The Adjuster

The Adjuster is a 1991 Canadian drama film directed by Atom Egoyan. It premiered at the New York Film Festival, and invited to the Director's Fortnight program at the Cannes Film Festival. It is Egoyan's fourth feature film, and the first of his works to achieve international acclaim. The film has won 5 awards, as well as 2 other nominations upon its initial release. Egoyan based the film on a true story in 1989, when a fire burned down his parents' home. He realized how strange it could be for victims of a house fire to be emotionally dependent of insurance workers, which led to the inspiration for the project.

Egoyan promoted a book named after the same title as his film, The Adjuster, at a launch in Ottawa. It is a film analysis written by Tom McSorley, a head of the Canadian Film Institute. This book is part of an examination of Canadian cinema, in a series for the University of Toronto press. It goes into intricate depth about The Adjuster, as he traces the genesis, production, and reception of the film. The author, McSorley, claims that it is a watershed film.

Synopsis
Insurance adjuster Noah Render (Elias Koteas) attempts to restore the damaged lives of his clients. His methods are unorthodox. He sleeps with most of them, puts them up in a designated hotel and quotes his profession's code like a mantra: "You may not know it yet, but you’re in shock." When another plot line with Bubba and Mimi collides with the adjuster's, the story takes a surreal turn.

This amoral yet compassionate protagonist, who lives with his film-censor wife (Arsinée Khanjian) is in a barren, unfinished suburban development. This film is one of Atom Egoyan's most strangely compelling creations. His effective use of wide-screen cinematography portrays the terrifying abyss that separates Noah from everyone he encounters.