So first things first, this isn’t a new plot or a story. I am sure you have watched it multiple times in various movies. My humblest appeal to the makers is that they should maybe start making something new, because after a time, even great cinematography can't save the old, bottled script. “The Map That Leads To You” is the story of two soon-to-be star-crossed lovers- Heather and Jack. They meet by chance on a train when Heather and her two other friends are on a trip to Europe. What I particularly found amusing was their meeting when Heather was sitting in her coach and Jack came to sleep on the rack where the luggage is kept. They strike off and share a common love for reading Ernest Hemingway. These two are polar opposites, as Heather is shown to be a meticulous planner who likes to decide upon things in advance. Meanwhile, Jack is more of a “following-his-heart” type of man. Soon, the group decides to hang out in Spain, which was the girls' stop. Jack introduces his friend Raef to the group, who particularly hits off instantly with Connie. Amy, on the other hand, goes on to explore the nightlife with Victor. While continuing to roam around the streets, Jack tells Heather about his great-grandfather, who was a soldier during World War II. He kept a diary wherein he had mentioned all the places across Europe to be visited. Jack is following that diary to fulfill his heart’s desire. Just as their trip was coming to an end and each of the friends was on their own destination, Jacks requests Heather to reconsider, hoping to get her flight home and instead stay with him for a little more to explore Europe. And of course, Heather accepts the plan. A Few days pass by, and they are all having the time of their lives with each other until one day Jack receives a call, which gives him the news that changes his whole life.
Now here’s the thing, the plot sounds very exciting, and visually it's beautiful to witness these two souls exploring the cities together. They are a classic case of being young and in love. And even though the plot is the same old heartache that we might have seen recently in “My Oxford Year”, but like I said, the film has been beautifully shot. So you are indeed ready to ignore this part.
My genuine question to the filmmakers and scriptwriters is that I don’t understand their latest obsession with breaking our hearts when they kill one of the main leads because of some terminal illness. This is an age-old concept, and if we are to follow the age-old concepts, why can't we have the ones where they fall in love and live happily ever after?
Coming to acting, the actors look super charming, and by that I don’t mean the leads only. Of course, they are cute in their roles. But apart from Madelyn Cline and KJ Apa, the rest of the cast, namely Sofia Wylie, Madison Thompson, and Orlando Norman, also bring that freshness to the cast. They give us that summer carefree vibes of hippies and freshly out of college students, which makes each scene visually stunning. There is also a brief presence of Josh Lucas as Heather’s father. He, too, looks great in his shot.
To sum up, if you want to watch something light and romantic, this movie is a good watch. It is fast and shot beautifully in Spain. But be ready to see the same old heartache and the receptiveness of the plot.
Final Score- [6/10]
Reviewed by - Neerja Choudhuri
Follow @NeerjaCH on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times