Damon and Blunt's chemistry on screen is pure magic!

Rating: 7/10 (5 March 2011)

'THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)
A man challenges fate itself and it's protectors in this adaptation of the Philip K. Dick short story 'Adjustment Team'. Matt Damon stars as politician David Norris and Emily Blunt co-stars as ballerina dancer Elise Sellas, the two must fight for their love when the enforcers of fate try to keep them apart (for reasons not fully explained). First time director George Nolfi wrote and directed the film (he also wrote and co-wrote the screenplays to two other Matt Damon films: 'OCEAN'S TWELVE' and 'THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM'). The movie is a fantasy / romance / thriller and it doesn't do a very good job of mixing the genres thoroughly but it does play out with a lot of enjoyment all the same.
As the movie opens David Norris is a popular and very promising political figure on the verge of winning a U.S. Senate seat when he blows his lead through a highly publicized and very unpopular reunion party prank. This is when 'The Adjustment Bureau', as they call themselves, is first brought into action to clean things up. They work for a higher power (presumably God) and are what some people call angels (although they act a lot like bureaucrats). They have special powers, can teleport through magical doors and alter (as well as erase) people's minds. It's their job to make sure their boss's plan (they call him 'the Chairman') is executed. Their skills are further put to the test when Norris, by chance, continues to run into the woman of his dreams, Elise, who he's not supposed to be with. When he, by chance again, witnesses the men in action he is told of their duties and that he can never reveal them to anyone or suffer the consequence of being lobotomized. They also tell Norris he can not see the girl. Norris following his heart, passion and love of course decides to ignore their commands.
The movie is as silly as it sounds and completely over the top (which is odd for a Matt Damon film) but it had a lot of potential to be something really great. The acting by Damon and Blunt is outstanding and their chemistry on screen is pure magic (one of the best cinematic relationships I've seen depicted on screen in a while). That's why I really wanted to like the movie and after a botched and cheesy scene here and another there I kept hoping it would redeem itself. The writing is a little weak and the directing is amateurish (although there are several scenes that work, all involving Damon and Blunt). The whole movie it felt like their was a great movie waiting to break free but it couldn't. Even so it's worth seeing if for nothing else than to see Damon and Blunt in action together. As a romance and a film about the power of love it definitely works.
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