Have you ever felt like something was “meant to be”? A romance? A success? A job, maybe? Do the fates ever conspire against you? Have I got a movie for you. Apparently, there was a very good reason you spilled mustard on your blouse – to keep you from f***ing up the world by having a great interview. See?
David Norris (Matt Damon) is running for office. Senator of New York, I think. The details only matter so far as this office is a stepping stone towards the presidency. The Hat Guys (a.k.a. The Adjustment Bureau) know this. That’s why they wear hats. Somewhere along the way, Elise Sellas (Emily Blunt) enters. David falls for her. Personally, I see nothing in Emily Blunt that would interrupt my desire to be a senator, but then I’d rather have root canal several times over before holding political office. Anyway, the Hat Guys don’t like Emily because I’m guessing she doesn’t poll well. Either that or because she doesn’t wear hats. In either case, the Hat Guys need Good Will to be president. Good Will ain’t fallin’ for it. He wants the girl. Don’t we all? Can the Hat Guys keep her from him? Can she find her way back to Will? Will Matt start wearing a hat?
So who are the Hat Guys and exactly what power do they wield? Wouldn’t you like to know? Well, would you? I don’t actually know. But if you’re intrigued, the plot and hatless gimmicks make the ride worth it.
The elements of predestination and pseudo-religion here are actually kind of silly when you think about them. This is a film about fate. Phillip K. Dick likes to write about fate and the efforts we make to circumvent it. That’s why his stories generally make good adaptations – fate is a wonderful movie theme. Anyhoo, here you are – fate-controlled senate candidate Matt Damon. It’s hard to believe you don’t actually control your fate, and harder still to believe that if benevolent forces do indeed control fate, they couldn’t do a better job of it.
Rated PG-13, 106 Minutes
D: George Nolfi
W: George Nolfi
Genre: Phillip K. Dick
Type of person most likely to enjoy this film: Anyone who has ever used the term “The Man” without irony.
Type of person least likely to enjoy this film: Those with a healthy respect for predestination.
I am shocked you didn’t work in “you are the otter of your own fat.”