A cute film about two teenagers stuck reliving the same day on repeat, The Map Of Tiny Perfect Things does a good job of highlighting the greatness of moments that usually go unnoticed.
There have been a number of films released in the last two decades where individuals are stuck in a time loop. There was a lull after Groundhog Day, but since then, we got Palm Springs, Source Code, Edge Of Tomorrow and a few others. Each has its own unique story to tell within the format, and this movie is no different.
The Map Of Tiny Perfect Things is about Mark, a teenager who has found himself stuck repeating the same day. Each morning, he wakes up to his mom driving away from the house, his dad eating breakfast with his sister at the kitchen table, and a day full of planned moments to save a cute girl from falling into a swimming pool, win the lottery, chat with a friend, and keep bird poop from hitting a man’s head, among many other things. On one random day, he discovers that a teen girl, Margaret, is living in the same time loop and they decide to team up and become friends.
Right from the very beginning of this romantic comedy, Mark talks about the movie Groundhog Day. There is never any pretense to hide what is happening or the implication that he doesn’t live in the real world. He is also a fan of Doctor Who, quoting David Tennant’s Doctor about “timey wimey stuff.” He doesn’t think of himself as an intellectual (wanting to be an art major), but Margaret is a math and science whiz, with dreams of becoming an astronaut.
If you are familiar with Groundhog Day, you know that the message is about thinking outside of yourself and helping other people (which eventually ends the time loop for Bill Murray’s character). This movie takes it a little further, which I really enjoyed.
While Mark is a teenager, which means that he naturally thinks within his own world, he is already doing things for others, even though his motivation is typically not about them. He is having fun, enjoying his day, and living life. This movie focuses more on the beauty outside of yourself.
Mark and Margaret are each likeable and easy to watch as they navigate their world individually and together. They are good humans with different motivations, and there is no bad guy or antagonist to speak of.
While I did enjoy the journey of this film and their finding the beauty in each day, the ending feels a little anticlimactic. It all makes sense within the realm of the story and it remains a cozy-feeling film, I just would have liked something that feels less safe with more oomph after the trip you’ve been on with them. But it does have to end, and I don’t have ideas to offer for what to do instead, so I’ll leave that right there.
With a light story that develops more depth, The Map Of Tiny Pretty Things is a sweet film that ultimately plays with the time loop in a different way than you may be expecting. It’s an easy film to throw on when you need a feel-good option.
There have been a number of films released in the last two decades where individuals are stuck in a time loop. There was a lull after Groundhog Day, but since then, we got Palm Springs, Source Code, Edge Of Tomorrow and a few others. Each has its own unique story to tell within the format, and this movie is no different.
