When people think of Ben Stiller they think of the comedic actor, but what many people don’t know is that he is also quite the director, helming such hits as Tropic Thunder, The Cable Guy and Zoolander. There is a noticeable trend amongst those films as they are some form of comedy, but this Christmas Stiller is changing things up by adapting the fantastical adventure dramedy The Secret Life of Walter Mitty for the big screen.
Stiller plays Walter Mitty, a mild mannered and responsible Life magazine photo staffer who is responsible for handling and processing the photos that come in for the magazine. When the magazine announces that they will be going completely online, everyone begins to prep for the final issue and restructuring, but when the photograph from the mysterious and famed photographer Sean O’Connell (Sean Penn) goes missing, Walter must do everything he can to try and track down the slide before he loses his job and disappoints his friend Sean, who claims this is one of his best pictures yet.
Normally one to be reserved, Walter, who wants to impress and help his co-worker Cheryl (Kristen Wiig) and get involved romantically, if possible, decides to go on a globetrotting adventure in search of Sean, a man who has no phone and no address. The odd day dreamer heads off across the Atlantic and begins his wild quest which involves volcanoes erupting, a close encounter with a shark and so much more as he hunts for the missing slide.
What makes Walter Mitty a success is that it is an emotional journey that gives us an opportunity to watch a man who succumbs to others slowly grow as a character and become more confident. For example, the film starts off with Walter constantly daydreaming about being a hero and fighting crime, but by the time we reach the end of the film he doesn’t need to dream to experience the thrill of living, he is living the dream and its improved his life in ways he couldn’t’ have imagined. Tack on an amazing cameo by Penn who shares some wisdom and hilarious words with Walter and you’ve got yourself a film that appropriately runs its course.
Though the above may be the overall arc of the story, which is well acted, what’s really impressive is the score, the cinematography and the visuals. Theodore Shapiro has composed a terrific score to compliment the film, though the montage with Arcade Fire’s “Wake Up” as Walter heads to Greenland is one of my favorite uses of the song to date. This leads me to the cinematography as Stiller and writer Steve Conrad have chosen places that people don’t normally travel to as destinations for Walter’s escapades. When it comes to capturing the beauty of nature these guys don’t play games and deliver breathtaking landscape shots that you’d want to see if you ever planned on being whisked away while in the theater. Lastly, one of my favorite parts of the film were the daydream sequences, especially one with Walter’s “enemy,” a bearded Adam Scott, where the two battle it out in NY like superheroes and villains. The cool part
about sequences like these are the seamless transitions between the real world and Walter’s dreams. Stiller and his effects crew do an outstanding job bringing his vivid imagination to life and in a way that feels very natural.
For some The Secret Life of Walter Mitty will be a little long, it will be a little slow at times and it might even feel a bit tedious. Though they didn’t bother me, these are the only problems I foresee the film running into when trying to get families into the theater. Outside of that, this is a perfect film for the family to see together during the holidays as it hits all the necessary emotional hot buttons that make holiday films a success.
If you love travelling, adventures, day dreaming and fantastical experiences then The Secret Life of Walter Mitty will resonate well with you as it did with me. This is a film for those who love to try new things and take risks but also for those who are afraid to do those very things, the ones confined by the comfort of their desks and homes and don’t know if the risk is worth it. The adventures Walter goes on are nothing short of extraordinary and, in ways, inspiring. In fact, when it comes to reality based films that you can relate to, this may be the best form of cinematic escapism that you see this year.
Rating: A warm hearted, fantastical film that’s fuelled by love and a sense of wonder (7/10)
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