Ben Stiller directs and stars in James Thurber’s classic story of a day-dreamer who escapes his anonymous life by disappearing into a world of fantasies filled with heroism, romance and action. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty movie review…
Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller) lives his life at a safe and reasonable distance. A man, ruled by routine. He’s the guy you like but don’t know. Smile at but never stop to talk to. Walter is alone in a room full of people.
He is employed at LIFE Magazine as the negative asset manager who, incapable of standing up for himself in the real world. We see him doing, quite often, balancing his checkbook with a ballpoint pen. He stands of losing his job as the management is downsizing the staff in wake of closing down the print edition and the coming issue would be the last printed issue of LIFE magazine.
A peculiar trait grows on him and in his wild bouts of invention, he frequently retreats to a fantasy where he becomes his poised, confident opposite. The corporate world can be rough for a common man with not-so-common imagination. He appears a little away from the usual gang, with workplace bullies making fun of him and often mocking his nerdy clothes.
As a teenager, Walter lost his father, and ever since then he has worked to support his mother and sister. we realise that he is a responsible man and sympathize with him.
There is one bright spot in Walter’s life: a woman – both common and beautiful – who stops to notice. The woman is Cheryl (Kristen Wiig). Don’t let Walter fool you. His life seems small but his imagination is grand. In his daydreams, Mitty is heroic, brave, and always gets the girl.
In the quietest of moments, a real-life adventure beckons. On his quest, he seeks to find a missing image taken by a photographer played by Sean Penn.
You can either stand in the safety of your life or run headstrong into the unknown.
Walter will travel to distant lands and take giant leaps that he never before thought possible.
To see the world. To find each other and to feel. As Walter Mitty will now discover, that is the purpose of life.
The movie also stars Adam Scott, Shirley MacLaine, Patton Oswalt, and Kathryn Hahn.
Ben Stiller is known for his great work behind the camera on Tropic Thunder and Zoolander, Walter Mitty is definitely his most mature, convincing effort to date and the film is a beautiful look at life.
Cast:
BEN STILLER – Walter Mitty
KRISTEN WIIG – Cheryl
ADAM SCOTT – Ted Hendricks
KATHRYN HAHN – Odessa
SHIRLEY MACLAINE – Edna
SEAN PENN – Sean O’Connell
PATTON OSWALT – Todd Maher
Credits:
Directed by BEN STILLER
Producers – BEN STILLER, SAMUEL GOLDWYN, JR., JOHN GOLDWYN, STUART CORNFELD
Written by STEVE CONRAD
Based on the short story by James Thurber
Director of photography – Stuart Dryburgh
Edited by Greg Hayden
Music – Theodore Shapiro
Production design – Jeff Mann
Costumes – Sarah Edwards
