Walter Mitty is an avid day dreamer who works for a magazine company which happens to be going under. The company receives a special picture which will be the cover for the final magazine. When the picture is lost, Walter Mitty will attempt to find it by traveling the world in search of the photographer. Ben Stiller directs and stars in this film.
Ben Stiller directed one of my favorite comedies of all time Tropic Thunder. Going into film I had high ecpectations. This film is beautifully shot by cinematographer Stuart Dryburgh. Every frame of the film is visually appealing. Ben Stiller tries telling a story about taking chances and going after what you want but the message is lost in this uninteresting film. Boring may be a better word. I hate to say it as I was anticipating this movie but I was ultimately disappointed by it. Unfortunately this film contains next to no laughs. The day dreaming sequences work in the movie, particularly a fight sequence with Adam Scott which was a highlight of the film. The main story is just too dull to bother caring about.
Stiller plays Mitty dry, without any humor. He was capable of doing more with the role and didn't. Kristen Wigg does not bring any laughs into the film either. She is Walter's love interest in the film and inspiration. Sean Penn has a small part in the movie and he is fine in it. He's actually the only interesting character.
When a movie is bad the first person that needs to be blamed is the director. Ben Stiller is a talented enough director that he should have known that the story was not working. He should have seen that the screenplay was dull and lifeless. It disappoints me that he didn't. Considering how good Tropic Thunder was, I am holding out hope that his next directorial effort will be better and that this was only a hiccup.
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is a visually appealing but ultimately boring film.
2/5
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