Take control of your life and see this movie

What would you do if you found out that you weren’t in control of your life? In “The Adjustment Bureau,” directed by George Nolfi, David Norris, a down-to-earth New York senate candidate played by Matt Damon, accidentally finds men in suits scanning the mind of one of his friends as his co-workers sit nearby, completely frozen.  

The men explain that they are responsible for making sure the world unfolds as it is supposed to according to “The Plan.” Norris is told that he has “seen behind a curtain (he’s) not even supposed to know exists” and that if he reveals their existence to anyone, they will erase his mind. 

With Norris’ unintended glimpse of the Adjustment Bureau comes a second encounter with a girl who he was only supposed to meet once according to The Plan. Her name is Elise Sellas, played by Emily Blunt, and she’s a talented dancer.

The men in suits instruct Norris that he can’t be with her. Angry and shaken, he demands to know why but is only told that they have to follow The Plan.  

The remainder of the movie is comprised of Norris battling these executors of fate in order to win the right to be with the woman he loves. While the romantic aspect of the film can tend toward the corny from time to time, it bestows a touching, humanizing charm on what could have been a rather dry sci-fi thriller.  

The film’s visual impact is powerful, in the same league as “Inception,” if slightly less jaw-dropping. The employees of the Adjustment Bureau navigate the world by using a network of connected doors, which allows for some breathtaking scene changes. In one such startling transition, a door leads from a dank steam room directly onto the field of Yankee Stadium.  

While the ending is decidedly cheesy, it fails to leave a bad taste in viewers’ mouths and it is still satisfying. “The Adjustment Bureau” deftly weaves together a fascinating sci-fi premise, a heartwarming against-all-odds love story and mind-bending visual effects to make a compelling film.