Throughout the movie the adjustment Bureau, the director, George Nolfi, uses Narration, lighting and Costume to communicate the fact that everyone has the power to choose their own fate. Throughout the final scene, these 3 techniques work together in order to empower the audience to do the same with their own lives. in this scene David and Elise, the two main characters, are told that the chairman, the one who controls all, has given them free will after the risk that they have taken to be together. The scene then ends with the couple walking hand in hand down the street whilst walking past many adjustment officers and Harry, the adjustment officer that was following David, Narrating.
In the final seconds of the scene, Harry is narrating to the audience, not directly about the movie but of the inspiring message the movie is trying to communicate. Everyone has the power to choose their own fate if they put in the effort is the message given to the audience and is shown clearly in this scene. Harry was a major player in helping David achieve free will as he even goes as far as to lend him his hat and in this scene states while narrating ‘‘free will is a gift you won’t know how to use until you fight for it…’’ this is a clear message almost quoting the idea the director is trying to communicate which is those who put in the effort can decide their own fate. Harry closes his narration and the movie “… And maybe one day we won’t write the plan, you will.” leaving the audience with a final punch of inspiration saying it is possible to choose your own plan. This powerful narration words nicely in relation to the costume of most characters in the final scene to communicate free will and the power to decide your own fate.
Costume, in the final scene, plays a massive role in cementing free will and the power to choose it as the main idea of the movie. As shown previously, the hats that the adjustment officers wear have special powers to transport them through doorways to any part of the city, and therefore in the movie, anyone shown to be wearing a hat is considered an adjustment officer. In this final scene as David and Elise walk down the street however, 9 people including Harry are focused on and all are wearing a hat of some sort. Another example of this is that within the 3 groups focused on, at least one person is holding a book of ‘the plan’ reinforcing again that these people are all apart of the adjustment Bureau. This slight detail could symbolize the fact that many people in your life will be looking to knock you down and prevent you from reaching your goal but David and Elise are walking past these people not worrying about them. The message this sends is that your focus should not be on those negative toxic people but on the people who lift you up and support your goals. This all is again supporting the big idea that free will comes to those who work for it.
Lighting is used very smartly in the second to last scene as David and Elise are on the roof and surrounded by 6 adjustment officers. Once the pair come to the conclusion they are surrounded, they embrace each other in a passionate kiss during which the 6 adjustment officers disappear. Gradually, as the pair realize that they have left, the background lighting grow brighter and the sun peeks out from behind the clouds. This slight change in lighting symbolize the fact that giving up and letting others push you around will make the world a dull place but using your power to change your fate can ‘brighten the mood’ This shows the rewards given to those who work for free will Personally as I watched this scene, I felt my thoughts and spirits lift making me happier when the sun came out and i believe that it had the same effect on everyone. That feeling there is the type you can get when you put the effort in to go down your own path, those are the rewards you can receive and they are definitely worth it. Symbolism in this scene is used to a great extent to communicate the fact that confidence in the power of free will and the ability to choose your own fate contains great rewards and can put you in a better mood.
I have shown that in the final scene of the movie, The Adjustment Bureau, directed by George Nolfi, used Narration, costume and lighting to communicate the big idea which is the fact that anyone can decide their own fate if they put in enough work. These 3 film techniques have all worked together to captivate and inspire the audience to never give up. This main idea is very important to understand as without people pushing boundaries, the world would become a passive place with no motivation. Every big leap in , technology, sports, even evolution have been due to those people willing to push boundaries and write their own fate.
1 Comment
Add Yours →Hi Ben,
You need to specifically address how the evidence you have selected has the effect you say it does. For example, you have said in your narration paragraph that the narration (and you quote it well), delivers the directors exact message. You then don’t go on to say what this is when you are analysing the evidence. You need to look into this in each of your body paragraphs.
You should look to comment on what we, the audience, can learn from the directors wider idea towards the end of each paragraph or in your conclusion. You should comment on WHY the idea is important.
Mrs. P