Dear Write Readers,
Did you know that Ben Stiller is actually a good actor? Because I didn’t. I’m going to be very honest – I did not have high expectations when I showed up in the theatre for The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. While I had seen the trailers, and they looked promising, I couldn’t get over the fact that Ben Stiller was responsible for the acting and directing in this film. I mean, I saw Zoolander. (Not in theaters, I assure you!)
But The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is actually an enjoyable, heartwarming remake (Danny Kaye from White Christmas starred in the 1947 classic) that provides fun for the whole family. Based on the short story with the same title by James Thurber, The Secret Life…is about a man who spends much of his time “zoning out”, having grand adventures within his imagination, and living a bland existence out in the real world. Kristin Wiig plays his love interest, Cheryl, who Mitty is far to afraid to talk to, and only manages to make her acquaintance when he is forced into a conversation with her about a boring, work-related issue. Mitty supports his aging mother, played by Shirley MacLaine, and sometimes his performance-artist sister, played by Kathryn Hahn (seeing her took me back!), and is the most boring person in history. Until…well, you have to go see the movie to find out what happens to Walter. Suffice it to say, he goes on exciting adventures, and eventually is able to live the life he always imagined in his mind.
The most surprising thing about this film isn’t the quality of Stiller’s performance. Rather, it comes a close second to the cinematography, which is breathtaking. If it isn’t nominated for the amazing screenshots at the 2014 Oscars, guaranteed Walter Mitty has been robbed. The film is absolutely gorgeous, so even if you’re not a fan of the storyline, you’ve got something great to look at. The chemistry between Stiller and Wiig is barely present underneath the awkward surface, but given what a strange character Walter Mitty is, it’s not a big deal breaker for the film. Walter Mitty himself is pretty much what you’d expect from a Stiller creation except that he’s an earnest individual. Unlike many of Stiller’s more typical characters (think Dodgeball), Mitty doesn’t spend the whole film making fun of himself. And without that, Stiller becomes a palatable (although still a bit strange) actor, capable of carrying a storyline!
Speaking of storylines – this one is a touch on the convoluted side. Mitty works as a negative assets manager for LIFE magazine, and has been sent “the quintessence”, the perfect photograph, from a famous photographer. The magazine is downsizing and moving to an online version, so in order to save his job, Walter must locate negative #25, which doesn’t seem to be anywhere. He ends up talking to Cheryl, he skateboards toward a volcano, he leaps from a helicopter into shark-infested water, and does a number of ridiculous things, all in search of this elusive photographer, who will tell him where negative #25 is. Unsurprisingly, Mitty ends up finding himself and his confidence along the way. The entire first half is a little odd, and the whole second half is rather predictable, but it’s still fun to watch.
Regardless of the obvious end to the film, The Secret Life… has a wonderful message. For me, the takeaway was the second, less obvious message of the film. Spoiler alert! In case you hadn’t guessed, you’ll leave the theater with the firm reminder that you should live your life to the fullest, and do the things you’ve always wanted to do. Stop dreaming, start living, and what not. But the less obvious message, and in my opinion, the better one, is when we see Walter interacting with Cheryl’s son. (Forgotten who Cheryl is? Read above.) Her son likes to skateboard, and as we find out earlier in the film, Mitty used to skate before the death of his father. While Cheryl isn’t looking, Mitty is able to de-awkward-ify himself long enough to teach her son how to do a flip kick. He begins showing him a bunch of cool moves, and turns out to be an awesome guy. I would want to know him! When Cheryl turns back around, the moment is gone, and Mitty is back to his daydreaming, socially awkward self. Although it’s clear that she’s interested in him, Walter is unable to pull it together, and misses his opportunity. Watching that, I was impressed! I loved that when Walter wasn’t worried about the opinion of others, he transformed into a really awesome guy.
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is a delightful film. Although it’s highly unlikely that it will be nominated for best picture, it’s a wonderful family film and it deserves to be seen. Expect good fun, the classic Ben Stiller quirks, and a positive message. Of everything I’ve seen thus far, this has been the most fun.
Live, Love, Learn,
Rebecca & The Write Teacher(s)