Hollywood Always Shits on Dick —
They do it every time. They take a Philip K. Dick story and make a movie that doesn't resemble it. I just saw Adjustment Bureau, the new Matt Damon movie, and I wasn't impressed.
A couple of review quotes I read beforehand summed it up nicely, I think:
- "If Frank Capra directed The Matrix."
- "A conversation starter for idiots."
And I would add:
- "How many times can you spot the microphone in the shot?"
Yeah, really... it was THAT unprofessional.
The problem with adapting Phil Dick stories is that they're usually really short and only meant to introduce an idea, and often they're just jokes, the hope being that you'll realize it's dumb to contemplate the implications because it's pointless. And we can't dismiss the fact that, like every writer of his ilk, Dick was writing mainly for the money. Enjoy it, but don't tell me it's DEEP. Cause it ain't.
Especially if you change it.
Just go read Dick's stories, okay?
P.S. - Dear movie-makers: Emily Blunt is lovely and appears to be a strong young actress, so you really oughtta give her some professional makeup attention. I mean, when the big pivotal scene arrives, I should NOT be thinking, "Oh, she doesn't look good." And the bruises on her arms shouldn't be the most memorable part of ANY scene.
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