The Adjustment Bureau

In 2006, Brooklyn Congressman David Norris unsuccessfully runs for the United States Senate. While rehearsing his concession speech, David meets Elise Sellas. They share a passionate kiss, though he does not get her name. Inspired by her, David delivers an unusually candid speech that is well-received, making him a favorite for the next campaign.

A month later, David prepares for a new job. At Madison Square Park, near David's home, a man named Harry Mitchell receives an assignment from his superior Richardson. Harry is to spill coffee on David's shirt by 7:05 AM so that David will miss his bus. However, Harry falls asleep; David boards the bus, happens to meet Elise again and gets her phone number.

David arrives at work early and finds everyone in the building frozen and being examined by unfamiliar men. David attempts to escape, but is incapacitated and taken to a warehouse. Richardson reluctantly reveals to David the existence of the "Adjustment Bureau." As its staff, Richardson and his men ensure people's lives proceed following "the Plan," a complex document Richardson attributes to "the Chairman."[4][5] The Bureau confiscates and destroys the card with Elise's phone number, and David is warned that if he reveals the existence of the Bureau to anyone else, he will be "reset"—his memory and personality erased. He is not to meet Elise again.

Three years later, David again encounters Elise after coincidentally seeing her from a bus window; he tells her he has ridden that bus for three years, hoping to see her. He learns that she dances for Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet. The Bureau tries to prevent them from starting a relationship by altering their schedules and preventing them from meeting. David races across town, fighting the Bureau's efforts to "control his choices" and stop him from meeting Elise. During the chase the Bureau uses ordinary doorways to travel instantly to distant locations.

Senior official Thompson takes over David's case and takes him to the warehouse, where David argues he has the right to choose his own path. Thompson says humanity received free will after the height of the Roman Empire, but then brought the Dark Ages upon itself. The Bureau took control after five centuries of barbarism, and created the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, and the scientific revolution. When free will was restored in 1910, it resulted in World War I, the Great Depression, Fascism, the Holocaust, and the Cuban Missile Crisis, forcing the Bureau to retake control. Thompson strongly implies that without Elise's influence David can become President of the United States, while Elise can become a world-famous dancer and choreographer, and that being together will ruin both of their futures. Thompson causes Elise to sprain her ankle at a performance to demonstrate his power, and David abandons her at the hospital to avoid ruining their futures as Thompson described.

Eleven months later, as David campaigns again, Charlie, his campaign manager and lifelong best friend, tells David of Elise's imminent wedding. Harry contacts David via secret meetings in the rain or near water, which prevents the Bureau from tracking them. Harry reveals that Thompson exaggerated the negative consequences of David and Elise's relationship, and teaches David how to use doors to teleport and evade the Bureau. Just before the wedding David reaches Elise, reveals the Bureau's existence to her, and shows her how he travels through doors. As the Bureau pursues them across New York City, David decides to ask the Chairman to end the conflict and Elise chooses to accompany him. They enter the Bureau's offices with agents in pursuit.

After a chase through the building, David and Elise find themselves surrounded on the observation deck of the GE Building. They declare their love and kiss before David can be caught. When they let go of each other, the Bureau members are gone. Thompson appears, but is interrupted by Harry, who shows him, and then David and Elise, their revised Plan from the Chairman: one that is blank starting from the current moment. Harry commends them for their devotion to each other, and says they are free to leave. As David and Elise walk away, Harry speculates that the Chairman may be preparing humanity to "one day" write its own Plan.

• Matt Damon as David Norris
• Emily Blunt as Elise Sellas
• Anthony Mackie as Harry Mitchell
• John Slattery as Richardson
• Michael Kelly as Charlie Traynor
• Terence Stamp as Thompson
• Donnie Keshawarz as Donaldson
• Anthony Ruivivar as McCrady

In early drafts, the character Norris was changed from a real-estate salesman, as in the short story, to an up-and-coming U.S. Congressman.[6]

Some reviewers identified Abrahamic theological implications, such as an omnipotent and omniscient God,[16][17] the concepts of free will and predestination,[18][19] and elements from the descent to the underworld (a mytheme dating back at least to the story of Eurydice and Orpheus).[20] Moreover, Cathleen Falsani said that the Chairman represents God,[21] while his caseworkers are angels.[22][23] The director of the film, George Nolfi, stated that the "intention of this film is to raise questions."[24]

The film had its world premiere on February 14, 2011, at the Ziegfeld Theatre on 141 West 54th Street in New York City. Writer/director George Nolfi was in attendance along with the cast, including Matt Damon and Emily Blunt.[25]

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• The Adjustment Bureau at AllMovie
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• The Adjustment Bureau at IMDb
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