A spilled cup of coffee. A missed bus. A dead phone line. The smallest inconveniences can ruin your whole day. In “The Adjustment Bureau,” these inconveniences can add up to ruin your destiny.

Based on a short story by science fiction master Philip K. Dick, the film “The Adjustment Bureau” follows the fateful events surrounding the political campaign of would-be U.S. Senator David Norris (Matt Damon). After losing a close election, David considers running in the next race, and bumps into the “girl of his dreams” by coincidence in the meantime. Mysterious agents in sleek suits and fedoras keep tabs from a distance, but soon intervene in David’s life. They are members of the Adjustment Bureau, and their mission is to see that things go according to plan.

Film remains a love story

At first glance, the film may sound like a high concept sci-fi flick, but it’s a love story more than anything else. Instead of focusing on the plausibility, or lack thereof, the plot stays pretty simple. It’s that same old story of boy meets girl, boy loses girl to guys in cool hats, boy tries to make sense of it all. No matter how many times David runs into Elise Sellas (Emily Blunt), and no matter how much they seem right for each other, the Bureau keeps insisting that they are not meant to be. Luckily for the story, David does not agree.

Indeed, for David it’s love at first sight as he instantly falls for the free spirited Elise. She’s everything that David is not, a spontaneous young dancer who loves to crash weddings and doesn’t give a whit about politics. Nevertheless, opposites attract and they have a believable chemistry that’s fun to watch.

Bureau agents keep a close eye out

Watching disapprovingly from the shadows are the various agents of the Bureau, namely Harry Mitchell (Anthony Mackie of “The Hurt Locker”) and Richardson (John Slattery of “Mad Men”). They make it their business to know everything about David’s daily routine, and even carry mysterious black books that seemingly map out every step of David’s life. When it becomes clear that they can no longer keep David on track by normal means, they make their presence known by revealing themselves through their supernatural power.

The Bureau shows up at David’s office and freezes everyone, while wiping their memories clean. They read David’s thoughts and reveal everything they know about his tragic past. David asks if they are angels, and it’s a comparison they do not object to. When asked why it’s not in the cards for him to be with Elise, they reply that no one knows except the Chairman.

Damon vs. the Bureau

David chooses to defy them and makes every attempt to be with Elise, but keeps getting tripped up by the bureau which could just be plain dumb luck. By the time he’s running for Senate again, David is more obsessed with making things work with Elise than with his campaign. In an effort to convince David otherwise, the Bureau brings Thompson the Hammer out of retirement, coldly portrayed by veteran actor Terence Stamp. Thompson makes it clear that if David really chooses love over his career, both he and Elise will be doomed to a tragic fate of being average.

Of course, David takes his chances –– and with the help of some friends in the Bureau, sets out to stop Elise from marrying another man. This is where the movie gets a little more exciting as the final chase sequence takes the characters through almost every major New York City landmark. The city photographs well, as we see Bureau adjusters convene in spacious Manhattan towers and shadowy parking garages. The cast is solid and most of the adjustment agents are played sympathetically and with humor. It turns out that in more complex cities like New York, it’s tough for an angel to get a break.

Good storytelling compensates for lack of intensity

First-time director George Nolfi is better known for writing previous Damon classics such as “Ocean’s Twelve” and “Bourne Ultimatum” –– but gives a decent go of it for his debut in the director’s chair. “The Adjustment Bureau” is not very action packed or very intense, but it is good storytelling and gives an interesting perspective on the supernatural forces that battle to shape human lives. If you’re looking for a deep explanation of fate versus freewill you might not be satisfied. If you’re looking for an entertaining love story, however, you shouldn’t miss “The Adjustment Bureau.”