Claim: The Adjustment Bureau is a work.

The Adjustment Bureau is a 2011 American science fiction thriller film loosely based on the Philip K. Dick short story , `` Adjustment Team '' . The film was written and directed by George Nolfi , produced by Chris Moore and stars Matt Damon and Emily Blunt . The cast also includes Anthony Mackie , John Slattery , Michael Kelly , and Terence Stamp . The film tells the story of a young man who discovers that what appear to be chance events in his life are controlled by a technologically advanced intelligence network . After an event not planned by these controllers occurs -- a romantic encounter with a young dancer -- he struggles against their manipulation despite their promise of a great future for him .   The film was released on April 3 , 2011 . It was premiered at the Ziegfeld Theatre on February 14 , 2011 , and received positive reviews from critics , who praised Damon 's performance and his chemistry with Blunt . It grossed $ 127 million against a production budget of $ 50 million .