See It Or Leave It

The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty (C)


SYNOPSIS:

Is it fantasy or is it real? Can the world around us take a different shape and explore an imaginary reality that only our minds can conjure up? For Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller) this is a very real and easy possibility. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, based on the short story by James Thurber and the 1947 version starring Danny Kaye," is a story about Walter Mitty, a mid 40's negative assets manager at Life magazine. His job is to process the negative photos that come to Life from journalist photographers around the world. As mundane as it may sound, Walter has an escape from this ordinary and routine life, his mind. While the world carries on around him Walter can stare blankly into space and imagine himself as an action star, a hero, a rugged mountain man, or whatever he envisions. His exploits seem to center around one of his female co workers, Cheryl (Kristen Wiig) whom he has a huge crush on. Being to nervous to speak or communicate with her his mind continuously takes over as he imagines himself impressing her. One day both of their worlds are turned upside down as Life magazine decides to get rid of the paper issued magazine and move to an online viewership only. This can only mean an inevitable downsize and unfortunate layoffs. Now, Walter Mitty's job seems to be in jeopardy made clear by the smug and egotistical leader of the acquisition Ted Hendricks (Adam Scott). The only thing giving Walter a chance to hold onto his job is a negative photo sent by recurring photographer Sean O'Connell (Sean Penn) who works only with Walter in his photo submissions. The photo he submits is the last photo that will grace the paper cover of Time magazine. Unfortunately the photo is nowhere to be found. And with the rogue photographer virtually impossible to get in contact with Walter has no choice but to hunt him down, travel the world, and experience what he as only ever imagined in the hopes of finding the photo before his job is terminated.


REVIEW:

At the heart of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is the idea to get out of your normal routine and explore beyond your boundaries. As citizens of society it is easy for life and our means to dictate what we see and do. As things become more mundane and stagnant we lose sight of our possibilities. As poetic of a concept this may seem the film also falls guilty of this too. Yet it didn't start that way as the film was enriched with beautiful transitions and a feel that was completely appropriate for the story. Slowly the story starts to develop and change yet the feel and look of the film does not. The idea of "get out and do something with your life" was presented and less and less of the story and the overall film making was taken into consideration.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, directed by Ben Stiller who occasionally steps behind the camera to make a film here has decided to not only direct but act as well. Here was his first and biggest mistake. By miscasting himself as the films lead, Ben Stiller was then forced to split time between acting and directing. This tactic has been successfully done in such films as "Braveheart" or any George Clooney made film, but in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, this took away so much from the film. Whether it was shot selection, camera placement, or just the meticulous details that can only be seen by directing behind the camera the film suffered a great blow. If Stiller would have focused his attention solely on film making here the outcome might have been something greater. This split approach was no match for Cinematographer Stuart Dryburgh either who in fact gives the film a great feel with color and shadows. If only Ben Stiller would have limited himself to staying behind the lens it would not only have aided the cinematography but he would have noticed how off centered and redundant his films message had become.

The films message was actually the only thing going for the film. It explores the idea that life is short, we are living day to day in our same routines, and what exciting things might happen if we step out of the norm and go explore. This thought is something to actually sit and ponder and determine if there might be a change necessary in your life. How exciting it can be to wonder what just might happen on an adventure. Yet the film exploits this thought in almost every other scene and repeatedly tells us this idea instead of just touching on it briefly and letting the characters go. With this amount of repetition the film loses that exciting edge that it builds itself around. If you think I am continuously reiterating this notion, just you wait until you watch the film and experience the redundancy for yourself.

Ben Stiller delivers an average performance at best as the quiet and wondering Walter Mitty. How easily this character could have been played by anyone else as Stiller seemed out of his element. More accustomed to humor, he packs the film with small tidbits of comicality placed throughout in random form. With this humor does come the possibility of relief from the more serious, and yes over repeated message of the film. This is exactly where the film flourishes as the hilarious Kristen Wiig who plays Walter Mitty's love interest Cheryl and Patton Oswalt who plays an over helpful E Harmony phone agent provide us with characters we are willing to support. Adam Scott who plays the pompous and self centered Ted Hendricks always seems to be at his best when playing the villain, however his character at times is mixed between good and evil in a way that confused me as to what he was all about. And let us not forget about the mysterious photographer Sean O'Connell played by the great Sean Penn. With such limited time on screen he makes the most of the time given and directly appeals to our longing to get out and experience life and explore the thrilling possibilities the world holds. With this being the only real seriousness to the film I am glad they decided to cast such a powerful actor for this approach.

The world that surrounds Walter Mitty is rather beautiful and filled with fascination. The film does make a great case to go and see the places around us and take in it's beauty. And golly Iceland has never looked more beautiful and appealing. However I could have easily looked at a travel magazine to get this knowledge. What I was hoping to see was more substance to the film and a better connection to the characters and their feelings. And of course not to be relentlessly bombarded by the same notion that I need to get out and do something more. Maybe if the film had done the same it could have achieved just that.


OVERALL: (C)

Directing (C-)
Ben Stiller

Script (C)
Steve Conrad

Acting (C+)
Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, Adam Scott, Patton Oswalt, Sean Penn, Shirley MacLaine

Cinematography (C+)
Stuart Dryburgh

Set Design (B)


SCENE TO LOOK FOR:

Any scene with the humorous Patton Oswalt who plays the E Harmony phone specialist Todd Maher. His ability to provide humor on a more even keel and well timed out pace does wonders for the film. As the movie drags on and random bits of humor are implemented that often are edited with far too long sequences, Oswalt brings much relief. Even though he is subject to the overstatement of "do something with your life" he delivers the most persuasive performance of anyone. What a simple yet effective character.


SHOT TO LOOK FOR:

EXT. CORNER 5TH AVENUE, 43RD STREET, NYC - DAY

During the morning rush hour, a crowd of businessmen waits on the corner to cross the street. Walter is among them, dressed in a short-sleeve business shirt and tie and with a briefcase on hand. Nothing happens. Then Walter’s head explodes.

CREDITS BEGIN

Up toward the clouds, propelled skyward, were the contents (ideas and images) of Walter’s head; they’ve begun to float toward the ground.

INT. SKYSCRAPER, NYC - SAME

Some office work is going on. Then past the window (outside) comes floating down, in slow motion, Juan Valdez the Colombian Coffee guy (his donkey’s floating down way in the distance).
This happens outside other high-rise and professional building windows - a floating Bishop Desmond Tutu, the silver Monopoly piece Top Hat, Statler and Waldorf (the two elderly curmudgeons from The Muppet Show) and additional detritus from Walter’s mind such as Manute Bol, The Beastie Boys, etc. CREDITS PLAY.

The transitions in the film are mesmerizing especially at the beginning of the film. The film thrives with these transitions alongside the daydreams that exist only in Walter Mitty's head. As the world around him suddenly takes on a surreal approach and the most bizarre and visually entertaining events begin to happen, as a viewer I could not help but want to see more and more of these exploits. Though there is a very blurred line between what is real and being imagined by Walter at times, nonetheless they are rather impressive to watch.