The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)

[baumer]

Discuss

[Blankments]

It's a very enjoyable movie once it gets going. Stiller's direction works quite well, but the movie's main issue is that after the first two times Walter daydreams, it's just boring and gets in the way of the story. The movie also had a few noticeable instances of product placement. That said, once you get through the first 40 minutes, the movie becomes the epic dramedy that the excellent trailers showed. It's a shame that the first act couldn't be as great as the second and third act, 'cause that would've made it in my top 3 movies of the year. As it is, a low A. Still definitely worth seeing.

[Empire]

Saw the movie today & I agree the first act is much worse than the 2nd and 3rd acts. I wasn't really enjoying it much at first, but once it got going, it became really enjoyable.

 

I really liked the story and thought Stiller did a good job acting and directing.

 

The funniest parts of the movie for me were when Stiller was talking to Patton Oswalt about his eHarmony account.

 

WIth that said, I would give the movie a B/B- though because it was good, not great.

Edited December 26, 2013 by Empire Claus

[CJohn]

Just arrived from this. My parents hated it and so did I. It was a turd. Ben Stiller kept Stillerizing everything, the Benjamin Button joke was the worst scene of the year.

[Michael Gary Scott]

First act was meh second and third acts were quite good. and I so disagree with you cjohn about the button joke. That got the biggest laugh at my showing. 4/5

[JohnnyBravo69]

I wanted to like this but just couldn't it was all over. Needed more Ms.Wiig. not much too say, Saw at the end that Ben himself directed this should of let someome else do that.. 6/10

[Hiccup]

This is the most underrated movie of 2013. Yeah the movie isn't a Oscar winner but the story is inspirational and touching. The story appeals to all people. The shots in the film are absolutely stunning and breath taking. The acting is solid. The best part of the film is the story how you just got to pursue life and life it up. The score is amazing and I hope to see it nominated at the Oscars. I will definitely be buying the sound track to this film. BTW the Benjamin Button scene was hysterical and the audience loved it!

 

A

[baumer]

Seeing this in three hours.  I don't have a clue what happens in it.  Going in blind.

[Claire of Themyscira]

I hope you like it, bb!

[Jack Nevada]

It's a failure of sorts, but an admirable, interesting failure. 

 

3/5

[baumer]

Yea I loved it.  One of my faves of the year.  I'll write more later.  

[ChD]

Yea I loved it.  One of my faves of the year.  I'll write more later.  

 

Glad to hear that!

[Hiccup]

Yea I loved it.  One of my faves of the year.  I'll write more later.  

 

Yeah!

 

[ChD]

I finally caught this movie yesterday. While the trailer really promoted something that was as adventurous as possible, the movie didn't really give us that.

 

It had it's own problems, I'll say that. First of all, the script is somewhat poorly written. I know this was supposed to be an adventure movie and stuff like that, but we didn't really see much of any of those locations. We got in, spent around five minutes and then left. I still think we needed more time in each location, and I say they could've done that in another 30 minutes so the movie is 2.5hrs long. The directing was good, that I give to Stiller. The acting is again, very good. I'm really looking forward to seeing more from Stiller, especially since he has proven himself with this movie. (Over all, I'd say)

 

Then, the special effects were good again (especially the fight scene in the city), the cinematography and the locations were breathtaking.

 

What I liked about the movie is that it depicts the fantasies, dreams as they really are. Stupid, fast moving, ignoring any unwanted things and stuff similar to that (best example I can give is the exploding building scene - You tell me you would've dreamed about it while taking in account every single move you would've made in the building - Hence the jump cut to the explosion.)

 

I would give it an A, but I really felt like the movie needed to be longer. Much longer. The ending was good, that I give it. The Benjamin Button scene was quite funny, but not hilarious. My friend couldn't watch the first twenty minutes of the movie because of the awkwardness.

 

Over all, B+ I'll see how it stays with me in the following days, and maybe up its grade if it really stays with me.

[ChD]

Yeah, I just watched some Exclusive Footage on youtube and remembered how good this movie actually was. Raising it to A

 

Still looking forward to your review, Baumer.

[baumer]

Yea, I'll get a review of it up on the weekend.

[Ezen Baklattan]

I might give this a try on Sunday.

[Hiccup]

Yea, I'll get a review of it up on the weekend.

 

Excited to read your review on this. 

[Films]

B+. I'll get a review up later

[baumer]

Walter Mitty is a film that anyone can relate to if you are a certain age.  I'm not saying that if you are under say 30, you won't appreciate it but if you are over said age you might get more out of it.  I'm the same age as Walter in the film and funny enough I am going through some of the same things he is.  So his plight, his hesitance and finally his decision to just let his guard down and just go for his adventure, really struck a chord with me.

 

Walter Mitty is a daydreamer.  In his dreams, he is a loquacious person never shy about telling people what he thinks of them, especially the rude and loud people around him who seem to think that they are the center of the universe.  But in real life, he's quiet and wishes he had more of a voice.  As seen in the trailers, when he zones out, he imagines himself in far off places doing his Indiana Jones thing.  He's also able to get the girl.  In real life, he's quiet, shy and quite introverted.  Many of us go through life like this.  Many of us are afraid to say what we think and do what we feel.  So we live a 9-5 lifestyle because that's what's expected of us.  Walter Mitty has done that and in the process, his voice has died and can only live when he is dreaming.  

 

Sean Penn plays Sean O'Connell, the photographer for Mitty's company, who is more God/Indiana Jones like and this man is what intrigues Mitty.  He travels the globe getting pictures for his magazine and when he is ready, he sends the pictures to Walter who makes sure they are all there, developed and ready for print.  They have a working relationship but have never met.  When Walter is responsible for getting Sean's last picture developed for the last issue of the magazine, he is horrified when he realizes it isn't there.  From here he goes on an adventure that will take him to Iceland, Greenland and Afghanistan just so he can get one small picture from Sean.  Making this trip a little pointless in terms of work, is that Walter and most of his work cronies are being laid off as the magazine goes from print to web.  So Walter takes this trip not for work, but for himself.  And this of course is a complete dichotomy for him.  Soon he is wrestling sharks, making a decision to get on a helicopter with a drunk pilot, jumping out of helicopters, skateboarding down a massive winding road and climbing mountains just so he can find Sean.  

 

Along the way he is contacted frequently by his E Harmony rep who wants him to fill out his profile but tells Mitty that his section of what he's done and where he's been, is embarrassingly empty.  That soon changes as every adventure his lives through is now worthy of being printed on that page.  

 

The film is about discovery, letting go and learning to live.  As I said, maybe I related a lot to it because I'm in a similar place as he is and a lot of life's choices are coming at me quickly and begging me to make that choice.  Be that as it may, I was smitten with the movie and left with a big goofy grin on my face.  This is one of the best films of the year.

 

9/10