Adjustment Bureau

Clay Payne

The The Adjustment Bureau depicts determinism and free will throughout the movie. I think that David’s life script was shown in a determinism way. The category of determinism states that all of our choices to a certain point are already determined before we think we make the decision. Even though I feel like David’s life falls under the determinism category I believe his life was scripted in a theological determinism way, or that his life was scripted by a more powerful figure or figures.

            At the start of the movie David meets a woman named Elise in a restroom. David instantly falls for this woman, but the higher power figure makes sure that he is following the path that he is supposed to follow. After David and Elise meet we see a higher power figure and the figure is supposed to spill David’s coffee so he misses the bus where he would find Elise, but the high power figure falls asleep. The mistake by the higher power figure allows for David to see Elise on the bus where they exchange each other’s numbers. David is able to dodge the path that was written for him and makes one of his own decisions in this part of his life.

            The main reason the coffee was supposed to spill was because The “Adjustment Bureau” or the group of “higher power figures” who are supposed to keep everyone on their already scripted path, were at David’s work trying to make adjustments to people at his work. David so happens to walk in on the “Adjustment Bureau”. As soon as David realizes what the “Adjustment Bureau does he decides to do all he can to avoid the path that is planned out for him and try to build a relationship with the woman he loves.

            David and Elise eventually lose contact for 3 years because a “higher power figure” who gives David a choice of being with the woman of his dreams or the choice of becoming the president and Elise fulfilling her dream of being a dancer. When the “higher power figure” gives David these two options the category of his life also changes to more of a free will path.

            The end of the story shares that most people follow the path that is originally set for them, however if you do not follow the path then you can live life freely. After watching this movie it makes me wonder how everyone kind of has a certain way to live life, such as getting up at the same time every day, going to class at the same times everyday, going to work at the same times every day. Our lives are already planned out for us to a certain degree. I look back at the past few weeks and I feel as if all of my days blend in together, because they are all so similar.  Are higher figures planning our lives or are we just stuck in the same routine and do not know how to get out?