Adjusting willfullness

The Adjustment Bureau. Another film of another Philip K Dick book.
What an incredible imagination tat man had. Blade Runner of course was a stunning film. I haven't read a single one of his books. But those I have seen made into films have been engaging stories. Science fiction is the genre but of course with so many other genres contained within them.

More and more I rate Matt Damon as an actor. I love the appearance of Terence Stamp - he is so, uhm, so British, so 60's. Somehow he is a stage lovey. I enjoy watching his contribution to films.
 Agent Thompson

I love the never quite getting there feel in this film. The idea that really we don't truly have free will. There is a plan and there is some guidance given along the way. However there are chance things too. A little convenient the idea that water hides us temporarily from them. So when it's raining like it has been here in England for the past two days, we have been slipping through the net. I wonder what the plan has been and if my foolish choices have been flummoxing them all the time. of course I am probably too much high maintenance to be able to keep a lid on me. And with so many people in the world there aren't enough agents of fate to be following each and everyone of us. Apparently. Which means that there is a rippling effect of chance as well as a rippling effect of the choices made by those that are being "watched over".

Oh and the hats are both a limit and give the agents a power. I loved their books. It seemed to show all the possible ripple effects - kiss her and this will happen. However, the Chairman it seems was able to re-write the script. The agents had to keep events changing so as to keep to the script, knocking out any effects that chance might make to the plan being followed. Short sighted in way.
It was an interesting conversation when Agent Richardson explains the effects of allowing humans to have complete freewill. The agents stood back and he spoke about all the devastation caused by humans free choices. Mainly he talked about wars. Norris retorts that the world is in pretty bad shape now. Good point I thought, to which Agent Richardson points out that it's not in as bad as state as if they hadn't been involved. That's true love. And thereafter anything can be achieved I guess.



A quote from the Guardian about this film - A love born of pheromones, or just genetic predisposition?
Pheromone - any chemical substance released by an animal that serves to influence the physiology or behavior of other members of the same species.

Is it all written in a plan somewhere?? If it mine seems a funny plan and very different from what it seems I think I want. Perhaps my strong urges have caused it to be such a wriggly line, and the agents have to keep getting me back on course because they are not watching me all the time.
I wish I had met someone who truly loved me.

A would-be panegyric to the glory of free will makes determinism seem preferable
The theological theory of determinism is the basis oh Philip K Dick's book. And I think this theory manifests through other stories of his. I am not certain about this having not read them and watched the film. But I like the way he takes these theories and weaves them into stories asking big questions.
But of course the fiction also leaves many unanswered questions around the theory. Like the fact that the agents determinedly follow the "plan" and don't question it when chance itself is so very persistent. And why on earth would humans have been created with the belief of autonomy - what benefit would that bring to anyone unless it was all some big game. For what point?
Humph!!! It starts to turn into a conspiracy theory then and breeds in me distrust. Yuchy!

"Free will is a gift that you only use when you have to fight for it"
What does that mean exactly? Agent Harry says this to Norris.





Lots of interesting ideas from Philip K Dick anyway.
I liked A Scanner Darkly and Blade Runner and The Minority Report.
I think I have seen Paycheck and didn't really like the film. It's Ben Afleck I think - I am not keen on him as an actor. It's a similar bravado role I think like Tom Cruise. It was a pity he was in Minority Report actually. I liked Total Recall too. I have yet to see Next and Screamers. I think I should like to read a book as well.

Bliss
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