Director: Ben Stiller
Starring: Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, Sean Penn, Kathryn Hahn, Shirley MacLaine, Adrian Matinez, Patton Oswalt
Running Time: 114 minutes
Certificate: PG
Ben Stiller’s latest directorial outing starts magnificently. A simple scene involving lead character Walter Mitty (Stiller) checking his eHormony account is portrayed in silence but captures all the miniscule subtleties you may not expect from the director of TROPIC THUNDER and ZOOLANDER. It’s an enchanting moment which captures the comedy and bittersweet heart warming moments of the entire film in just a few minutes of footage. This scene also demonstrates the spectacular cinematography on display courtesy of Stuart Dryburgh. It may not be striking in comparison to the most meticulously crafted arthouse efforts, but if one is expecting the traditional broad comedy antics of Stiller and Wiig, you can’t help but be surprised.
If it sounds as though there’s a ‘but’ coming on, that’s because there kind of is. Fortunately the story of Walter Mitty, a man who often descends into fantastical daydreams, is always an engaging affair, but being based on a short story means the film struggles in effectively filling its running time.Walter works at LIFE magazine, processing the negatives of famed photographer Seon O’Connell (an excellent Penn). As it is announced the magazine is about to go exclusively online, Walter realises that the negative for the final front cover is missing, forcing him to take part in an epic adventure as he searches for O’Connell and the lost negative. The theme of living life, rather than daydreaming, is handled with a rather expert precision of ambiguity. Although the brilliantly realised fantasy segments are obvious at first, the lines between reality and imagination begin to blur, leaving us with a film that could either be uplifting or depressing.
The ambiguity may spurn some arguments, but the film seems to try and convince us a bit too heavily that everything’s charming and sweet to the point where the sweetness will harm sensitive teeth. Mitty’s journeys also become punctuated by popular rock music that detracts from that calm and welcoming opening. As the script turns from character study into episodic adventure, the obviousness also derails engagement to an extent. It’s clearly obvious where the missing negative is and what it will be of almost the instant this plot device is introduced.
Due to the films saccharine nature, cynics will be throwing up in their laps, while dreamers will be wistfully transported to a land of smiles. Stiller proves he is a thoughtful filmmaker well above the comedies he has made his name in, and the attempt to echo the feel of Frank Capra with modern day special effects to spice things up is more successful than many would expect. THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY is a delightful surprise for the most part, but you’ll need to be prepared to go along for the ride.
[usr=3]THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY is released on DVD and Blu-ray on 21st April.
