By Mike Parker entertainment examier.
Are we in charge of our lives, or are decisions made for us long before we consider them? Do we control our destiny, or do unseen forces manipulate it? Writer/director George Nolfi talks about these huge philosophical questions that permeate his new romantic thriller The Adjustment Bureau.
Mike Parker – You adapted the screenplay for The Adjustment Bureau from a short story http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adjustment_Team by Philip K. Dick. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_K._Dick Dick's work has already proved to be money at the box office with such films as Total Recall, Blade Runner and Minority Report. Were you a fan of Philip Dick previously, or did this particular story just peak your interest?
George Nolfi – My producing partner, Michael Hackett, knows Dicks work well and is a big scifi fan. He is the one that brought the premise to me about nine years ago. The story intrigued me because I've always been interest in the concept of fate vs. free will. It was something we talked about at home when I was a kid. I loved the idea of Fate being a group of people, real characters you could interact with, rather than an abstraction.
Parker – You've worked with the lead actor, Matt Damon, in films like Ocean's Twelve and The Bourne Ultimatum. How important to the story was getting him on board with The Adjustment Bureau?
Nolfi – I would never have been about to direct this movie if there had not been a movie star attached. I felt like Matt was the best choice for the role because he has the ability to be authentic to the role. It's not like he is an actor playing the role. Matt is probably the greatest Everyman in Hollywood.
Parker – The Adjustment Bureau taps into one of the great questions of life, whether or not a person views life from a religious perspective, and that is the great debate between fate and volition; predestination and free-will. Did you come up with any answers while you were writing the screenplay?
Nolfi – I think they are both there. I think life doesn't make much sense if there is not free will, but I also think there are also larger forces in effect in our lives that determine whether you are born in Zimbabwe or the Bronx. There are all these hugely important things that impinge on what kind of life we live; whether we are rich or poor, who our parents are - things that we have no control over. It is a dilemma that has troubled men since the origin of story, from the Gilgamesh epic through Greek drama to Shakespeare and into modern times.
Parker – I understand you've had the opportunity to screen this film for a variety of groups, and had the chance to get in on some pretty interesting discussions. What kind of response is The Adjustment Bureau generating?
Nolfi – It has really been amazing to screen this film for audiences and then do a question and answer session. I've done around 12 different Q&A screenings for groups including the military, religious organizations, political groups and regular college kids. Audiences all seem to engage with one of two aspects of the film. Either they connect with the character development and thriller aspects of the film, or they engage with the philosophical questions raised by the film.
Parker – One of the interesting questions raised by this film is the idea of personal responsibility. Do you do what is best for your own personal happiness, or do you set aside your own happiness and accept the path that might provide great benefit to others? And do we really have a choice between those two?
Nolfi – I know from my days in 8th grade English that you are supposed to be able to look at a story and determine the main theme, but I don't have just one theme to this film. One of the themes did deal with whether the hero should sacrifice his own happiness for the betterment of the world, once it is put to him that choosing one path would clearly provide a benefit to millions of people. I don't think there is an easy answer to that question. I think it is a real dilemma that people face every day, and they have to make those decisions without knowing the ultimate outcome.
Parker – What's coming up next on your agenda?
Nolfi – I've written a couple of things that need revising, but it has been an exhausting process getting this film made, so I think I'm going to take a vacation, then come back and decide which project to start revising.
Parker – Last words?
Nolfi – Most Hollywood movies take you into a world that is bounded by a certain genre - thriller, romance, drama, comedy. I tried to blend a bunch of genres together and I hope people will go to see The Adjustment Bureau without preconceived expectations. I think if they will do that they will really enjoy the film.
Are we in charge of our lives, or are decisions made for us long before we consider them? Do we control our destiny, or do unseen forces manipulate it? Writer/director George Nolfi talks about these huge philosophical questions that permeate his new romantic thriller The Adjustment Bureau.
Mike Parker – You adapted the screenplay for The Adjustment Bureau from a short story http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adjustment_Team by Philip K. Dick. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_K._Dick Dick's work has already proved to be money at the box office with such films as Total Recall, Blade Runner and Minority Report. Were you a fan of Philip Dick previously, or did this particular story just peak your interest?
George Nolfi – My producing partner, Michael Hackett, knows Dicks work well and is a big scifi fan. He is the one that brought the premise to me about nine years ago. The story intrigued me because I've always been interest in the concept of fate vs. free will. It was something we talked about at home when I was a kid. I loved the idea of Fate being a group of people, real characters you could interact with, rather than an abstraction.
Parker – You've worked with the lead actor, Matt Damon, in films like Ocean's Twelve and The Bourne Ultimatum. How important to the story was getting him on board with The Adjustment Bureau?
Nolfi – I would never have been about to direct this movie if there had not been a movie star attached. I felt like Matt was the best choice for the role because he has the ability to be authentic to the role. It's not like he is an actor playing the role. Matt is probably the greatest Everyman in Hollywood.
Parker – The Adjustment Bureau taps into one of the great questions of life, whether or not a person views life from a religious perspective, and that is the great debate between fate and volition; predestination and free-will. Did you come up with any answers while you were writing the screenplay?
Nolfi – I think they are both there. I think life doesn't make much sense if there is not free will, but I also think there are also larger forces in effect in our lives that determine whether you are born in Zimbabwe or the Bronx. There are all these hugely important things that impinge on what kind of life we live; whether we are rich or poor, who our parents are - things that we have no control over. It is a dilemma that has troubled men since the origin of story, from the Gilgamesh epic through Greek drama to Shakespeare and into modern times.
Parker – I understand you've had the opportunity to screen this film for a variety of groups, and had the chance to get in on some pretty interesting discussions. What kind of response is The Adjustment Bureau generating?
Nolfi – It has really been amazing to screen this film for audiences and then do a question and answer session. I've done around 12 different Q&A screenings for groups including the military, religious organizations, political groups and regular college kids. Audiences all seem to engage with one of two aspects of the film. Either they connect with the character development and thriller aspects of the film, or they engage with the philosophical questions raised by the film.
Parker – One of the interesting questions raised by this film is the idea of personal responsibility. Do you do what is best for your own personal happiness, or do you set aside your own happiness and accept the path that might provide great benefit to others? And do we really have a choice between those two?
Nolfi – I know from my days in 8th grade English that you are supposed to be able to look at a story and determine the main theme, but I don't have just one theme to this film. One of the themes did deal with whether the hero should sacrifice his own happiness for the betterment of the world, once it is put to him that choosing one path would clearly provide a benefit to millions of people. I don't think there is an easy answer to that question. I think it is a real dilemma that people face every day, and they have to make those decisions without knowing the ultimate outcome.
Parker – What's coming up next on your agenda?
Nolfi – I've written a couple of things that need revising, but it has been an exhausting process getting this film made, so I think I'm going to take a vacation, then come back and decide which project to start revising.
Parker – Last words?
Nolfi – Most Hollywood movies take you into a world that is bounded by a certain genre - thriller, romance, drama, comedy. I tried to blend a bunch of genres together and I hope people will go to see The Adjustment Bureau without preconceived expectations. I think if they will do that they will really enjoy the film.
