Comments on watching and making films.

Friday, March 11, 2011

The Adjustment Bureau

The Adjustment Bureau stars Matt Damon as a politician running for a state senate seat in New York. When he meets Elise, a ballet dancer played by Emily Blunt, he immediately falls in love, but strange (and very well dressed) men threaten him with his life, and hers, if he pursues her.

I really enjoyed this film. Damon has really grown into the respectable leading man, from his earlier "pretty boy" career, but the pretty boy in him helps a little bit in this role. He becomes totally believable as this, almost, Kennedy-esque political figure - Young, attractive, knowledgeable, and a power for the people. And Blunt? Well, it's Emily Blunt. She's pretty much going to be awesome in anything she does. The fact, though, that she does her own ballet dancing in the film is impressive, though Natalie Portman still wins, between the two, as her dancing in Black Swan was much more complex. Regardless, Emily Blunt. Awesome. And Anthony Mackie - Where has this guy been? I remember seeing him in some things here and there a while back, and really liking him, but I feel like I haven't seen him in a while. I like him as an actor, and hope his role in this film guarantees him a lot more work soon. John Slattery and Terence Stamp are great, as well, as these sort of fixer characters.

There aren't any game changing effects or crazy plot twists, but I think that's what I like about it. Some of the things that happen in it are supernatural enough without having to go into Shyamalan territory. The film feels like a well written Twilight Zone episode, just in a feature length format. And, yes, it does make you fall in love with New York all over again.

1 comment:

Michelle White said...

my favorite part was at the end, when one of the actors is like: "damn, adjustment bureau".