The Map That Leads to You is a 2025 American romantic drama film directed by Lasse Hallström. It is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by J.P. Monninger, and stars Madelyn Cline, KJ Apa, Sofia Wylie, Madison Thompson, Orlando Norman, and Josh Lucas. The film was released on Amazon Prime Video on August 20, 2025.
TRAILER
PLOT
Heather Mulgrew, a recent college graduate, is preparing to begin her career in finance in New York City. Before settling into her new life, she embarks on a summer trip through Europe with her friends Amy and Connie. While traveling on a night train to Barcelona, Heather meets Jack, a New Zealander following his grandfather’s post–World War II travel journal.
The two are immediately drawn to each other, discovering that they are both reading The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway. As they journey across several European cities — including Barcelona, Porto, Pamplona, Rome, and Bilbao — Heather and Jack’s connection deepens. Heather, who has always lived according to plans and schedules, begins to experience a freer, more spontaneous way of life through Jack.
Their romance grows, but Jack harbors a devastating secret: his cancer has returned. Fearing that Heather will sacrifice her future for him, Jack chooses to distance himself without revealing the truth. Heartbroken, Heather returns to New York, resumes her structured career path, and struggles with the emptiness of a life that now feels unfulfilling.
Months later, Heather attends her friend Connie’s wedding in Barcelona and receives a letter from Jack. In it, he confesses his illness, explains his decision to leave, and tells her that his grandfather’s journal — the “map” he had been following — ultimately led him to her. Inspired, Heather travels to the small town of Santa Pau, where she finds Jack waiting. The film concludes with their reunion, embracing the love they discovered despite the uncertainty of the future.
Rating: 10 Stars