare creature who is actually more comfortable in front of large crowds than he is by himself. Politics is his life-blood.
Enter Emily Blunt. She's an accomplished dancer, on the verge of hitting it big. She's also a free spirit; i.e. not a politician's wife. The meeting between the two is as unlikely as it is charming. The couple immediately hits it off, and the chemistry between them really comes through on screen. It's almost like fate has brought them together. All signs point toward the two of them settling down and spending a lifetime together.
But of course that wouldn't be a good movie. So, instead Damon shows up to work early one day and finds everyone in his office being 'scanned' by the Bureau members. We find out that these men make sure that everything in life goes "according to plan." Who's plan? Why, the "Chairman" upstairs, of course. The Bureau quickly informs Damon that Emily Blunt is not in his plan, no matter what he may feel for her.
While it may not be in the plan for either of them, the attraction remains. The film doesn't get too deep into the academic discussion of free will, but it delves deep enough to move the story along and frame the choices that each character must make.
A couple of the secondary story-lines are more interesting. First, the movie poses a most intriguing question: would you give up the person you love if you knew that being together meant that it would destroy your love's dreams and aspirations in life? Can the love between two people outweigh the knowledge that being together necessarily means the end of their goals in life? An intriguing question, and one which I'm not confident answering.
The other story-line that is fascinating is the idea that those who are enforcing the 'plan,' the Bureau members, don't even know why they are enforcing it. Additionally, maybe the "plan" can be wrong. The 'chairman' upstairs could have been off in his assessment and might need to correct himself.
The movie winds up with a fun chase through all of the biggest tourist spots in New York (Yankee Stadium, Times Square, the Statue of Liberty, etc). The ending feels like a bit of a cop-out as bows are tied too cleanly on all of the conflicts. Nevertheless, the movie has some strong performances and presents some fun food for thought.
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- Stuart
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