The Freak's Rating: A- : In what is surely the earliest front-runner of 2011 for award buzz, Matt Damon leads a solid cast through a beautifully drawn up story that challenges what you might believe about the concept of free will. The Adjustment Bureau will leave you with more questions than answers, a fact that the filmmakers are no doubt thrilled with.
Solid throughout the film, the directing here is incredibly sharp showcasing perfectly framed scenes. The editing is quick, never leaving you for a second wondering what time it is and how much more of the film there is to go. The beauty here is, quite appropriately, the beauty in the film...miss Emily Blunt. Since she first was introduced formally to American audiences in The Devil Wears Prada, Blunt has had this theater goer mesmerized with her talent. It has never been showcased more perfectly than here. Should award voters remember this performance in the fall, she will no doubt receive a nomination. Matt Damon is also extremely effective as the lead and supporting cast members round out the performances nicely.
Writing is the key here and though it is the film's greatest triumph, it is also the ultimate weakness that kept this from being a near flawless film. Who is writing these plans? Is it God? Is the Adjustment Bureau a band of angels executing God's plan? Much like Inception, the audience is given much evidence for many cases and left to make up their own minds. I do feel, however, that the final minute of the film is a tad anticlimactic and could have used a bit more punch to drive home a more solid message. That weakness aside, The Adjustment Bureau is a wildly entertaining film that does beg the question, what would you do? It is a worthy recommendation.
