Groundhog Day broke the mold, successfully creating a time loop story that leads to growth and lovely character development. Edge of Tomorrow, Before I Fall, and a plethora of other films and TV episodes have followed in its footsteps, employing the time loop trope to tell a thoughtful, cohesive story while bringing their own unique flair. There's no doubt that The Map of Tiny Perfect Things will be compared to Palm Springs, the Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti-starring film. However, the movie stands apart, offering a strong central relationship and a satisfying story that engages with the idea of enjoying life's smallest moments.
Everyday, Mark (Kyle Allen) wakes up to find the same day is transpiring over again. However, don’t expect The Map of Tiny Perfect Things to get into the nitty gritty of how Mark ended up in the time loop to begin with. Rather, the film begins at some point in the middle, with Mark having lived the day over enough times to have memorized everything everyone will say and do. He’s at the pool, attempting to chat with his crush when Margaret (Kathryn Newton) skirts past. Her presence is completely unexpected and surprises Mark, who believes there is absolutely no surprise left in his not-so-ordinary temporal anomaly life. Once Mark realizes that he and Margaret are the only ones aware of the repeating day, they make plans to map out life’s perfect moments to leave the monotony of daily life behind.
The Map of Tiny Perfect Things, which is directed by Ian Samuels from a screenplay by Lev Grossman, is an endearingly charismatic young adult take on Groundhog Day. It takes no issue with crediting its inspiration, one of many pop culture references it makes. The characters complement each other and the film successfully develops their relationship by way of thoughtful conversations and a good amount of enjoyable montages.
The film also differentiates itself from other time loop narratives, coming up with its own unique logic, memorable moments, and style that allow it to rise above the usual conventions of the trope. It helps that Newton and Allen have fantastic chemistry together, with their characters working in tandem to make new discoveries and grow despite their seemingly static situation. The actors have an undeniable spark, one that makes the relationship — be it friendship or a budding romance — all the more believable.
The biggest takeaway from The Map of Tiny Perfect Things is in its meaningful message about life. Mark and Margaret have different outlooks on being stuck within a time loop, not knowing how they're going to get out or what to even make of their situation. Is there logic to the time loop? Is there something they should be trying to unlock, like a video game character attempting to level up? Mark and Margaret are unsure, but their decision to map out everything that breaks from the usual and brings some semblance of joy is quite lovely. They're taking the time to slow down and enjoy the little things in a life full of random, often tedious and uneventful, moments. These are moments that would have otherwise gone ignored because Mark and Margaret (and the audience, really) are too busy with other distractions and worries, generally bogged down by life's problems.
The film isn’t satisfied with merely being a time loop story, however, and there is fantastic emotional investment layered in that pays off, delivering more than its share of satisfying, heartfelt moments that feel true to the characters in every way possible. When it comes to temporal anomalies, The Map of Tiny Perfect Things offers a refreshing take on a trope that, when properly employed, adds complexities to the characters’ plight and expands on their worldviews and development. While the film could have spent more time specifically exploring Margaret’s life, The Map of Tiny Perfect Things is a thoughtful, charming, and heartwarming film that utilizes the time loop aspects to great effect.
The Map of Tiny Perfect Things is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video on February 12, 2021. The film is 99 minutes long and is rated PG-13 for brief strong language, some teen drinking and sexual references.
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