I've always loved romance, but we've had so few good romance movies in recent years that I'm wondering where this genre will go next. I'd never read "The Map to You," so I watched it incredibly fresh and with no idea what to expect. The film follows Heather, an organized and very planning American college student, who decides to travel to Europe with her two best friends before starting her job as an adult. Shortly after, she unexpectedly meets a man named Jack on a train, and they immediately connect.
Jack is the complete opposite of Heather. He's not at all organized and basically backpacks across Europe following the journal his great-grandfather left behind. The film follows the romance that develops between this couple and where it leads. Well, the book was published in 2017, which I think was the height of this romance genre, where the characters are complete opposites and there's one tiny detail (which would be a spoiler) that prevents them from being together seriously.
Director: Lasse Hallström
Writers: Vera Herbert, Leslie Bohem, Joseph Monninger
Stars: Madelyn Cline, KJ Apa, Sofia Wylie
I mean, this kind of story has been told too many times, but I think there was a brief period in between where the superhero theme could have overshadowed the genre, which made the writers skeptical of going down that route. This film would have been a hit if it had been released between 2014 and 2016. But the truth is, it's like trying all the ingredients of a good dish and ending up tasting the rawest bite.
I can't say it's a cookie-cutter movie, although it's quite cliché, and if you think about it, every few years we'll have a resurgence of movies like this. I don't understand why in a romance movie it's necessary for one character to bring another character to life, to show them the world from a new perspective. This is what makes the film a bit boring to me. I think the timing mainly didn't work in its favor. We recently released My Oxford Year on Netflix, which also left a lot of people unsatisfied, and I have a feeling this film will convey the same feeling in the end, albeit with a more optimistic twist. Plus, I can say it's as if Netflix and Prime are having their own romance, because Netflix releases a dark, rainy, and melancholic movie or series, and then Prime releases something similar with a summer theme and bright colors. Am I right?
As for the characters, Heather is a captivating protagonist, and I personally think I've seen the roles reversed many times, but having a determined female character is much more interesting than watching a man being (seemingly) "distracted" by a woman with free will. For example, look at Bollywood films like Jab We Met or Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (which shares the Tomatina festival with this film), where a male character takes life too seriously, and then there's a woman who needs to open his eyes to a new world, a broader perspective that makes him realize he's never truly lived his life. It's more refreshing to see it the other way around, and there's more room to experiment, in my opinion. I think Madelyn Cline has a special charm, and even when she's presenting a plot, she feels very natural and relaxed. She plays Heather very well, but it doesn't give her much room to explore emotions with her character. I mean, sure, this is an emotional film, but it spends a lot more time "living in the moment."
On the other hand, it's quite fun watching KJ Apa use his natural New Zealand accent, but there's something missing from his performance that I can't quite put my finger on. But that's also my opinion of the film overall. As if they're missing something. I think they have good chemistry. I'm not sure I agree with this instant love connection; it's not very realistic. I definitely think there are a lot of dangers that set off my alarm bells in the first half of the film, but at the end of the day, it's a movie, and a romance at that.
I think the movie is quite quotable, but that probably comes from the novel itself. It definitely has a nostalgic feel, and I loved the diary illustrations. The second act of the movie feels like a YouTube montage, like, "Look, I had a lovely trip to Europe with my boyfriend." It definitely feels a bit rambling, but I guess that's how Heather feels, and she's the narrator. The end of the movie feels a bit rushed, giving us an ambiguous ending that, ideally, should make viewers happy.
There are mild spoilers below, so if you prefer, you can skip to the last paragraph to read my rating. I've already mentioned "My Year at Oxford," but I'd like to add "Me Before You," "The Fault in Our Stars," and even "A Walk to Remember," among others, to the category of films this one belongs in. That said, you know exactly what I'm talking about, so I won't elaborate. If you haven't seen any of these films, you might enjoy "The Map to You" because you won't feel overwhelmed by the numerous plotlines of an ill person needing to fulfill their purpose in life. I have no problem with that, don't get me wrong, but I think it's always done in exactly the same way, so you never feel like you're getting anything new from these films. Furthermore, this makes this style of storytelling very generic, so there is literally no emotion beyond a certain point. With the older films on this list, I certainly cried, but with the more recent ones, I felt no connection to the characters, who seem almost half-empty.
Ultimately, The Map That Leads You Away isn't anything special. It has some decent moments, but ultimately, it's simply forgettable. I wouldn't completely discourage it; some will find it interesting, while others will think it's just the same old stuff. I'd give The Map That Leads You Away 2.5 out of 5 stars.
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