Showing posts with label Emily Blunt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Emily Blunt. Show all posts
Monday, May 16, 2011
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
The Adjustment Bureau Needs Adjusting
The Adjustment Bureau
As someone who is fairly religious, the debate regarding free will versus fate is one that I constantly engage in. If humans have the free will to choose our path then why is there punishment associated with making a choice that deviates from pre-ordained plan? Conversely, if our lives are already mapped out for us, then what is the need for choice when the answer has already been assigned? Not only do these arguments contradict each other, but it also leads to the idea of a higher power being less than perfect. This is, of course, a train of thought that many would be quick to dismiss as being blasphemous. People always assume that if you ask these questions then you are lacking in faith. On the contrary, I think having these types of discussion only helps to make ones faith stronger as it helps us to see the greater spiritual picture more clearly.
This same debate consumes the science fiction love story The Adjustment Bureau, which is adapted from the Philip K. Dick short story “The Adjustment Team”. David Norris (Matt Damon) is an up-and-coming political star who is running for a Senate seat in New York. Only a few hours away from giving, what eventually becomes, the most influential speech of his career, David meets a beautiful young dancer named Elise Sellas (Emily Blunt). The pair hit it off immediately and David cannot seem to get Elise out of his head. Was their meeting merely a chance encounter? Or is she the woman David is destined to spend the rest of his life with? David accidently stumbles upon the secret Adjustment Bureau, a team of higher beings who are responsible for ensuring that everyone follows the path laid out in their life plan. One team member in particular, Harry (Anthony Mackie) has spent the bulk of his career ensuring that David stays the course up until this point. In order to avoid having his brain wiped clean, David is instructed by Richardson (John Slattery) to never see Elise again. Yet the desire to see Elise may be too strong for David to overcome.
There was a point two thirds of the way into the film when my wife leaned over and whispered to me “the movie was pretty good up until this point”. I could not even utter a response because frankly I thought the film had gone off the rails well before that moment. While I give writer-director George Nolfi credit for attempting to make a thought provoking love story, the fact that he is too afraid to take a firm stance is what ultimately ruins this film. The Adjustment Bureau spends way too much time trying to please the masses that its overall message, and logic, gets muddled.
Characters, such as Harry and Richardson, constantly remark that the “Chairman”, who is the unseen God like deity, is the one who makes the plan that everyone must follow it. Yet, Nolfi hints at the notion that maybe the “Chairman” makes mistake. Since Nolfi never wants to fully commit to the idea, the film ends up being too light to be either thought provoking or thrilling. This is most evident when looking at the character of Thompson (Terrance Stamp). The audience is given that Thompson is the harshest guy in the bureau ranks, he is the guy that gets results by any means necessary, yet he is more bark than bite. At no point does he use the advance technology that the bureau has to plant the thoughts needed to break the two lovebirds. In an earlier scene, Nolfi demonstrated that the bureau often manipulates the minds of individuals to ensure they make decisions that will positively impact someone else’s plan. Why not do the same thing here? For beings with such advances capabilities they rarely seem to know how to effectively use them. For example, there is a moment when David finds himself within the walls of the bureaus head office and proceeds to run through a good bulk of the building untouched. A few people try to tackle him but most merely stand around looking stunned.
The love story is at the core of The Adjustment Bureau is decent as Damon and Blunt have good chemistry together. Unfortunately the success of the love arc relies heavily on the central questions regarding fate and free will. If the film had been more daring in terms of taking a firm stance, this might have turned into a memorable love story. As it stands, The Adjustment Bureau wants to raise grand ideas but is too fearful to really talk about them.
This same debate consumes the science fiction love story The Adjustment Bureau, which is adapted from the Philip K. Dick short story “The Adjustment Team”. David Norris (Matt Damon) is an up-and-coming political star who is running for a Senate seat in New York. Only a few hours away from giving, what eventually becomes, the most influential speech of his career, David meets a beautiful young dancer named Elise Sellas (Emily Blunt). The pair hit it off immediately and David cannot seem to get Elise out of his head. Was their meeting merely a chance encounter? Or is she the woman David is destined to spend the rest of his life with? David accidently stumbles upon the secret Adjustment Bureau, a team of higher beings who are responsible for ensuring that everyone follows the path laid out in their life plan. One team member in particular, Harry (Anthony Mackie) has spent the bulk of his career ensuring that David stays the course up until this point. In order to avoid having his brain wiped clean, David is instructed by Richardson (John Slattery) to never see Elise again. Yet the desire to see Elise may be too strong for David to overcome.
