MOVIE REVIEW: THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY (2013)
Written by Anthony Sargon
“The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”, an adaptation of James Thurber’s short-story, is a little bit tricky to review. On one hand, I had a really good time throughout the majority of the film, but at the same time, I wasn’t exactly sure I knew what was happening. When the movie ended, I had more questions than answers, and that’s slightly unfortunate, because it has the potential to be a huge crowd-pleaser.
Walter Mitty leads a pretty mundane life. He’s never traveled, he’s been working the same job as a photo-developer for 17 years, and he can’t talk to women. He also has an over-active imagination and tends to zone-out for minutes at a time, getting swept away in crazy fantasies, usually starring himself as the hero. But when a missing negative forces Walter to break out of his shell and travel across the world, he discovers the true beauty of life, and that there’s no need for fantasy when the world is at your fingertips.
Directed by Ben Stiller, the film looks absolutely gorgeous. It’s clear that Stiller has a lot to say visually, and the film is a great representation of that. But as great as the film looks, Stiller does get carried away from time to time, and lets the visuals and music take over, making it an extremely passive movie-going experience. A large portion of this film is pretty much cool imagery accompanied by loud, inspirational music. It feels like an extended commercial at times instead of a coherent narrative.
What really kept me from getting fully immersed, though, was how unbelievable some of the scenarios were. When Walter begins his trip to find the missing picture, you’re not entirely sure if it’s really happening or if it’s another fantasy. So much of his adventure seems implausible that you automatically assume he’s zoned-out again, but then something happens that confirms it was real, and you’re left scratching your head. I never felt any sense of danger because so much of it felt surreal.
With all that bashing, you’d think I hated the film, but that’s not the case. The film is actually really funny, and everyone gives a great performance. Stiller is great as our titular hero, and he makes him an extremely likeable and relatable character. Kirsten Wiig is also excellent as Walter’s crush, Cheryl. She’s approachable, and she doesn’t play her usual goofy self. Adam Scott, sporting what may be the worst on-screen beard I have ever seen, is fantastic as Walter’s new ultra-douche manager, who doesn’t really get a name. Keep an ear-out for Walter’s eHarmony customer service rep, it’s a great little cameo.
The Verdict:
Like I said, this is a really tricky film to talk about, but that’s exactly why I think you should watch it. As much as I complained about certain things, the movie was still a lot of fun, and it’s certainly one that I plan to own on blu-ray. It could have been more subtle in its messaging, but I admire the energy and the vision. If you manage to suspend your disbelief more effectively than I did, then you’ll really enjoy this.
Numerical Score: 7.5/10
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