--- title: "The Adjustment Bureau" year: 2011 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-adjustment-bureau" fi1m_score: 64 critics_score: 62 critics_reviews: 19 published: "2026-09-19T10:17:21.747438+00:00" updated: "2026-09-19T10:17:22.382245+00:00" region: "US" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Adjustment Bureau (2011) Directed by George Nolfi · 1h 46m · MPA PG-13 · Science Fiction, Thriller, Romance **Fi1m score: 64** · Critics 62 from 19 reviews *In a sentence:* Fate is a mid-century insurance office, and it can be undone by a man falling asleep on a bench > George Nolfi’s debut takes a Philip K. Dick premise about men who quietly correct the world and turns it into a romance, and the romance is the good part. Damon and Blunt are easy company; the film explaining itself is not. ## Synopsis New York, election night. David Norris (Matt Damon), a young Brooklyn congressman running for the United States Senate, watches his lead vanish after a tabloid prints a photograph from a college reunion. Hiding in a hotel men’s room to rehearse his concession, he meets Elise Sellas (Emily Blunt), a dancer who has crashed a wedding upstairs, and the speech she prods out of him puts him back on the map. Three years on, a chance meeting on a bus gets him her number. It also gets him to his office early, where he finds his friend Charlie Traynor (Michael Kelly) frozen mid-sentence and men in hats working on him. Their leader, Richardson (John Slattery), explains that the world runs to a plan, that David has seen behind it, and that he must never see Elise again. ## Review George Nolfi’s first film as director takes a Philip K. Dick premise and does something unusual with it: he makes it kind. The idea is that the world runs to a Plan, and that a workforce of men in hats keeps humanity on course with small corrections, a spilt coffee here, a missed bus there. Dick would have used that to frighten us. Nolfi uses it to keep Matt Damon and Emily Blunt apart for 106 minutes, and the film is at its best when it is about the two of them and at its weakest whenever it stops to tell us how the machinery works. The couple is the good part. Damon plays David Norris, a congressman with a temper and a talent for rooms, as a man who is pleased to be liked and slightly ashamed of how much. Blunt’s Elise Sellas, a dancer he meets in a hotel men’s room, is quicker than him and knows it, and the two of them talk the way people talk when they are trying to make each other laugh. The bus scene, in which she steals his phone and dares him, is the film in miniature, and we grinned all the way through it. We believed the next hour largely on the credit it earned. The Bureau is a pleasure to look at. Kasia Walicka Maimone puts the agents in fedoras and grey overcoats cut for about 1960, so that John Slattery, playing the harassed middle manager Richardson, looks as though he has stepped out of [*Mad Men*](https://film.one/tv/mad-men) to do a bit of overtime. Kevin Thompson gives them offices of marble and long empty corridors, and a set of ordinary doors that open from one part of Manhattan into another. John Toll shoots all this in plain, bright New York daylight, on the streets and in the parks, so the strangeness has nowhere to hide. Anthony Mackie gives the film its conscience as Harry Mitchell, the agent who falls asleep on a bench and lets David catch the bus, and who spends the rest of the film looking tired in a way the script never quite explains but Mackie does. Michael Kelly’s Charlie Traynor, the campaign manager, is the one man in David’s life who does not know anything is wrong. Terence Stamp arrives around the midpoint as Thompson, a more senior man, and treats the whole metaphysical apparatus as a nuisance he would rather not discuss. He is the only person in the film who makes the Plan sound like a burden, and the film improves every time he speaks. The trouble is that everyone else wants to discuss it. Roughly every twenty minutes somebody sits David down and explains another rule: ripples, case files, the Chairman upstairs, why the hats matter. Each rule is introduced so that it can be bent later, and by the second hour we found we were nodding along politely, the way one does when a stranger explains the rules of a game we had already agreed to play. The film also spells out what David and Elise each stand to lose by staying together, and once it has done that the romance feels like a calculation. The last stretch takes a turn we will not describe; we will say only that after ninety minutes of a system with no exits, one appears so tidily that we felt slightly patronised. Thomas Newman’s score does not help. It is piano and warm strings, and it plays over the chases as well as the kisses, so the film never gets to be frightening for more than a few seconds at a time. Jay Rabinowitz cuts the foot chases with real clarity, so that we always know which door leads where; he cuts the briefings as fast as he can and they still sit there. Dick’s people usually open a door and find another room. Nolfi’s find a way out, and it is the least interesting thing about them. This is a good film for two people who have already agreed to like each other, best watched at home, where the hats are funnier and the speeches feel shorter than they do in the dark. It runs 106 minutes, carries a 12A, and reached