The Adjustment Bureau

Released:  March 4^th, 2011

Rated:  PG-13

Distributor:  Universal Pictures

Starring:  Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Anthony Mackie, John Slattery

Directed by:  George Nolfi

Written by:  George Nolfi

Personal Bias Alert:  likes the cast, likes old-school sci-fi

7.7 of 10

            Floating in on a puff of fresh air is The Adjustment Bureau, a sci-fi romance that is the polar opposite of the grim, desaturated landscapes that dominate modern fantasy.  It’s bright and bubbly, begging you to like it just as much as much as the main characters pine for each other’s attention.  There’s an underrated value to this sort of film, the kind that’s perfect in just about every situation for every sort of person.  Broad appeal is nothing to be scoffed at, not when it’s done as assuredly and as winningly as it is in this film.

            Undoubtedly, the MVPs of this endeavor are Matt Damon and Emily Blunt as the love-struck leads David and Elise.  They’re two honest-to-god movie stars, enjoyable to watch no matter what they’re doing, even if that’s just surviving alone in space or singing about a cow in the woods.  When put together their chemistry crackles, and watching them flirt is one of the more enjoyable things you can do with your free time.  Of course, the film puts obstacles in their way, in particular a shady group of men in fedoras who actively prevent them from being together, and their battle against these men forms the crux of the film.

            Many romance-against-impossible-odds stories falter when the going gets rough primarily because the relationship isn’t well established.  It’s either too rushed or not genuinely felt, and the audience is left wondering why the pair are fighting so hard to stay together instead of just moving on.  This is never an issue in The Adjustment Bureau, not because the antagonists are weak (the fedora-clad group have some mysterious connection to God), but because Damon and Blunt sell their romance so well.  And the writing backs them up, making Elise and David engaging, charming folk, which the actors pounce on and amp it up to 10.  How refreshing it is not to be taunted by a rabble-rousing antihero, but to be given characters you instantly like, leaving you to worry only about the machinations of the plot getting in their way.

            Adapted by writer/director George Nolfi from a Philip K. Dick short story, the plot throws enough thoughtful menace into the mix to give the fluffy romance some weight.  For all the pair have going for them, it seems plausible throughout that they may not end up together.  God is a pretty strong force, after all, even if he is only referred to in code.  Nolfi plays around with other concepts as well, namely the positives and negatives of free will, and although it’s not expounded upon, it provides enough layering to keep the film from being a lightweight.  Hardcore sci-fi fans may be disappointed by the film’s airiness, but it’s clear that Nolfi didn’t want the audience to get too bogged down by serious thought.

            Where Nolfi does take some chances, and where he might lose a few viewers, is his decision to present the film’s action with a punchy realness.  Nolfi is a screenwriting alum of the Bourne series, and the imprint of that can clearly be seen here.  When Damon’s David is under duress, the film becomes shakier and narrows in to the action.  Cars crunch and faces slam, the blows palpably resonating to the audience.  It would be understandable to find this choice incongruous with the rest of the film, but Nolfi makes it work, using it to emphasize the fedora men’s power and to up the ante against our protagonists.  This element is sparingly used, taking a backseat to the overpowering nature of the film’s romance, but it pops up enough to turn off those severely averse to action.  To everyone else, it will simply add a jolt of energy to the proceedings, making the romantic drive more immediate and in more real danger.

            It’s this tidy package of action, romance, and science fiction that gives The Adjustment Bureau its broad appeal, and the winning combination of Matt Damon and Emily Blunt put the film into rarified air.  This satisfying of a crowd-pleaser doesn’t come along too often, and it’d be a shame to overlook the charm it has to offer.

Other Notes:

Ø  My one solid negative on this film is the score.  It’s just too basic and too prominent.

Ø  I love this kind of old-school, on-the-nose sci-fi.

Ø  This goes down as one of the best examples of on-screen chemistry I’ve ever seen. 

The Matrix

Released:  March 31^st, 1999

Rated:  R

Studio:  Warner Bros.

Starring:  Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Joe Pantoliano

Directed by:  Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski

Written by:  Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski

Personal Bias Alert:  likes sci-fi; believes it should be evaluated independent of its sequels

8.5 of 10

            Like it or not, The Matrix has to go down as one of the most influential films of its time.  It invented new methods of cinematography and introduced Eastern action choreography to the American masses, changing not only the way Hollywood envisioned action sequences, but also having widespread effects on television and video games as well.  Fifteen years later, its mark can’t be denied, but the great thing about going back and reevaluating this film is the reminder that underneath that ingenuity is a story as solid as they come.

            In case you were born under a rock, The Matrix follows hacker Neo aka Thomas Anderson (Keanu Reeves) as he finds out that humanity has been enslaved by machines, and the world as he knows it is nothing but a computer simulation.  Having been ‘awoken’ by a band of rebels led by the cryptic Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and the tough Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss), Neo finds out that he may be destined to save humanity and upgrade his wardrobe.

            All joking aside, the visual effects, wardrobe, and everything else that populates the screen is as slick as they come, leaning heavily on the timeless cool of black leather and mirror sunglasses to create a cyberpunk look that still impresses today.  Some of the larger visual effects don’t hold up too well, but the sheer amount of smaller work, from the streaming green code of the Matrix to the reflection shots inserted on character’s sunglasses, culminates in such a spectacularly interesting world that momentary downfalls are forgiven.

            Rarely is a world so stylishly envisioned given a budget large enough to execute that vision, and the credit for getting that done has to start with the Wachowskis.  Say what you will about the quality of their later work, but they routinely make films that don’t look like everything else.  Here, they managed to bring together the disparate filmmaking pieces to create two distinct worlds:  the sleek near-reality of the Matrix and the gritty plainness of the waking world.  Think about it, every department had to create two worlds for one film, and they are both so fully realized that the Wachowskis must have had a clear vision for each one.

              Underneath all this eye candy is a solid action center, drawing from the hero’s journey formula to create a familiar but satisfying story.  The beats are almost textbook, from the thrilling opening action sequence to the titillating training section, but this basic story allows the Wachowskis to devote their exposition time (which is still quite lengthy) to the explanation of their quirky world.

             The world of the Matrix may not be straightforward, but it isn’t exactly original, either.  It owes much to the ideas laid down by classic sci-fi writers like William Gibson and Philip K. Dick, as well as various religious and philosophical works.  What’s impressive is how many ideas the Wachowskis were able to mash together to make what is, in essence, a basic sci-fi horror scenario:  that humanity has become enslaved to their own creation.  It’s a delicate balance to find the right mix of familiar and new concepts that will keep the audience engaged but not overwhelmed, and The Matrix pulls off this challenge with flying colors.

            In the end, the astronomical success of The Matrix was due to the Wackowskis’ ability to blend a familiar story with a slick visual style and a twist of sci-fi.  It’s a lot of pieces to balance, but the Wachowskis have never been ones to make simple films, and The Matrix is their magnum opus.  It’s an ultimate triumph of mass-appeal sci-fi entertainment, and it’s earned its place in the annals of film history.

            Other Notes:

Ø  Taking a mystery pill from the guy wearing sunglasses indoors and talking in circles is never the right choice.

Ø  Yay, creepy body horror!  I completely forgot how much of that there is in this film.

Ø  Fun fact:  The Matrix was the first DVD to sell more than a million copies.