There was a point two thirds of the way into the film when my wife leaned over and whispered to me “the movie was pretty good up until this point”. I could not even utter a response because frankly I thought the film had gone off the rails well before that moment. While I give writer-director George Nolfi credit for attempting to make a thought provoking love story, the fact that he is too afraid to take a firm stance is what ultimately ruins this film. The Adjustment Bureau spends way too much time trying to please the masses that its overall message, and logic, gets muddled.
Characters, such as Harry and Richardson, constantly remark that the “Chairman”, who is the unseen God like deity, is the one who makes the plan that everyone must follow it. Yet, Nolfi hints at the notion that maybe the “Chairman” makes mistake. Since Nolfi never wants to fully commit to the idea, the film ends up being too light to be either thought provoking or thrilling. This is most evident when looking at the character of Thompson (Terrance Stamp). The audience is given that Thompson is the harshest guy in the bureau ranks, he is the guy that gets results by any means necessary, yet he is more bark than bite. At no point does he use the advance technology that the bureau has to plant the thoughts needed to break the two lovebirds. In an earlier scene, Nolfi demonstrated that the bureau often manipulates the minds of individuals to ensure they make decisions that will positively impact someone else’s plan. Why not do the same thing here? For beings with such advances capabilities they rarely seem to know how to effectively use them. For example, there is a moment when David finds himself within the walls of the bureaus head office and proceeds to run through a good bulk of the building untouched. A few people try to tackle him but most merely stand around looking stunned.
The love story is at the core of The Adjustment Bureau is decent as Damon and Blunt have good chemistry together. Unfortunately the success of the love arc relies heavily on the central questions regarding fate and free will. If the film had been more daring in terms of taking a firm stance, this might have turned into a memorable love story. As it stands, The Adjustment Bureau wants to raise grand ideas but is too fearful to really talk about them.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
A Grand Don’t Come For Free: The Movie
The following is my submission for Anomalous Material’s latest Pitch Your Movie blogathon. The event involves all the participants of the second Hollywood Fantasy Draft.
Directed by Steve McQueen (Hunger), and loosely adapted from both the A Grand Don’t Come For Free concept album and the Everything is Borrowed album by the British artist known as The Streets, A Grand Don’t Come For Free is a look at the life of one twenty-something year-old living in Birmingham UK. Trying his best to navigate life, friends, and love, Mike soon learns that losing a grand is the best thing that could have ever happen to him.
Act 1 – “It Was Supposed to Be So Easy”
Strapped for cash, Mike pulls a quick con at a nearby grocery store to cover him for the rest of the day and his date with Simone. At her day job, working at the JD’s Sports store with Dan, Simone often looks like she is coping with a hangover from the night before. On this night though, Mike is taken aback by how pretty Simone is when she puts in a bit of effort. Mike and Simone hit it off instantly, they chat about everything from Simone’s relationship with her mother to Mike suspecting that one of his friends might have stolen the thousand dollars. They get lost in conversation for hours and close the restaurant. Things pick up between Mike and Simone rather quickly and they are practically inseparable for the next few weeks and he finds himself spending all his time at Simone’s place.
Blissfully in love, and forgetting all about Sully, Mike dips into the money he has been swindling out of people to buy Simone things, such as a new coat, and taking her out to clubs. It is only when Scott mentions that Sully’s boys have been looking for him that Mike remembers his outstanding debt. Mike and Dan head down to the bookie shop to see if they can buy Mike more time to get the cash. Fortunately for Mike, Sully is tending to other business (i.e. killing a former worker who has been leaking information to Interpol). Mike promises Sully’s second in command, Mumbles, that he will have the money in a week plus interest. Mumbles informs him that the debt is now two grand. Before leaving the shop Dan encourages Mike to place a bet on the soccer match on television. Mike is hesitant at first but ultimately changes his mind when considers that he could possibly win enough money to clear his debts with Sully once and for all. Plus the match looks like a sure thing as his team is up by two goals. Unfortunately, a last minute substitution changes the courses of the match and Mike’s team ends up losing by a penalty kick. His debt has now gone up an extra two hundred dollars.
