Beautiful. Inspiring. Metaphor.

Rating: 8/10 (7 February 2016)

Those are words that I would use to describe The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. I finished this film feeling inspired and connected with life.
The film tells the story of Walter Mitty, a lonely, kind introvert who processes negatives for Life Magazine. Walter has a crush on a coworker at Life, Cheryl Melhoff, of whom he regularly daydreams. The film's plot begins when Life Magazine undergoes new management and a transition to online publication. When a photo meant to be the cover for the magazine's final print issue has gone missing, it is up to Walter to discover the locations of the photo and its photographer, reclusive Sean O'Connell, spurring an adventure of a lifetime.
What I love about The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is the visual and symbolic language the film employs. Ben Stiller's direction is appropriate for what the movie is aiming for: his beautiful, perfectly aligned shots give off the indie film vibe and accentuates the details of Walter's life. His daydreams are fantastic yet initially feel real; as his adventure picks up, his real life experiences begin to parallel and seem more like his fantasies. Walter's job at Life serves as the perfect metaphor; as Life transitions to online, Walter begins distancing himself from work (as well as his eHarmony profile) as he pursues his real life.
How could so simple a plot be so inspiring? The film focuses more on the themes of the plot rather than the actual plot and, as a result, adds an emotional texture to an otherwise dull storyline. Walter's decision to take the chance and fly to Greenland and search for Sean O'Connell became one of the iconic moments in that film because of how it Stiller directed the scene; the moving camera, the background text that stated Life's motto, the epic indie rock music. Stiller makes his emotional intentions clear and helps the audience experience the world and its potential through the eyes of Walter Mitty.
As with any Ben Stiller film, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty has its share of humor. If you're a fan of Ben Stiller's humor, great! If not, this movie is STILL fine for you. The film's best qualities do not rely on the delivery of Stiller's unique sense of humor. The chemistry that develops between Stiller and Wiig (Cheryl) could have been better; only some of their relationship seemed to barely begin picking up by the end of the film, but also leaves an open ending to leave the audience feeling hopeful.
Overall, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is a beautiful work of art, a fantasy-reality film that inspires its audiences to, like Walter Mitty, escape their fantasies and to begin living life to the fullest potential. Pretty soon, our dreams become our lives.