Z/Web

The basic concept of this film isn’t new — it’s man defies the gods who try to set his fate (in this case, a rising political candidate and the woman he’s not supposed to have) — but the methodology is somewhat different. In this case we have bureaucratic men in suits and hats who apparently “adjust” our lives when we “deviate from the plan.” They intervene in subtle ways, for instance, making sure we misplace our keys so that we miss a meeting that would have sent our life down a different path. The film is so vague on who sets the plan and even who the men are (Angels? Aliens?) that they might as well be magical fairies. But that really isn’t the point of the film. The real point is discussing whether or not we have control over our own destinies. Unfortunately, the film never reaches any deep point regarding that, staying on the surface and exploring the lighter side of such questions. The ending contributes to this because it feels too pat and our hero doesn’t really do anything to decide the outcome (which could be a subtle point, but it’s not well executed). So ultimately the film’s not particularly satisfying or intriguing. However, the ride to get there is enjoyable. I liked the leads and their relationship, and I found it fascinating the way the plot balanced out our hero’s ability to rebel against the gods with their seeming omnipotency. There are a few aspects of this that come across as silly (like the power of the hats), but there is good tension and drama throughout. One aspect that I found fascinating which wasn’t properly explored is the concept that the reason this couple felt such a deep bonding was that the original plan called for them to be together, but then the plan changed. Remnants of that original plan remained and still pushed the couple together. That raises the key question, “Was their love real to begin with? Or just part of the plan forced upon them?” Sadly, the film doesn’t ask this question or explore that path. There are also darker aspects, such as the possibility that the man’s family was killed to help the plan, that are just skimmed over and not explicit enough for real emotion or drama to emerge. This could have been a remarkable and powerful film if it had explored some of these deeper questions. Still, as a lightweight mix of romance and philosophy, it’s not bad, and I enjoyed it. Just go with the flow and enjoy it and try not to think too much about the obvious flaws.