Act 2 – “Blinded by the Lights”
Still unable to raise enough money to pay Sully, Mike is starting to get stressed as the deadline approaches. Mike and Simone also seem to be arguing a lot more these days. To take his mind off of things he decides a night out with his friends is in order. After slipping in a small baggie of drugs past the bouncer Mike does a few lines of cocaine to loosen up a bit. While waiting for Simone to show up after work, Mike decides to take a few shots at the bar with Allison and talk about things going on in their lives. An hour later, an extremely drunk Mike wonders why Simone has not returned his text. Believing he is hallucinating due to the drugs, Mike start seeing distorted images at the club. One of those images is a woman who looks like Simone kissing another man. Another image is of Scott and Dan getting into an argument. Scott appears to be trying to stop Dan from talking to Mike. Confused and in need of air, Mike and Allison step outside for a quick smoke. Mike wanders off while Allison is trying to get a light from the bouncer. Wandering aimlessly Mike accidently crashes a wedding and gets into a fight with some of the wedding guest. Luckily Allison finds him and takes him home before the cops show up.
The next day, hung over and bruised, Mike heads to McDonalds for a bite to eat. While at the restaurant he sees an attractive woman standing in line with a guy wearing a simple white shirt and black tie. Unable to take his eyes of the woman, Mike does not notice that Mumbles and Sully have entered the restaurant. Mumbles puts his hand on Mikes shoulder and grabs him tightly. Sully walks up to the woman and starts to kiss her. The man in the white shirt gets the hint and takes off. Sully introduces the woman as his girlfriend Ramona. Sully then tells Mike that he has been more than patient but it is now time for him to pay up. Not having the funds needed, Mike offers up his services as a con artist to Sully. Hardly impressed with this offer, Sully motions for Mumbles to take Mike out back and teach him a lesson. As they head out the door Ramona pipes up about having a solution to fix everything. Ramona request that Mike be her new errand boy as Sully killed her last one. Reluctant at first, Sully agrees and tells Mike that after working for Ramona, he will have wished that Sully killed him when he had the chance.
Sully informs Mike that his first assignment is to keep Ramona occupied at the park for a few moments while Sully and Mumbles conducts business nearby. Sully clearly instructs Mike that he is not to leave Ramona’s side at all cost. While walking to the park, Ramona informs Mike that she and the man in the white shirt are actually undercover Interpol agents building a case against Sully and his links in organized crime. Flashing her Interpol badge, Ramona informs Mike to go home and keep away from the bookie shop for the rest of the day as a major Interpol raid is going to happen later that night.
Act 3 –“Everything Is Borrowed”
Still in shock from what he had just learned, and unable to get a hold of Simone, Mike heads over to Scott’s house to tell him everything. At the apartment Mike notices, Simone’s coat over the arm rest of Scott’s chair. Mike questions Scott about the jacket but Scott pretends to be intensely watching something on television. Irritated Mike starts to piece together his hallucinations at the club and Simone’s distant behavior over the last few weeks. Mike accuses Scott of fooling around with his girlfriend, but is stunned to hear Scott say that it has been Dan. As luck would have it, Dan walks in a ten minutes later to pick up the coat. Not seeing Mike sitting at the table in disbelief, Dan mentions that he and Simone, who is waiting in the car, are going to the pub for a few pints. Before Dan can finish his sentence, Mike lunges at him and punches him in the face. As Dan falls to the ground, Mike starts wailing on him. If it wasn’t for Scott pulling him off of Dan, Mike would have killed him. As Mike leaves he gives a startled Simone a cold look as he walks by Dan’s car.
A few weeks later Mike, who has not left his house since the events at Scott’s house, lets Scott, Allison and her son Nathan into his place. Scott apologies for not telling Mike sooner but admits that he was in a tough spot since he was friends with both of them. Mike forgives him and they all sit around chatting for a bit. Mike tells them both that he has been doing a lot of thinking and plans to start making something of his life. The incident with Sully opened his eyes to how low his life had gotten. After a while, Scott leaves and Nathan falls asleep on the couch. Mike and Allison continue to talk until 2 am. The next morning Mike wakes up optimistic for the first time in a long time. Allison is asleep upstairs and Mike gets Nathan some cereal. Suddenly there is a knock on the door and Mike opens it to see the repo men on his doorstep. As the men take all of his stuff away, Mike spots an envelope behind the television set. There, in all its glory, is the grand that Mike had thought he lost several weeks ago. The film ends with Allison, Nathan and Mike on the street watching the repo men load their truck. Allison extends her hand to Mike indicating that he is welcome to come home with her. With only the clothes on his back and a grand in his hand, Mike smiles and confidently takes Allison’s hand and walks toward a new life.
