The Adjustment Bureau (2011)
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An ambitious politician must fight against a mysterious organization that controls the course of human destiny to win the heart of a woman he loves.
The story
In 2006, Brooklyn Democratic congressman David Norris meets a mysterious dancer named Elise Sellas after a chance encounter. Inspired by her, he becomes a favorite for the next Senate election. However, David soon discovers the existence of the 'Adjustment Bureau,' an organization that ensures people's lives proceed according to a predetermined 'Plan.' When David refuses to let the Bureau dictate his path, he must navigate a world where his choices are being actively manipulated by agents of the Bureau to keep him from his destiny and away from Elise.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After meeting Elise Sellas, David Norris becomes a political rising star. He is eventually captured by the Adjustment Bureau, where he learns that the organization manipulates human lives to maintain a specific 'Plan' for the world. Despite the Bureau's efforts to separate them, David and Elise continue to cross paths. David eventually learns from a sympathetic agent, Harry Mitchell, how to use 'teleportation' to bypass the Bureau's surveillance. He eventually finds Elise before her wedding and reveals the truth about the Bureau. The pair eventually reaches the Bureau's headquarters and confronts the leadership. In the end, they are presented with a blank 'Plan,' suggesting that by fighting for their free will, they have earned the right to write their own destinies.
- First release year
- 2011
- Runtime (minutes)
- 106
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- George Nolfi
- Writers
- George Nolfi · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Matt Damon · David Norris; Emily Blunt · Elise Sellas; Anthony Mackie · Harry Mitchell; John Slattery · Richardson; Michael Kelly · Charlie Traynor; Terence Stamp · Thompson
- Genres
- science fiction; romantic thriller
- Themes
- free will; predestination; fate
- Tone and mood
- romantic; metaphysical
- Setting
- New York City, 2006-2010
- Premise and plot tags
- conspiracy; secret society; time and space
- Source material / true-story basis
- Philip K. Dick's 1954 short story "Adjustment Team"
- Reception
- The film received positive reviews from critics and was noted for the strong chemistry of its stars.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 71% · scale: percentage · review count: 258; Metacritic · score: 60 · scale: 100 · review count: 41; CinemaScore · score: B · scale: A+ to F
- Awards and nominations
- Saturn Award · Best Supporting Actress · 38th · won
- Production trivia
- The character of Norris was originally a real-estate salesman in the source story.; The film's score was composed by Thomas Newman.; The original ending featured the character of the Chairman.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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