Gayle On Film: 'The Map of Tiny Perfect Things'
The Map of Tiny Perfect Things
The Plot: Mark and Margaret are caught in a temporal anomaly that makes them repeat the same day over and over — much like "Groundhog Day."
Why You Should Watch: While they give multiple winks, nods, and mentions of "Groundhog Day," this isn't that movie. Writer Lev Grossman gives a finely tuned teen dramedy capably handled by the delightful Kyle Allen as Mark. While helpful and full of teen angst and self-involvement, Kathryn Newton's Margaret brings some real seriousness to her role as co-protagonist. What could two teens get up to and destroy, only to rinse and repeat and do it all again the next day? Lots. But this is not just some teens gone wild story. This is not Mark's one-man show simply trying to figure out the life lesson the universe wants him to learn, beyond getting a girl. Director Ian Samuels effectively shows that there are things to learn from Margaret, who remains an enigma for much of the film. Predictable? Yes. But what it is and excels at is being a map of the tiny good things a good script that's not overly sweet can do. 3 out of 5 stars.