A Grand Don’t Come For Free
Cast:
Chris Hemsworth – Mike
Emily Blunt – Simone
Andrew Garfield – Dan
Mehcad Brooks – Scott
Mila Kunis – Allison
Ben Mendelsohn - Sully
Lennie James - Mumbles
Melanie Laurent - Ramona
Robert Kayinsky – Man in shirt and tie.
Directed by Steve McQueen (Hunger), and loosely adapted from both the A Grand Don’t Come For Free concept album and the Everything is Borrowed album by the British artist known as The Streets, A Grand Don’t Come For Free is a look at the life of one twenty-something year-old living in Birmingham UK. Trying his best to navigate life, friends, and love, Mike soon learns that losing a grand is the best thing that could have ever happen to him.
Act 1 – “It Was Supposed to Be So Easy”
Mike is a wannabe petty gangster in his late twenties. With no steady job Mike makes most of his money through various cons schemes. When Mike is not out conning unsuspecting bar patrons, he is spending the money he gets on gambling, booze, drugs, and nights at the club. Mike lives in a small house that is cluttered with empty beer cans and a slew of envelopes with the words “past due” and “last notice” on them. At the beginning of the film we see Mike and his friends drinking at his place talking about an upcoming soccer match and his date with Simone that night. Mike’s closest friends consist of Dan, Mike’s childhood friend; Scott, a stoner who still lives at home with his folks; and Allison, a single mother who spends more time partying than she does taking care of her boy Nathan. The day starts to go downhill for Mike when he realizes that the thousand dollars he set aside to pay a local loan shark, Sully, has gone missing. After tearing his house apart, Mike decides to withdraw some more money while he is out returning a DVD at the local video store. After waiting forever behind a slow woman at the ATM, Mike sees that he does not have enough money in his account to pay his debt.
Strapped for cash, Mike pulls a quick con at a nearby grocery store to cover him for the rest of the day and his date with Simone. At her day job, working at the JD’s Sports store with Dan, Simone often looks like she is coping with a hangover from the night before. On this night though, Mike is taken aback by how pretty Simone is when she puts in a bit of effort. Mike and Simone hit it off instantly, they chat about everything from Simone’s relationship with her mother to Mike suspecting that one of his friends might have stolen the thousand dollars. They get lost in conversation for hours and close the restaurant. Things pick up between Mike and Simone rather quickly and they are practically inseparable for the next few weeks and he finds himself spending all his time at Simone’s place.
Act 2 – “Blinded by the Lights”
Still unable to raise enough money to pay Sully, Mike is starting to get stressed as the deadline approaches. Mike and Simone also seem to be arguing a lot more these days. To take his mind off of things he decides a night out with his friends is in order. After slipping in a small baggie of drugs past the bouncer Mike does a few lines of cocaine to loosen up a bit. While waiting for Simone to show up after work, Mike decides to take a few shots at the bar with Allison and talk about things going on in their lives. An hour later, an extremely drunk Mike wonders why Simone has not returned his text. Believing he is hallucinating due to the drugs, Mike start seeing distorted images at the club. One of those images is a woman who looks like Simone kissing another man. Another image is of Scott and Dan getting into an argument. Scott appears to be trying to stop Dan from talking to Mike. Confused and in need of air, Mike and Allison step outside for a quick smoke. Mike wanders off while Allison is trying to get a light from the bouncer. Wandering aimlessly Mike accidently crashes a wedding and gets into a fight with some of the wedding guest. Luckily Allison finds him and takes him home before the cops show up.
The next day, hung over and bruised, Mike heads to McDonalds for a bite to eat. While at the restaurant he sees an attractive woman standing in line with a guy wearing a simple white shirt and black tie. Unable to take his eyes of the woman, Mike does not notice that Mumbles and Sully have entered the restaurant. Mumbles puts his hand on Mikes shoulder and grabs him tightly. Sully walks up to the woman and starts to kiss her. The man in the white shirt gets the hint and takes off. Sully introduces the woman as his girlfriend Ramona. Sully then tells Mike that he has been more than patient but it is now time for him to pay up. Not having the funds needed, Mike offers up his services as a con artist to Sully. Hardly impressed with this offer, Sully motions for Mumbles to take Mike out back and teach him a lesson. As they head out the door Ramona pipes up about having a solution to fix everything. Ramona request that Mike be her new errand boy as Sully killed her last one. Reluctant at first, Sully agrees and tells Mike that after working for Ramona, he will have wished that Sully killed him when he had the chance.