UK cinemas on 4 March 2011. *Fi1m score 64, published 19 September 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics come away mildly pleased, and the praise lands in one place: Matt Damon and Emily Blunt. Nearly every review credits their pairing with making the romance believable and carrying the film through its softer stretches. Those who like it most see it as a romantic adventure rather than a science-fiction thriller, and they single out the New York locations, the production design and a brisk first hour that keeps the exposition light. The reservations cluster on the second half. Several reviews say the film over-explains its bureau, answers its questions about free will clumsily and settles for a resolution that is too neat, and a few find George Nolfi’s direction safe and visually unambitious. The spread is wide, from approval to two outright dismissals: Slant calls it formulaic and ludicrous by the end, and the Evening Standard breaks with the majority to find Blunt’s performance grating rather than charming. ### Reviews we read (19) - **Empire**, Helen O'Hara (80/100, inferred): The critic praises it as an intelligent, entertaining metaphysical love story/thriller with crackling chemistry between the leads and light exposition that keeps the pace brisk. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/adjustment-bureau-review/) - **Screen Daily** (80/100, inferred): The critic sees the film as a sophisticated romantic adventure at heart rather than a sci-fi thriller, praising the charming pairing of Matt Damon and Emily Blunt as its beating heart along with elegant production design, a smart script and enough thrills to hold attention. It could appeal widely if marketed as a well-made romance rather than an action romp. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/the-adjustment-bureau/5024177.article) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, Todd McCarthy (80/100, inferred): The critic finds it a genuinely romantic fantasy suspense thriller that succeeds through convincing chemistry between its leads and a light, pragmatic take on the controlling 'System.' It stands out for its heart and New York locations over more cerebral sci-fi peers. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/adjustment-bureau-review-film-161218/) - **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (70/100, inferred): The critic finds the film a light-hearted Philip K Dick adaptation turned glitzy conspiracy thriller with jaunty absurdity. It succeeds as an entertaining speculative comedy on love, free will and fate, anchored by the leads' rapport. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/mar/03/the-adjustment-bureau-review) - **The New York Times**, Manohla Dargis (Critic’s Pick): The critic praises this fast, sure directorial debut for its witty mix of science-fiction metaphysics and old-fashioned romance. She singles out the likable, confidently sexy leads and the balanced tone between sincerity and self-conscious amusement. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/04/movies/04adjust.html) - **Total Film**, Jonathan Crocker (65/100, inferred): The critic finds it a surprisingly heartfelt romance thanks to the strong chemistry between Matt Damon and Emily Blunt and their engaging dialogue, though criticizes the direction as safe and bland. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/the-adjustment-bureau-review/) - **Time Out**, David Jenkins (3/5): The critic views it as a sleek but unadventurous directorial debut overshadowed by Inception, with genuine substance in its conspiracy themes but too many plot holes and a lack of visual ambition. The sweet chemistry between Matt Damon and Emily Blunt makes the central romance credible. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-adjustment-bureau) - **Variety**, Justin Chang (60/100, inferred): The review finds questions of predestination and free will intriguingly posed but clunkily answered, with a fun first hour giving way to a leaden, expository approach. It singles out the excellent cast and playfully surreal chase setpieces for praise. [Read](https://variety.com/2011/film/reviews/the-adjustment-bureau-1117944693/) - **The AV Club**, Keith Phipps (C-): The review sees the film as a thin, stakes-free supernatural romance that squanders strong lead chemistry and a promising premise by stretching a slim idea too thin. It singles out the direction for making the whole thing feel slight and inconsequential despite the cast's efforts. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/the-adjustment-bureau-1798167484) - **Slant Magazine**, Bill Weber (25/100, inferred): The critic calls it an odd, formulaic mishmash that starts dull and ends ludicrously, failing to develop its ideas about free will or romance. It singles out the contrived climax and saccharine resolution for undermining any potential depth. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-adjustment-bureau/) - **Evening Standard** (20/100, inferred): The critic calls it maladjusted and maddening, criticizing the annoying kooky performance by Emily Blunt and finding it neither a suggestive meditation nor entertaining popcorn. