Pun Salad

This is yet another movie based on Philip K. Dick's fiction. He has 22 "Writer" credits at IMDB. And here's my usual rant: Robert A. Heinlein has only 12, and the quality is… less than good, in most cases. Hollywood, what the heck is wrong with you?

But in the meantime: The Adjustment Bureau is a decent flick, not great. If you told me that Dick wrote the underlying story while under the influence of strong pharmaceuticals, I would not be shocked.

Matt Damon plays David Norris, an up-and-coming young politician with an impulsive streak. Seemingly on track for a Senate seat from New York, a mooning incident dredged up from his past trips him up at the last moment, and he goes down to an ignominious, embarrassing defeat. But there's good news: just before he gives his concession speech, he meets Elise (Emily Blunt), who's hiding in the mens' restroom from hotel security cops. They hit it off, and she inspires him to give a more honest and more appealing speech. But she vanishes, pursued by the previously-mentioned cops, and David loses track of her.

None of this, it turns out, is an accident: it has been set up by the Adjustment Bureau, a team of deadpan agents with seemingly supernatural powers directed by the "Chairman", dedicated to keep humanity from putting itself on destructive paths. They have enough precognition to figure out what's going to happen, and the ability to teleport themselves, at least around the New York City metropolitan area. But they're not infallible, because a screwup allows David to find Elise again, and rekindle their relationship—that's not in the plan!

It's pretty silly, but fun. Damon and Blunt are good actors, and there's a good supporting cast too. The script demands that Damon wear a stupid hat for the thrilling conclusion, which would normally cause me to knock off a half-star. But it also sends him on a madcap chase, one leg of which is through the Yankee Stadium outfield; that puts that half-star right back on. (Unfortunately, not during a game. If they'd done it during a game, that would have been good for another half star.)