The Secret Life of Walter Mitty: surprise hit of 2013
Well, maybe it wasn't that big of a surprise because of the all-star cast including Sean Penn and Ben Stiller, but it wasn't very heavily marketed so I would say a majority of people had no idea it existed and never saw it. Perhaps you are included in this demographic and you should rectify this situation as soon as possible.
Many times I think Stiller films get a "meh" reaction from potential film-goers and this has a lot to do with the fact that while entertaining, his films tend to fall into the slapstick comedy variety rather than something dramatic and artsy. I'm not saying that I don't like his comedies, quite the opposite actually. Zoolander, There's something about Mary, and Starsky and Hutch are some of my favorite comedies.
The Secret life of Walter Mitty shows that Ben is actually quite a good serious actor as well. The film has its comedic moments but they are less forced and the movie in general is not a comedy in essence.
The story follows Walter Mitty, an employee at Life Magazine who handles "negative assets" which is referring to negatives in the sense of photographic film. His job is pretty boring and he constantly daydreams about a life including much more adventure than he actually has. He has a crush on a coworker named Cheryl, but is too shy to ask her out. He is a genuinely good guy but gets very little respect from his coworkers.
Life Magazine is downsizing and transitioning to eliminate all aspects of their print publications and transition to online only. Obviously, someone that handles film is likely going to get the axe as are a majority of the other people working there. During the final days and as the company prepares their final printed magazine, Walter receives a gift from esteemed Life photographer Sean O'Connell that includes a wallet and a note saying that "negative #25 captures the "quintessence of Life" and should be on the cover of the final magazine. Negative #25 is missing from the box but there is a note that says "look inside" as well as some other negatives that Walter interprets as clues to where he can find O'Connell as well as the negative.
Thus begins an adventure for Mitty to find O'Connell. The journey takes him to Greenland, Iceland, and Afganistan and honestly the film made me want to visit all of these places. Mitty finds himself on this journey, as the adventures he daydreamed about become a reality.
I don't want to say more because I feel as though I might spoil the film Basically, I had never heard of this film and just watched it out of boredom. I don't know if you were bombarded with adverts about this film in the west but western films outside of action blockbusters such as Transformers or Thor rarely make it to the Asian market.
I found the movie inspiring. It encouraged me to try to incorporate more adventure into my own life. Perhaps it will have the same effect on you.
"I think Stiller films get a "meh" reaction from potential film-goers and this has a lot to do with the fact that while entertaining, his films tend to fall into the slapstick comedy variety rather than something dramatic and artsy."
I think it's the opposite lol. Audiences ONLY want laughs from Stiller, and as he ages, he is having terrible trouble trying to change their expectations, and accept his more dramatic efforts, like this one.
The biggest grossing Stiller comedies, "Something about Mary," "Meet the Parents, "Starsky and Hutch," etc, were all huge huge hits, are all still much loved, and significantly, were not directed by him. Instead, directors with wacky sensibilities kept Stiller's innate sentimentality in check.
Now, I adore the "Walter Mitty" movie, but audiences didn't, and I think it's because they could smell from a mile away that this project was more intent on making you feel something, than making you laugh. And audiences associated Stiller with laughs only, and felt queasy at the idea of this funny guy trying to make them cry.
It's the same problem Peter Sellers had, trying to make sentimental masterpieces like "Being There," when all the public wanted from him was "Pink Panther 6," where he would blind Herbert Lom and wrestle with Bert Kwouk for the one millionth time.
There are moments in this one that are actually really funny. As a diver, I'm sure you enjoyed that scene where the Icelanders tell Stiller to hug a porpoise, because it will protect him from sharks. Except they pronounce it "poor pose" and in fact it turns out to be a shark after all, and Stiller ends up screaming "it's not a poor pose, it's not a poor pose!"
That one had me in hysterics, along with the beer swilling Icelandic helicopter pilot (who, incidentally, reappeared a couple of years later in an AMAZING dark and dramatic Icelandic TV series called "Trapped," which I highly recommend).
Ultimately, like you, I loved the touching and sentimental nature of the story. Like you, I'm willing to accept Ben Stiller in serious mode, and I actually teared up at the revelations at the end.
I think a lot of people are changing their minds about this one, cos a glance at the 7.3 imdb rating reveals that it has climbed exponentially since the movie's release!
I know one person who would have been furious about this, though, and that's the author of the original short story, James Thurber. For him, the important thing about Mitty was that he NEVER ever does anything useful. The whole point for him was that powerless people, who never achieve anything, and live dull and henpecked lives, can nevertheless find solace in fantasy and dreams. :)
wow buddy. Thanks for that!
I loved this movie. I know some critics say this movie is like flicking through a National Geographic magazine. I disagree, this movie is a well-balanced triumph. Fantastic views, simple yet wonderfully poignant story line and strong lead actor. Kristen wig and Sean Penn had unidimensional roles within the movie but they are not the leads. The humor was tasteful, adequate and well placed. It was such a pleasant surprise from your day to day blockbuster and I strongly prefer this movie to the desolation of Smaug which I watched the night before. Ben Stiller has managed to achieve an impossible feat with this movie, an elegant contemporary film without excessive emotional histrionics or sexual overtones. Strongly recommend this movie to anyone looking for a modern take on life. Just like the lead, Walter Mitty is your everyday guy doing an everyday job faced with realistic modern day issues. One day, he takes a leap of faith and that has made all the difference. How can anyone not love this movie?
Let's see if I can get hold on it, I love adventure movies generally..
8/10 rating is pretty cool.
I thought the movie was uplifting and fun, I am also not sure why critics disliked it.
by the way i think your rating is alright. Thanks for share it.
Wish this was a little less about the romance and a little more about the travel. Thought the best moments were him experiencing the world but the movie was more focussed on guy trying to impress girl (still an awesome movie though).
Sure i don't i would have come across this one or even downloaded it if i had come acorss it, not that i don't like Ben Stiller but i hardly download his movies unless i get recommendations from my movie lovers or the movie description is just so epic, and that's what you just did right here, i watch comedies when am bored too, i remember during a time, last week i was soo bored that i had to go back to watch Mr. Beans Holiday, perhaps if i had this i would hv enjoyed myself better
Really very nice film. Teaches lot and very inspirational too. The first time I watched I wished I could decide like Ben did and finally get out of my boring life and add a bit of adventure to my life. Perhaps I am not that decisive. Indeed I am glad to see him act a serious movie. He has got some talents. That's for sure. Thanks for sharing.
Yeah, it's a feel-good movie, that inspires to do more in life.
It was -very- heavily marketed in America, and the impressions the previews gave were of a Charlie Kaufman or Wes Andersonesque meditation on life that the final product didn't really deliver. Also it's a remake of a beloved Danny Kaye film during a time that people were starting to get over saturated with remakes.
I thought the film was good though, all told. Not sure I'd go 8/10 but I enjoyed it.