The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is a very loose adaptation of the 1939 James Thurber short story. In this version, Walter Mitty is a man of photographs and details. And the fi

Rating: 8/10 (26 January 2020)

Please note - this review contains plagiarism.
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is a very loose adaptation of the 1939 James Thurber short story. In this version, Walter Mitty is a man of photographs and details. And the film reflects that aesthetically driven perspective. It's a beautifully shot story of a man who inch by inch, step by step goes from daydreaming about living a full and adventurous life to actually living one.
There are a few CGI-boosted imaginings that deliver superhero-like crash and bash. But it's the real-world bits here that impress. In its most quiet instances, Mitty encourages moviegoers to relish and take advantage of the small, intimate moments of their lives; to live richly, love those around them fully and realize the blessings that life can often offer.
The reason the protagonist's journey is believable is that it makes logical sense; Stiller keeps his eye on what Walter is after; a small change to his perspective that will change how he interacts with the world. It makes the character relatable and why I, as a viewer, bought into the journey for the whole movie.
There are a couple of brilliantly selected, in my opinion, songs in the movie too. Rarely do I get switched on to new artists after watching a film, but that was certainly the case here.
Nine-star ratings I reserve for 'truly great' movies. This movie was an eight. The main message is still with me a month after viewing, and so is this quote -
"To see the world, things dangerous to come to, to see behind walls, draw closer, to find each other and to feel. That is the purpose of life."