A great movie that is fun for the whole family but is also A deep, and beautifully made movie for anyone

Rating: 9/10 (15 January 2014)

At one point in all of our lives, we are bound to question the direction we are taking our lives, and the decisions we've made or haven't made. Some people live extremely sheltered like, never getting witness some of the curve balls that life throws at. This is the case for Walter Mitty, a LIFE magazine employee, who has day-dreams of himself doing incredible things, being the opposite of his contained self, and living a more adventurous life then he does now.
The story begins as LIFE Magazine is preparing to put out their last issue while transitioning into LIFE Online. Most people in the office will be put out of their job including Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller) a worker at LIFE who is tasked with developing the negative that will be the last cover of the magazine. When Walter realizes that he has lost the photo negative by legendary photographer Sean O'Connell (Sean Penn), Walter Mitty then sets out on a journey around the world to find Sean and the missing negative.
Ben Stiller is truly doing some of his best work. Stiller's acting is sensational, truly heart-felt and honest. You feel all the emotions that he feels. The awkwardness of talking to people, and the emptiness he feels as well. There is not one scene that Stiller isn't in and he captures you and transports you into this fantastical journey. Kristen Wiig is the same way. She plays the sweet and relaxed love interest of Walter who also works at LIFE. Wiig, who we all know is hilarious, is a perfect fit for Cheryl Melhoff. Stiller and Wiig together are perfect; a great duo. Adam Scott as Walter's Boss, is irritating and funny. He makes you hate him in every scene he is in, and does a great job of being a typical sarcastic jerk. Patton Oswalt has a brief role, and adds some fun moments to the film. Sean Penn is also terrific, even though his character is mostly talked about and hardly on screen. But when his ten minute scene comes, you truly understand who he is, and the closure to the film he brings is very satisfying.
Ben Stiller's directing has never been better. He takes an old story and brings to a modern situation flawlessly. Stiller and Steve Conrad (the films screenwriter), have adapted a film that the whole family can enjoy, even though it's an amazing movie for an older audience. Scenes seem natural, and the movie is very focused on Walter. The movie is always focused on what is on things that develop him as a character. It helps you to visualize what is on his mind.
The cinematography is also one of the amazing parts of this film. Some of the shots that they capture are incredible, and each section of the movie is stunning. From Iceland to Greenland, even shots within the city, the directing is a huge aspect for the visuals of this film. A few scenes stand out such as some of the ones shot in Iceland, and out in the ocean. I didn't expect such a good job to be done like Ben Stiller but he really did great work.
The soundtrack is great. The music fits the mood of each scene beautifully, and it lets you listen to the music, instead of it being a background noise in the movie. The songs stand out and there is a great example of this. While Mitty is about to decide whether or not he should make a huge decision to take off on his journey, the song space oddity comes in. For me this was a great song for this moment because the beginning of the song, people on the ground (in the space station) are preparing an astronaut (Major Tom) for takeoff. In the same way, Sheryll is helping to prepare Mitty for the takeoff of a real adventure, and not just one in his head
The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty is sure to win awards for directing and adapted screenplay. This is such a fun film. While theaters are riddled with boring cookie cutter action flicks, THe Secret Life of Walter Mitty stands out as a gem. Not many films without cliché action scenes and non innovative stories have done this well in a long time. I give The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty an "A"