Movie Recommendations

A few nights ago Pete and I watched THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU, a PG-13 drama, action, mystery, sci-fi, romance. (That's a lot of categories, but it truly is all of those!)

Matt Damon plays the character role and is just superb as David Norris, the youngest-ever New York State Representative in the running for a Senate seat; a man who is confident and assured that his future is firmly in his hands. Then he unexpectedly meets a young woman named Elise...and soon after learns that his choices have very little to do with how his life pans out. Why? Because, the Adjustment Bureau is a group of fedora-wearing suited agents that ensure that we all stick to The Plan, laid out by The Chairman.

The questions the movie asks are substantial and universal. Do our choices matter or is life ultimately scripted by a higher power? Do we have free will, and to what degree? What about chance?

I won't go into the plot more than that (you can find a trailer online if you're interested), but I will say that it was a film that both of us really enjoyed. It was delightfully funny and emotional, while provoking more thought than the tradional Hollywood fare.

I completely agree with the conclusion that PLUGGED IN ONLINE reviewer Adam R. Holz shared:

"So how far you go down the path of equating The Chairman with God may well be the determining factor in how you react to The Adjustment Bureau—both positively and negatively. But as you react, you'll realize that this film, which is based on a short story by sci-fi maestro Philip K. Dick, has managed to elevate itself to the status of rare big-budget Hollywood production: One that strives to deal intelligently and entertainingly with one of the stickiest subjects in human history. One that strives to leaves audiences thinking and talking about something significantly more substantive than cool special effects."

It is PG-13, so if you want to read Holz's full review, click on this link.
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Another movie I recently viewed is based upon the popular book by Tatiana de Rosnay, Sarah's Key.

Earlier this fall I was a crazy woman and read the entire book in one day. Needless to say, I didn't get much sleep that night. It was just so compelling, sleep didn't seem to matter, no matter how blurry and dried out my contact lenses were getting.

It's two stories in one, alternating between 1942 and 2009.

The first story centers on the Starzynski's, a Jewish family living in German-occupied Paris, FRANCE during WWII. On July 16th and 17th, 1942, they are rounded up by the French police with 13,152 others, largely emigrated Jews and their French-born children and grandchildren, and held in the Velodrome de Hivre (an indoor track) without food, water, and toilets. From there they are taken to Auschwitz. But as the roundup is taking place, Sarah, age 10, hides her 4-year-old brother, Michel, in a secret closet in the bedroom, and after promising to return for him, she locks the door and takes the key.

The modern story is of Julia Jarmond, an American journalist who is married to a Frenchman and living in Paris. She is familiar with the Vel' d'Hiv Roundup, as she has researched and written about it before, but suddenly she discovers Sarah and Michel's names are not listed among the deceased from Auschwitz. She begins her own investigation and makes a startling connection to the property her husband's family owns.

I found the movie to be a pretty true snapshot, albeit abbreviated as all film renditions are, of the novel. What really impressed me was the young actress who played Sarah! Oh my. She showed such depth and command of her emotions, I totally believed her! And Kristin Scott Thomas was wonderful as Julia, though I've always liked her as an actress.

An excellent book, and a heart-wrenchingly beautiful story. You must check out both!