The Adjustment Bureau

maestrowork · Mar 15, 2011

Smileycat said:
I based my review on the fact that it was a love story and a new way/reason to keep a couple separated, as well as on the acting abilities of the leads.

That's why I thought it fell short. It's really a love story -- star-crossed lovers being separated by "fate." But it's heavy on Damon and light on Blunt: her character could have been so cool but wasn't developed. So we're left to just having to take the leap of faith that they would risk everything for each other... meanwhile they really only knew each other for a short time. Yeah, it's romantic but my point is they needed to develop Blunt's character more. And I agree with veinglory the gender stereotype is prevalent.

Smileycat · Mar 15, 2011

maestrowork said:
That's why I thought it fell short. It's really a love story -- star-crossed lovers being separated by "fate." But it's heavy on Damon and light on Blunt: her character could have been so cool but wasn't developed. So we're left to just having to take the leap of faith that they would risk everything for each other... meanwhile they really only knew each other for a short time. Yeah, it's romantic but my point is they needed to develop Blunt's character more. And I agree with veinglory the gender stereotype is prevalent.

I see what you're saying, but most movies tell a story from a certain perspective. There are those who try to tell several sides, but they're not as successful because (in my opinion) the audience gets lost and confused when there is more than one point-of-view.

veinglory · Mar 15, 2011

The thing is, we see them both from the outside. It isn't just that she has less screen time. She female is presented as passive (after finding his name she never seeks him out but just prepares to marry the other available male, she can choose to join him or not but has not noticeable ideas of her own, in cahses he leads and she follows). Despite being described a overly risk-taking other than crashing a prty (as manipulated by the Agency to make her meet the hero) she fuctions primarily as a prize for the hero and pawn for the male god and angels. She lacks autonomy.

maestrowork · Mar 15, 2011

I agree.. if she likes him so much, she could have sought him out. He's a CONGRESSMAN. She knows who he is. But for 3 years she didn't do anything. She's like "if you want me, you can call me, and if not, I'm not taking the first step." Granted, it's logical but it makes the ending a little unbelievable. She's a passive character. After he dumped her, she didn't do anything either. She just suffered in silence and then married someone she didn't really love? She didn't call Damon and say, "WTF is wrong with you?"

veinglory · Mar 15, 2011

And yet we are meant to believe, at least briefly, that PTB breaks them up because she would make him reckless and impulsive.

Don Allen · Mar 15, 2011

I liked it, but as with most hollywood entree's of the last few years it just didn't give me enough.... After Kings speech, I'm spoiled again.

Smileycat · Mar 15, 2011

veinglory said:
And yet we are meant to believe, at least briefly, that PTB breaks them up because she would make him reckless and impulsive.

Fault with the writing - plot errors. Who out there believes truly in equality for men and women? In fact, not many.

veinglory · Mar 16, 2011

Is that a serious question? Who out there truly believes in equally of the sexes? In the first world just about everyone I should think. Are you really suggesting that implicit misogyny should not be considered a flaw?

Smileycat · Mar 17, 2011

veinglory said:
Is that a serious question? Who out there truly believes in equally of the sexes? In the first world just about everyone I should think. Are you really suggesting that implicit misogyny should not be considered a flaw?

What I was saying was that even in today's more open and equal society, there is still a tendency for men to boss around women, feel like it's their right to do so. Women are still exploited, sexually and every other way. Their children are, too.

Women often try to assert themselves, only to be beaten into submission, maimed or killed by the men in their lives. We're not there yet is what I'm saying. Proof is in the pudding.

ALLWritety · Jun 19, 2011

I saw it and I liked the movie per sa but i was confused. I had heard that it was about time travel and they kept going back in time to stop them getting together. I didn't read any more reviews coz i wanted to see it and make my own mind up. So when it unfolds there is no time travel at all. I even made a joke/comment about time travel in another thread but it wasn't there.

Maybe i should read some more reviews before I see a movie eh?

Kev

seaaircarol · Jun 25, 2011

I just rented this On Demand. I also wondered at first why she didn't seek him out during the three years. But she had given him her number. Maybe she decided he wasn't interested after all. I don't necessarily see that as passive, though I do agree that in general she was.

seaaircarol · Jun 27, 2011

I've been thinking about this movie, and I realized that something else bothers me. If you met someone who acknowledged the existence of a higher being, wouldn't you ask a few questions about that? Wouldn't you be just a little bit curious? (i.e., what happens after death, do we live more than one life, is there a heaven, etc.) But all Norris asked about was his own little world (unless I'm forgetting something--I know they had the discussion about free will).

seun · Jul 3, 2011

I really enjoyed it although I can agree with the point about Emily Blunt being underused. It was much more Damon's story.

Lavern08 · Jul 5, 2011

** SPOILER ALERT **

Saw it yesterday - Really enjoyed it.

Interesting angels in hats - I thought they were cool.

I totally understood why Emily didn't pursue Damon.

He was a handsome, popular politician...He could have his pick of women.

She didn't want to appear too "easy." She wanted him to pursue her and prove that he was serious about establishing a relationship.

JohnnyGottaKeyboard · Jul 21, 2011

Lavern08 said:
She didn't want to appear too "easy." She wanted him to pursue her and prove that he was serious about establishing a relationship.