Sully informs Mike that his first assignment is to keep Ramona occupied at the park for a few moments while Sully and Mumbles conducts business nearby. Sully clearly instructs Mike that he is not to leave Ramona’s side at all cost. While walking to the park, Ramona informs Mike that she and the man in the white shirt are actually undercover Interpol agents building a case against Sully and his links in organized crime. Flashing her Interpol badge, Ramona informs Mike to go home and keep away from the bookie shop for the rest of the day as a major Interpol raid is going to happen later that night.
Act 3 –“Everything Is Borrowed”
Still in shock from what he had just learned, and unable to get a hold of Simone, Mike heads over to Scott’s house to tell him everything. At the apartment Mike notices, Simone’s coat over the arm rest of Scott’s chair. Mike questions Scott about the jacket but Scott pretends to be intensely watching something on television. Irritated Mike starts to piece together his hallucinations at the club and Simone’s distant behavior over the last few weeks. Mike accuses Scott of fooling around with his girlfriend, but is stunned to hear Scott say that it has been Dan. As luck would have it, Dan walks in a ten minutes later to pick up the coat. Not seeing Mike sitting at the table in disbelief, Dan mentions that he and Simone, who is waiting in the car, are going to the pub for a few pints. Before Dan can finish his sentence, Mike lunges at him and punches him in the face. As Dan falls to the ground, Mike starts wailing on him. If it wasn’t for Scott pulling him off of Dan, Mike would have killed him. As Mike leaves he gives a startled Simone a cold look as he walks by Dan’s car.
A few weeks later Mike, who has not left his house since the events at Scott’s house, lets Scott, Allison and her son Nathan into his place. Scott apologies for not telling Mike sooner but admits that he was in a tough spot since he was friends with both of them. Mike forgives him and they all sit around chatting for a bit. Mike tells them both that he has been doing a lot of thinking and plans to start making something of his life. The incident with Sully opened his eyes to how low his life had gotten. After a while, Scott leaves and Nathan falls asleep on the couch. Mike and Allison continue to talk until 2 am. The next morning Mike wakes up optimistic for the first time in a long time. Allison is asleep upstairs and Mike gets Nathan some cereal. Suddenly there is a knock on the door and Mike opens it to see the repo men on his doorstep. As the men take all of his stuff away, Mike spots an envelope behind the television set. There, in all its glory, is the grand that Mike had thought he lost several weeks ago. The film ends with Allison, Nathan and Mike on the street watching the repo men load their truck. Allison extends her hand to Mike indicating that he is welcome to come home with her. With only the clothes on his back and a grand in his hand, Mike smiles and confidently takes Allison’s hand and walks toward a new life.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Movie Marketing Monday
Gulliver’s Travels
How many times will they keep going back to this book? It seems like every few years a new version is being made.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
The end is near for the Potter series. I can hear studio execs crying as I type this. Keep in mind that they are using hundred dollar bills to dab their tears, so do not feel too sorry for them.
How many times will they keep going back to this book? It seems like every few years a new version is being made.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
The end is near for the Potter series. I can hear studio execs crying as I type this. Keep in mind that they are using hundred dollar bills to dab their tears, so do not feel too sorry for them.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Movie Marketing Monday
Easy A
A teen version of the Scarlet Letter that plays like a cross between Saved and 10 Things I Hate about You? I must admit I am a little curious about this on. It has potential to say the least. Also a film that features Emma Stone, Stanley Tucci, Patricia Clarkson, Amanda Bynes, Thomas Hayden Church and Lisa Kudrow cannot be that bad right?
The Adjustment Bureau
It is like they made a big screen version of an episode of Fringe! I am really intrigued by the premise and the casting is fantastic. Hopefully this one lives up to my modest expectations.
A teen version of the Scarlet Letter that plays like a cross between Saved and 10 Things I Hate about You? I must admit I am a little curious about this on. It has potential to say the least. Also a film that features Emma Stone, Stanley Tucci, Patricia Clarkson, Amanda Bynes, Thomas Hayden Church and Lisa Kudrow cannot be that bad right?
The Adjustment Bureau
It is like they made a big screen version of an episode of Fringe! I am really intrigued by the premise and the casting is fantastic. Hopefully this one lives up to my modest expectations.
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