When Heather (Madelyn Cline) and Jack (KJ Apa) meet on an overnight train to Barcelona, Spain, he charms her by climbing into the luggage rack above her to sleep. Guided by an old travel journal, he’s retracing his great-grandfather’s journey through Europe, while she’s nearing the end of a girls’ trip. But what if she didn’t go home?
This is where we start in “The Map That Leads to You,” directed by the genre veteran Lasse Hallstrom (“Dear John,” “Safe Haven”), which continues the long tradition of easily forgotten romantic dramas propped up by unforgettable vacation backdrops. If you revere the quieter sparks in films like “Before Sunrise,” the film’s ocean views may hold your gaze even in this CW-style imitation, which has more sheen than soul.
Ultimately, the romance’s sentimental plotting needs more of Heather’s grounded logic and far less of Jack’s greeting card sayings. She’s much too sensible to lose herself so quickly to his brand of bland. The ending squeezes in a wedding, a reunion and a soul-baring confessional letter. It’s all as comfortably mindless as you’d expect.
The enduring romance here is with Spain and Portugal. Shot on location, the cinematographer Elías M. Félix captures the sights and sounds of the Iberian Peninsula with aspirational warmth — the kind that makes you wonder what it might be like to surrender your own heart among such breathtaking vistas. The best love stories ask that question and earn their wisdom. This one hands it out on pretty postcards.
The Map That Leads to You
Rated PG-13 for some strong language, a tame sex scene and Jack’s bare butt in the shower. Running time: 1 hour 36 minutes. Watch on Prime Video.
The post ‘The Map That Leads to You’ Review: Baring It All in Barcelona appeared first on New York Times.
