The Adjustment Bureau

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Released: 2011
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The Contender: The Adjustment Bureau    

Release Date: March 4, 2011

Rating: PG-13

Starring: Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, John Slattery and Anthony Mackle

The One-Two Punch: Your classic romance gets an existential twist as a young politician and ballerina are pulled apart by a group of mysterious men in fedoras who are in possession of life’s playbook.

The Premise: In what’s supposed to be a provocative discussion of fate vs. free will, David Norris (Damon) is trying to figure out why mysterious men are so intent upon making sure that he and Elise (Emily Blunt) don’t end up together.

The Verdict: While the filmmakers certainly give it their best shot, there’s just too much that doesn’t add up about The Adjustment Bureau. Even worse, what could’ve led to a more substantive conversation about whether humans really are in control of their own destiny, the screenplay quickly turns sappy when love, rather than life’s bigger picture, charges into the spotlight.