I can’t remember much about the P.K. Dick Story, The Adjustment Team. It was, I think, a simple paranoia story done in Dick’s quick style. I have his the complete Short Stories of P.K. Dick, but I haven’t read them all in many years, and I have to find the book. (It’s in a box on the porch, underneath 20 or so other boxes of old books.)

The Adjustment Bureau is Dick done by Hollywood. By that I mean that they took the kernel of Dick’s genius and turned into a Hollywood style film. I was, however,  pleasantly surprised.

The NY Times gave the movie a good review or I would not have watched it. A Rolling Stone rave is a sure sign that the movie sucks, but the NY Times has a 50-50 chance of getting it right.

I was pleasantly surprised. It is a big movie, for such a slight idea. Erica kept asking me who the Adjustment Bureau was, and that seemed to be a central question. I am sure that Dick just posited their existence and went on to the central character’s dealing with the situation without looking back. In a short story there is no time for the philosophical shenanigans that George Nolfi, the director, wants to play.

The acting is nothing memorable. Matt Damon is flat, and Lisa Thoresen has nothing more to do than show cleavage. I don’t think she ever actually said “Oh My!”, but that’s how I remember her character. There is much running around that makes up for the missing acting.

In spite of that, I found myself drawn into the paranoia of the whole thing and rooting against the all powerful adjustment guys. Who or what they are, is asked but not answered, so I will guess that most of America will think them devils or angels. I prefer to think of them as sysadmins running the simulation that we call reality.

In the end the central theme is that love conquers all and that a man can change his own destiny if he tries. I like these themes, although the proof of the thesis is not stated by the plot, but only a speech at the end. The Matt Damn character, does little to assert his free will other than take advice from a rogue Adjustment Man. At the critical moment he craps out, and is just lucky in that he can fix the mistake. i would rather have seen him seize the moment a little earlier and had much more trouble achieving his goals.

I like my SF a little harder and than this. I like difficult stories and ideas. The Adjustment Bureau is enjoyable, even it is a little light and fluffy. Go see it.