The Map of Tiny Perfect Things Parent Guide

“We’re castaways,” says Margaret (Kathryn Newton), “except instead of an island we’re marooned in a day.”

It’s an apt summary of the bizarre situation in which she and Mark (Kyle Allen) find themselves. They’re caught in a time loop - the same day occurs over and over again and everyone else is completely oblivious of the strange temporal phenomenon.

With nothing but time, the teens decide to look for all the “tiny perfect things” they would normally miss in a world where time runs swiftly. As they pursue their quest, Mark and Margaret find themselves falling for each other.

The Map of Tiny Perfect Things is an unusually thoughtful romantic film. Not the temporal loop part of the story – the explanation winds up being rather silly. (Frankly, most movies that mess with time have dodgy rationales, but if you can suspend your disbelief, you’ll be able to enjoy the ride.) What makes this film stand out is the bigger questions it raises about time, relationships, and life overall.

As the story progresses, Mark and Margaret repeatedly debate their differing views of their predicament. Is it, as Margaret suggests, a gift, a wonderful opportunity that lets them do whatever they want while keeping at bay a future that will invariably come with restrictions, burdens, and suffering? Or does the temporal loop, as Mark believes, strand them in time, choking off any kind of growth or meaningful life?

As the teens debate time, other questions appear that give us lots to think about. Is time something we gain or lose? Are our past experiences time lost or time gained? Does time run ahead of us or behind? What do we do with the time we have?

These differing views of time will naturally lead young viewers to bigger questions about the purpose of life. Is it to gather as much happiness and fun as possible? Or is it to learn and grow and contribute? Watching Mark and Margaret stretch and broaden their view of their own lives is one of the real pleasures of the film – and one of the best reasons for teens to watch it. If you’re hoping your teen will absorb messages about kindness, selflessness and family unity, Mark’s newfound ability to see his family as people deserving respect and care is worth the price of admission.

With only minor content issues (aside from some scenes of underage drinking), The Map of Tiny Perfect Things is a good choice for teen viewers. It’s well written, briskly paced, and more emotionally real than many films of the genre. The main characters are appealing and acted with charm by Kyle Allen and Kathryn Newton. Best of all, it’s also funny, with plenty of moments where I laughed out loud, jaded film critic that I am. The movie might not be perfect, but it’s still pretty darn good, and in the world of adolescent cinema, that’s a win.