'The Map of Tiny Perfect Things' - Movie Review

I'm a fan of movies like "Groundhog Day". This is now effectively its own genre.

We meet Mark (Kyle Allen) in the morning at the beginning of the movie, and it rapidly becomes clear that he knows pretty much everything that's going to happen in his small town. Given my introduction, you'll be unsurprised to hear that he's repeating the day over and over. After some misguided advice from a friend, he decides pursuing girls is the right thing to do with his time ... until his clever moves are interrupted by something that didn't happen yesterday. He pursues Margaret (Kathryn Newton) and discovers that she's also repeating the day. One of the most entertaining parts of the movie, from which it draws its title, is Mark's pursuit of all the "tiny perfect things" around town during the day, several of which he's chosen to witness multiple times.

This is a more low-key affair than most of the other "Groundhog Day" variants: none of the violence of "Boss Level" or "Edge of Tomorrow." It's got less violence than "Groundhog Day" (which has a punch in the face and a couple ineffective suicides). Just two intelligent, charming teens, talking and walking around. The "tiny perfect things" are lovely, the dialogue is interesting and witty, and the characters are great. A marvelous film, a new favourite in the genre.

Media referenced in the movie: "Groundhog Day," "Edge of Tomorrow," "Time Bandits" and Dr. Who.