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/the-adjustment-bureau-is-maladjusted-and-maddening-7423829.html) - **The Playlist**, The Playlist Staff (80/100, inferred): It is a staggeringly clean, entertaining little movie that headily tackles issues like fate, love, and the nature of reality. The third act is slightly shaky and nearly veers into new age-y sappiness, but charming work by the cast makes it wholly entertaining and emotionally engaging. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/review-the-adjustment-bureau-is-a-heady-sci-fi-romance-20110303/) - **The Wrap** (80/100, inferred): The film is an entertaining sci-fi romantic thriller that stands out for its heart compared to similar movies like The Matrix or Inception. Nolfi balances humor and suspense effectively while showcasing New York City locations and featuring strong leads with an intelligent script. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/review-matt-damons-adjustment-its-matrix-heart-25221/) - **Collider**, Matt Goldberg (B): The critic finds the film saved by the strong chemistry between its leads Matt Damon and Emily Blunt, which helps carry it through weaker moments as a charming supernatural romance. Nolfi is praised for his confident direction but critiqued for over-explaining the bureau's mechanics at the expense of deeper philosophical engagement. [Read](https://collider.com/the-adjustment-bureau-review/) - **Digital Spy**, Stella Papamichael (65/100, inferred): The film is a tense romantic thriller buoyed by strong chemistry between Damon and Blunt and probing questions about fate, but Nolfi ultimately fudges the deeper ideas, allowing Hollywood conventions to override a convincing resolution. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a306050/the-adjustment-bureau/) - **/Film**, Russ Fischer (6.5/10): It is an effective, even captivating romantic chase film with a meditative core worth considering. It bursts its own bubble with explanations and offers a too-pat resolution, but the questions posed linger. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/514362/the-adjustment-bureau-movie-review/) - **Den of Geek**, Ryan Lambie (3/5): The critic finds it a pleasant but slightly inconsequential fantasy romance filtered through Capra rather than Kafka, with engaging dialogue and gentle chemistry between Damon and Blunt. It lacks Philip K. Dick's cynicism and can feel wan or tentative in its dramatic moments. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-adjustment-bureau-review/) - **Eye for Film**, Andrew Robertson (50/100, inferred): There's a lot of good work here with decent performances from Blunt, Damon and Mackie, gorgeous locations and neat production design, but it doesn't quite work. It relies on cliché and gets into a muddle it can't escape from. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-adjustment-bureau-film-review-by-andrew-robertson) - **HeyUGuys**, Craig Skinner (2.5/5): The critic finds it a fun and engaging thriller but one mostly lacking in substance or complexity. Damon and Blunt have strong chemistry and the supporting cast is excellent, but the film softens the source material's harder edges and has logic issues. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/the-adjustment-bureau-review/) ## Details - **Director:** George Nolfi - **Director:** George Nolfi - **Screenplay:** George Nolfi - **Cinematography:** John Toll - **Editor:** Jay Rabinowitz - **Music:** Thomas Newman - **Production design:** Kevin Thompson - **Costume design:** Kasia Walicka Maimone - **Producer:** Bill Carraro, Eric Kripke, Michael Hackett - **Cast:** Matt Damon as David Norris; Emily Blunt as Elise Sellas; John Slattery as Richardson; Anthony Mackie as Harry Mitchell; Michael Kelly as Charlie Traynor; Terence Stamp as Thompson; Shane McRae as Adrian Troussant, Elise's Fiancé; Lisa Thoreson as Suburban Mom - **Runtime:** 1h 46m - **Certificate (MPA):** PG-13 - **Release (the US):** 4 March 2011 - **Genres:** Science Fiction, Thriller, Romance - **Budget:** $50 million - **Box office:** $128 million ## Where to watch in the US - Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, hd - Apple TV: rent $3.99, hd - Apple TV: buy $12.99, hd - Amazon Prime Video: buy $12.99, hd *Checked 2026-09-19.* Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, IE, IL, IN, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, TH, TR, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## If you liked this - *A Matter of Life and Death* (1946), Fi1m 92: Heaven’s clerks come for an airman in love and get argued out of it. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/a-matter-of-life-and-death.md) - *Wings of Desire* (1987), Fi1m 88: Angels in overcoats watch Berlin and one of them wants a coffee and a woman. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/wings-of-desire.md) - *Dark City* (1998), Fi1m 76: Pale men in hats rearrange a city nightly; the same idea, played for dread. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/dark-city.md) - *Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind* (2004), Fi1m 88: A couple’s memories are edited by technicians and the couple fights back. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/eternal-sunshine-of-the-spotless-mind.md) - *Minority Report* (2002), Fi1m 81: The other Philip K. Dick chase film, faster, colder and less inclined to forgive. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/minority-report.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/the-adjustment-bureau