Some clever moments here and there, but it doesn't quite take off

Rating: Null/10 (14 January 2014)

The film starts off pleasant enough, and for a while it shows Walter having his daydreams, which are genuinely enjoyable, I might add. The problem with this film is that it's only engaging up until Mitty begins his journey through Iceland and Greenland. And the scenes after the end of the journey. I thought his journey was a little tedious and unnecessary. Apparently the filmmakers no longer thought the daydreams were cutting it. If some of this journey was supposed to be one as well, then I must have not been paying attention. Two scenes that don't work: One in a bar, and another where Walter attempts to jump into a boat. As for the film's characters, including Walter Mitty, there's nothing special about them. Walter's female coworker (played by Kristen Wiig) doesn't serve any purpose other than to give him someone to confide in. Is she supposed to be a love interest? The only real interesting one is Ted, Walter's boss, even though he doesn't do a lot in the entire movie. While I did enjoy the chemistry between Penn and Stiller, and the way the scene plays out, the journey is just not worth the payoff. Also unnecessary: meeting the eharmony guy in person, which, I think, only exists to show us it was Patton Oswalt on the phone.
**1/2 out of ****