Your Name/The Adjustment Bureau (Double Feature)
Michael Scott
At the time of writing, it has been two weeks since the worst date of my life. I am 22.
A picture to make me feel better.
Before this, the worst date I have ever been on was bad because the girl was a total nutcase. I could tell the whole story but, just take my word for it. Brutish, racist, and shockingly rude. Not my type.
This last date however was going great, until it suddenly wasn't. It was neither of our faults and something just changed in the wind. We haven't spoken since. And this was after weeks of non-stop correspondence.
Destiny may have more to do with love than with any other happening in the world. What happens and what doesn't. What works and what won't... it's all so based on timing and coincidence that destiny must have something to do with it...
Not even this guy.... and they left him on MARS!
Coincidentally... or maybe it was destiny, I watched two great love stories back to back and I'd like to share them with you.
The first of the two was the 2011 Matt Damon film, The Adjustment Bureau. Going in I knew nothing about the movie and you should watch it. Spoilers for the film below.
For the first, 15 minutes or so, the movie is a political drama, totally straight. But after a leaked picture from a raunchy party gets Matt Damon's career path shaken off course he meets the woman of his dreams(played by Emily Blunt). Damon's character gives a character redefining speech in the wake of his senate election loss, and this solidifies him as a possible presidential nominee going forward.
The movie takes a bizarre turn into the supernatural realm the next time he meets this woman. After arriving at work "early" he discovers an office full of men in black “adjusting” his co-workers. Chaos ensues.
Turns out these MIBs are actually a form of lower angel, working for the big man. They perform on-the-fly adjustments to the path of the world to keep the narrative of the human race moving according to "the plan".
Without giving anything else away, the thing that struck me about this movie was how inspirational it was. Sure it was a fantasy and the last third of the movie is sort of a mess but it's good. It leaves you feeling positive about yourself and about the world around you. Even if there aren't teleporting angels all around fixing all my mistakes and making sure I find my soul mate.
Give it a watch.
The second film I watched was the highly recommended Your Name, which crushed the Japanese box office last year. And before I say anything else, it's a beautiful work of art and in some places in the US it's still in theaters. Go see it.
This movie starts as a comedy about two high-schoolers who freaky-friday switch with each other. The added level of awkwardness comes from them being opposite genders. One is a girl who lives in the boonies, the eldest daughter of a politician and a shrine keeper. Bullied at school but with a tight-knit group of friends. The other is a poor working boy attending a Tokyo school and working a job as a waiter.
The I'd be hard pressed to find anything else to say specifically about this movie without ruining it, so I'll let it be.
Both films have something different to say about the spiritual imperative - love.
The former insists that love is destiny. Destiny can change...or be changed but ultimately, if something wants to happen it's going to take heavenly intervention to stop it.
The latter believes that even in the most ridiculous circumstances, love and hard work can bring any two people together. Destiny might set up the pins, but it's still us lowly mortals that need to bowl a strike.
Maybe it's because I was in a sensitive place and saw the films at the right time. Or maybe these really are movies that touch everyone. But I'd say either way, these movies are special.
Love stories are the hardest kind of story to tell. They should inspire us. They should make us feel unstoppable. Whether the message is above the power of determination and human will. Or about being open to letting the universe show you the right path. Both options warm my heart.
I'll be looking for you in the stars tonight.