The Adjustment Bureau

The Adjustment Bureau (2011)
Starring: Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, and Anthony Mackie
Directed by: George Nolfi
Based on the Short Story "The Adjustment Team" by Philip K. Dick
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Grade: A

This was an enjoyable movie. Let's face it: any with Matt Damon in it is going to be. He's a great actor. I didn't like this one as much as the Bourne movies (really though...what action movie IS as good as the Bourne movies???) but I thought it was pretty good. I really liked Emily Blunt in this too. The only other movie I've seen her in (besides The Devil Wears Prada, which I have only seen half of) was Gulliver's Travels and she was infinitely more serious in this movie. (Which makes sense...) Anyway, this is about David Norris (Damon), a politician running for Senate. One day, before a big speech, he meets a dancer named Elise (Blunt) and falls for her. In this movie, our fate is arranged by "people" called The Adjustment Bureau. They make sure each person ends up with the "right" person. We have no say at all. So, when David meets Elise, she is supposed to inspire him to give a great speech after he loses that will make him even more popular with voters. But his "agent", who is supposed to make sure David and Elise never meet again, falls asleep and David makes it to the bus on time. On the bus, he sees Elise and he gets her phone number. They end up meeting several more times over the next couple of years, every time an agent jumping in to end it. Eventually, David meets the Adjustment Bureau. One agent, Harry Mitchell (Mackie), is tired of doing the "job" so he decides to help David be together with Elise - just like he was supposed to be in another version of reality.

Gulliver's Travels

Gulliver's Travels (2010)
Starring: Jack Black, Emily Blunt, and Jason Segel
Directed by: Rob Letterman
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Grade: B+

This was another movie I wasn't interested in, but sat down and watched anyway. It is hilarious! The only reason I gave it a B was because the story was just OK. The dialogue was so funny. Jack Black is funny, of course. But my favorites were Emily Blunt and Jason Segel. I've liked Jason since he was on one of my favorite shows, Freaks and Geeks. I've only recently started liking Emily Blunt. But they were amazing in this movie! They were very likable and funny, just understated, although anyone would seem understated next to Jack Black's "in your face" humor. Gulliver works in the mail room and is content, until a new intern comes in and advances in one day. He realizes that he should be doing more with his life. In an effort to do this, he plagiarizes an article for his friend, Darcy, who is an actual reporter and is sent on an assignment to the Bermuda Triangle. Once he gets there, he is transported to another dimension and to an island where a lot of little people live. After a while, he is able to make friends with the people and live as their protector. But, trouble comes from another country and Gulliver actually has to step up and protect them...which actually goes better than you might expect. Don't be thinking you're about to see an award quality movie (although with Jack Black in it, you should know it most likely won't be), but for a good two hour laugh, this movie definitely does the trick.