And thus Veinglory's attempts to establish the equality of women is set back a hundred years.

I just finally saw it tonight. I had no idea going in that it was about angels; the trailers had me thinking they were aliens! Talk about gack. I could see that it was not an altogether horrible film, but I was so disappointed to see more male angels running around in their Castiel-trenchcoats I really couldn't give the thing a fair chance. I did like the doors tho.

RayC · Jul 21, 2011

Its a good film. Just saw it a few days ago. Not what I thought it would be but interesting.

QueenViv · Jul 21, 2011

Saw it last night. I was expecting Sci-Fi... instead I got a chick flick with angels and a barely-there sci-fi twist. I can't stress enough how much I dislike romantic films (saved a couple exceptions.). Don't get me wrong: I'm as romantic as the next girl! But there's something really wrong with the heroines and the plots of chick-flicks that pisses me off. Why would any sane man want to be with any of those women? And the final "I'll chase her because I love her"... WTF??? Who said that was a great thing to do? Is it done to fulfill the need women (supposedly) have to be chased? It's in every romantic film for the past 20 years or so. THe ones I watched had it, at least.

Emily Blunt's character had potential to be so much more. I can see she did what she could with the part given. Still, I wish there had been more of her than a stand in typical heroine.

One more thing:why wouldn't she try to talk to him in those eleven months they were apart? If a I met a guy three times and we fell in love and then he left me at a hospital, I'd ask questions... I'd raise hell. Instead, she just decided to get back together with her ex and marry him? [/spoilers]

I was disappointed with the film. The ending was stupid to the extreme!

what did she sacrifice? how was she "risking everything to be with him" exactly? Would you have stayed behind after seeing what she saw? I wouldn't! That doesn't mean I'd be in love with anyone I was running with...

The cool things about the movie were the clothing of the "angels" and the doors. The fact they were all men was a little odd but it wasn't my main problem. The doors could have been better explored. All in all, disappointing! I'm glad I didn't pay to see it!

gothicangel · Dec 9, 2011

I just saw this, and agree that something was missing, I just ended up feeling extremely confused.

I bought the DVD after seeing the trailer, thinking it looked like a decent romance-sci-fi, but it left me really cold.

Watched once, and give it away.

Ed Panther · Dec 9, 2011

The movie was actually very good. The chemistry between Matt Damon and Emily Blunt is lovely.

Ed Panther · Dec 9, 2011

QueenViv said:
Saw it last night. I was expecting Sci-Fi... instead I got a chick flick with angels and a barely-there sci-fi twist. I can't stress enough how much I dislike romantic films (saved a couple exceptions.). Don't get me wrong: I'm as romantic as the next girl! But there's something really wrong with the heroines and the plots of chick-flicks that pisses me off. Why would any sane man want to be with any of those women? And the final "I'll chase her because I love her"... WTF??? Who said that was a great thing to do? Is it done to fulfill the need women (supposedly) have to be chased? It's in every romantic film for the past 20 years or so. THe ones I watched had it, at least.

Emily Blunt's character had potential to be so much more. I can see she did what she could with the part given. Still, I wish there had been more of her than a stand in typical heroine.

One more thing:why wouldn't she try to talk to him in those eleven months they were apart? If a I met a guy three times and we fell in love and then he left me at a hospital, I'd ask questions... I'd raise hell. Instead, she just decided to get back together with her ex and marry him? [/spoilers]

I was disappointed with the film. The ending was stupid to the extreme!

what did she sacrifice? how was she "risking everything to be with him" exactly? Would you have stayed behind after seeing what she saw? I wouldn't! That doesn't mean I'd be in love with anyone I was running with...

The cool things about the movie were the clothing of the "angels" and the doors. The fact they were all men was a little odd but it wasn't my main problem. The doors could have been better explored. All in all, disappointing! I'm glad I didn't pay to see it!

I agree the ending is pretty bad.

MrRuff · Dec 13, 2011

When I saw this, something about Emily Blunt's character jolting awake in a completely unnatural way brought me to tears. I don't know why, I just found it so incredibly hilarious. I had to hide under my jacket for ten minutes while the giggles subsided.

Then after that, I started to spot hilarity everywhere. Like the totally serious reading of the line "Sir! He has a hat!!!"

Also, when Matt Damon and Emily Blunt are talking in a public bathroom and a man in a fedora walks in, and Damon doesn't hesitate to punch his lights out. What if it's some poor, random hat-loving gentleman who just wanted to pee?

One of the funniest movies I've ever seen, for sure.

The Adjustment Bureau

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

Smileycat

The Punk Cat

veinglory

volitare nequeo

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

veinglory

volitare nequeo

Don Allen

Seeking a Sanctuary of Intelligence

Smileycat

The Punk Cat

veinglory

volitare nequeo

Smileycat

The Punk Cat

ALLWritety

One Step closer, I hope!

seaaircarol

Frustrated Pluviophile

seaaircarol

Frustrated Pluviophile

seun

Horror Man

Lavern08

Sit Down, and Shut Up!

JohnnyGottaKeyboard

Who let this guy in...?

RayC

QueenViv

gothicangel

Toughen up.

Ed Panther

Ed Panther

MrRuff

Call me Brett. Or Lord Xch'tautl.