If you haven’t heard of The Gangster Squad, it’s a new crime movie set in 1940s/50s LA. Directed by Ruben Fleischer, it already has Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling, Anthony Mackie, Michael Pena and Bryan Cranston on its books (yes, believe it sister).

In this cop vs mafia set-up Ribisi is playing on the side of the law with his character Conway Keeler, member of the elite police team and specialist in electronics, wiring and general techy stuff that will have him talking in a fast voice as he explains something no-one understands.

Set for release in 2013 we are getting more excited about The Gangster Squad by the day – but with no ladies confirmed yet, we’re curious about who the lucky biatch will be.

The following morning sees the entry of a goofy troupe of fedora wearing celestial bureaucrats led by Richardson (John Slattery of Mad Men fame) and Harry Mitchell (Anthony Mackie) whose job it is to subtly interfere with (read: adjust) events in the world in order to make sure their mysterious ‘plan’ goes to, err, plan. Disaster immediately befalls their operation, however, as Harry, who has been working on David’s ‘case’ for many years, fails to subtly influence David’s fate when it is required of him. This causes David to unwittingly go ‘off-plan’. He boards an earlier bus resulting in a chance reunion with Elise, they re-hit it off and this time he gets her number before parting ways with her once again.

Later when he arrives at work, again earlier than expected, he interrupts another ‘adjustment’ in process. This ‘adjustment’ is less subtle than the first (it involves lasers) and thus reveals to David the clandestine operations of ‘The Adjustment Bureau’. After fleeing in terror David is accosted by Richardson and his goons and warned that he must not reveal their existence, nor pursue Elise, the latter being explicitly forbidden by the ‘plan’ on account of it having catastrophic consequences.

David is determined to be reunited with Elise, and the Adjustment Bureau is determined to keep them apart. It’s the classic tale of forbidden love, albeit realised through the less than conventional philosophical apparatus of fate and determinism! The stage is set for a gripping inter-reality cat and mouse chase! Or rather not. The Adjustment Bureau falls quite flat as a thriller and the reason is markedly simpler than the elaborate set-up: it lacks a true antagonist.

For a thriller to be thrilling there needs to be a believable threat of violence or danger, and the threats uttered by the Bureau aren’t really believable because from the start we are let in on the fact that they aren’t really the bad guys. They are a quite benign, rather likeable bunch who, despite the great power and responsibility they are endowed with, can be characterised by their bumbling incompetence (which caused the whole scenario in the first place) more than anything. This fundamental flaw makes the ensuing pursuit a somewhat stultified and neutered affair.

The introduction of veteran Bureau agent Thompson AKA ‘The Hammer’ (Terence Stamp) promises to inject a bit of urgency into proceedings. Unfortunately Stamp seems to have based his performance on some sort of camp Bond villain, rather than developing an understated menace that the role, or rather the whole film, was crying out for.

Matt Damon and Emily Blunt

It’s a bit of a shame because the lead performances can’t really be faulted. Damon is typically on form and perfectly suited to his role and Blunt’s character is actually quite likable, despite at times threatening to become a wacky, eccentric English stereotype. What’s more the dialogue between the two of them comes across as not only believable but natural – all the more impressive considering the relatively short amount of screen time they are given together.

Overall Nolfi has produced a smart script and got some great performances from his cast but all this is deflated by the lack urgency inherent in the plot. It’s telling that Philip K. Dick’s short story ends roughly where The Adjustment Bureau picks up. Dick’s conclusion simply isn’t the suitable premise for a feature-length thriller.

Bravo, team!

Expect to bite your nails to the cuticle over the subsequent two hours. Journalist and screenwriter Mark Boal spent time embedded with an army bomb squad in Iraq and his hellish experiences add the sheen of uncomfortable realism to Bigelow’s directorial brio. The odds are stacked against these men from the very first frame and the few who live to tell the tale will be emotionally scarred for the rest of their civilian lives. The antagonism continues on subsequent missions, like when James discards his military issue earpiece so he can think clearly without Sanborn barking in his ear. “Please put your headset back on,” instructs the sergeant. James responds by flipping the bird. “That’s a negative,” translate Eldridge.

Rough, tough, explodey stuff

When one reckless action has shocking and fatal consequences, Sanborn finally explodes – “We didn’t have to go looking for trouble to get your adrenaline fix!” – and James is compelled to face up to the repercussions of his decisions. The Hurt Locker is a gripping portrait of courage and carelessness under fire, anchored by strong performances from the leads as three very different faces of the modern US military. Renner captures the contradictions of his unit leader, who struts the line between bravado and suicidal stupidity. Mackie and Geraghty are compelling in their roles as the voices of experience and exuberance, and there are pivotal turns for Guy Pearce and Ralph Fiennes too as men caught in the relentless crossfire.

Bigelow’s direction is impeccable, shooting on location in Jordan in 130-degree heat to capture the exhaustion on the faces of her actors as they become embroiled in the meticulously orchestrated action sequences. Every bead of sweat, every grimace of pain looks and feels real, yet the men of Bravo Company wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. They get their kicks staring down the barrel of the enemy’s guns and dodging bullets every single day, and we’re invited along for the ride.

Special Features

Behind the scenes featurette
Cast and crew interviews