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Most of us will admit to being much cooler in our own imaginations than we are in real life. We’re bolder and wittier and much more outgoing. But in Ben Stiller’s new comic adventure, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, a timid dreamer takes a step outside his fantasy world to become the man he once only imagined he could be.
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty stars director Ben Stiller as mild-mannered Walter, a negative asset manager for Life magazine who’s secretly (and rather obsessively) in love with his coworker, Cheryl Melhoff (Kristen Wiig).
When the magazine gets acquired, Walter is tasked with preparing an image by legendary photographer Sean O’Connell (Sean Penn) for the magazine’s historic final cover. But after the negative goes missing, he sets out on a life-changing journey to find the elusive photographer and recover the lost negative.
Inspired by the classic short story by James Thurber, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is a charming film that captures the spirit of the original story and turns it into a bigger, broader adventure that’s both playful and inspiring. In the beginning, it’s filled with the kind of wild and crazy daydreams that take place in the short story. Walter wins the woman of his dreams. He confronts the jerk at work. He takes part in a superhero-like escapade through the streets of New York. But, eventually, fearing for his job and emboldened by the opportunity to impress his pretty coworker, he overcomes the obstacles and starts turning his dreams into reality.
Meanwhile, though Stiller’s comedic performances tend to be hit or miss, his Walter is an absolutely lovable loser—an adorably awkward character with a tendency to wander off into his imagined fantasy world at the most inconvenient (and often the most hilarious) of times. Though his performance does have a few wackier moments, he tends to keep things more restrained and understated, resulting in one of the star’s most charming roles to date.
Admittedly, as Walter continues on his seemingly endless quest, the story does drag a bit—and Sean Penn’s character is much preachier than necessary. But, for the most part, this globe-trotting adventure is a sweet and fun-filled light comedy about becoming the person you were always meant to be.
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is more than just another crazy Ben Stiller comedy. It’s also a fantasy, a rom-com, and a travelogue, too. And, thanks to its charming everyday hero and its whimsical direction, it’ll make for enjoyable family viewing this holiday season.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
