Los agentes del destino

This film is about a successful politician who has to choose between the woman of his dreams and his career, when he meets a team of messengers who control fate.

"The Adjustment Bureau" is certainly a different romantic film. The plot is an engaging and refreshing mix of romance and science fiction. The thrill and excitement of the science fiction part is well maintained throughout the film, while the romance part melts viewers hearts. Matt Damon and Emily Blunt are so convincing together, making their romance very believable. Once again, Emily Blunt puts on a particularly stellar performance, showing her impressive range of acting skills and on screen charm.

"The Adjustment Bureau" is a good film as it is a refreshing departure from mundane and formulaic romantic comedies. It deserves 100 minutes of your time.

There's no reason why The Adjustment Bureau isn't included in the top "fate flicks", like Inception, Interstellar, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Unbreakable, and Minority Report. It's really good! I went with my family to the theaters to see it when it was released, and we were all on the edge of our seats. Except my mom, who was jealously eyeing Emily Blunt because she knew my dad had a crush on her.

Basically, if you like the Bourne Identity movies, you'll love this one. Matt Damon stars in another thriller about fate and total strangers knowing more about his life than he does, but I liked this better than the more famous trilogy. I'm not the biggest Damon fan, but I was so engrossed in George Nolfi's screenplay, the lead actor could have been played by anyone and I would have liked it. He starts the movie as a senatorial candidate, but a chance encounter with a beautiful interpretive dancer (Emily Blunt) rocks his world. He sees her again and they start dating, and pretty soon they fall in love. But one night, he gets kidnapped and taken to a mysterious warehouse by the "bad guys".

Are they really the bad guys, though? They're the titular bureau, led by Terence Stamp, in charge of making sure everyone stays on his or her path. When people deviate from their predestined path, they "adjust" things so life goes back on track. Depending on your point of view, Damon is the pot-stirring villain and Stamp is the hero who sees the bigger picture - which is why this movie is so enjoyable. You can root for anyone you want to, and it can spark any number of conversations afterwards with your friends. You'll also see lots of familiar faces, like John Slattery, Michael Kelly, Jennifer Ehle, and Anthony Mackie, as well as New Yorkers giving cameos, like Jon Stewart, James Carville, Chuck Scarborough, Michael Bloomberg, Terry McAullife, Jesse Jackson, and Madeleine Albright. Check it out!

In New York, the prominent politician David Norris (Matt Damon) is disputing the election for the Senate but his past of bad boy makes him lose the election. He meets the stranger Elise Sellas (Emily Blunt) hidden in the Waldorf's toilet and she tells that she had crashed a party and the security guards are chasing her. They start a conversation and they immediately fall in love with each other. However the guards find her and David does not see her again. However she inspires him to make a remarkable speech.

One day, David is traveling by bus and he meets Elise again. She gives her phone number to him and David promises to call her. However, strangers wearing hats approach to David and tell that they belong to the Adjustment Bureau and Elise and David must be kept apart. They destroy the piece of paper with her phone number and David is unable to contact Elise. Three years later, David sees Elise walking on the sidewalk. He gets out of the bus to meet her and he learns that she is a dancer. But the strangers use their abilities to keep them apart. What is the reason why David and Elise can not be together?

"The Adjustment Bureau" is a romantic and suspenseful sci-fi based on a short story by Philip K. Dick, the writer of "Blade Runner", "Total Recall", "Impostor", "Minority Report", "Paycheck", "A Scanner Darkly" and "Next", among other sci-fi films. The intriguing story is ambiguous; the chemistry between Matt Damon and Emily Blunt is wonderful; and it is always great to see Terence Stamp. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Os Agentes do Destino" ("The Agents of Destiny")

Note: On 06 September 2023, I saw this film again.

This movie has been a very good experience for me. I found the story extremelly interesting and intelligent.I enjoyed every second, cause there was a lot of action, mystery (in the nice way of it), romance, humor, and at the same time the story made you think deeper about life it self. About getting out of your little every day life and try to see the "greater picture". How ready and capable is any of us "every day people" to make a change, to believe, to dare, to even actual think "differently" in any part of our lives...

Jan 11: I was invited to see and rate this movie at a free audience screening. While biting the hand that feeds you is incredibly bad form, this film is not worth paying a full price admission. DO see it on the big screen, but go to the matinée instead.

Caveat, I'm not the target audience, (and hadn't read the short story source first) so for you to calibrate: I rated Jumper at 7; Avatar at 6 bumped up to an 8 for CGI; and Last Airbender at 3.

This film has all the individual elements for a great time: The opening draws you into the story; Blunt is engaging and sensual; Stamp is villainous; Damon/Blunt have fabulous chemistry including a great meet; initial mystery, sophisticated humor, snappy repartee, wonderful score, and superb scenery. The supporting characters are well cast and acted. However, the thin plot doesn't sustain the whole movie, and it takes too long for the minimal plot to unfold, even though there are myriad chase scenes to divert you at first.

The movie was seemingly created for chase scenes, with a poorly contrived reason for the "boy meets girl, boy loses girl but continues to search for her storyline", tossed in to justify all the chasing. In attempting to make everything mysterious, the audience is kept as ignorant as the characters to the point where it became "THATS the reason he's been chasing after her? How DISAPPOINTING!" when the cause for separation is unveiled. The secret meetings which presumably either advance or reveal the mystery were annoying instead. Finally, in the last portion of the movie, the opening doors and running become so repetitive, you can feel like the Blunt character, who has her hands over her head and is screaming. The ending is abrupt, contrived and disappointing, a veritable deus ex machina version.

Conversely, my companion who loves everything sci-fi or sci-fantasy, and reads Phillip K Dick (including the short story on which this was based) rated the movie "excellent" as opposed to my "ok". Even though the movie diverges from the short story, he suffered no confusion or disappointment with the story line, big reveals, or ending. He also thought the cast, romance, and humor were great.

We both agree--do see the movie on the big screen as it certainly enhances the suspense and startling moments (political crowd scene, adjustment scene, car crashes, action scenes and finale) and shows off the great NYC locations. He says go ahead and pay full price,the movie is worth it