Wick's Review

Summary - Barely OK 2.0

It’s a romantic thriller. No wait, it’s a lame sorta scifi story that never really adds up. Pity, because the strong cast works well, with romantic leads Matt Damon and Emily Blunt demonstrating real chemistry.

How does a misfire like The Adjustment Bureau get made?

You can just see the producers’ minds working: We can have Democratic Party pinup Damon play a Democratic Senatorial candidate and have him face off with Mad Men’s Roger Sterling wearing a fedora, just like he does on the TV show. There’s even some romance and it’s directed by one of Matt Damon’s Ocean’s and Bourne writers, so it should sell tickets.

Instead it proves the old Hollywood maxim: No one knows anything.

Acting - Good 3.0

Matt Damon is always watchable and remains easy to root for. Emily Blunt matches up well to him, proving a bit of a revelation using her native British accent in an American movie.

The strong supporting cast includes Anthony Mackie (largely wasted), John Slattery (in full Roger Sterling attire) and Terence Stamp (authoritative as always).

Notable are the rich complement of Left Wing political and media personalities who get cameos, including Jon Stewart and Michael Bloomberg. There seemed to be many more in early scenes who aren’t recognized by IMDb. Are they embarrassed?

Film - Pretty Bad 1.5

The slight story has no third act, perhaps because it’s taken from a short story, a Philip K. Dick short story, but a short story nonetheless. Notwithstanding that other Dick short stories inspired fully plotted films, this one didn’t.

Edge - Risqué 1.7

Reality - Supernatural 3.5

1 Comment

• BrianSez Jul 19, 2012 3:21PM

  Regarding Wick’s Review
  I was apparently in a very kind and charitable mood when I wrote my review….

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