Sweet tale of living life to the full.

Rating: 7/10 (3 January 2014)

With Zoolander and Tropic Thunder as his last couple of directorial efforts, Ben Stiller is on a red hot run behind the camera. This film is less memorable and (intentionally) not as humorous compared to those comedic gems, but with a greater dramatic depth and Stiller wearing his heart proudly on his sleeve, this Oscar-buzzing picture proves he has grown as a filmmaker. There's the occasional scene that doesn't gel - most notably an airport scuffle behind a security screen and a Benjamin Button parody - or visual flourish that feels too whimsical or forced, yet for every misstep there's a handful of entertaining sequences waiting around the corner to regain control. Swimming with a shark, skateboarding towards a volcano, traversing the Alps and saving a three-legged dog from an exploding building are just some of the noteworthy parts of Walter Mitty, although the jewel in the crown is a sensational Greenland-set musical number that sees Kristen Wiig's waif-like Cheryl inspire Mitty to jump into a helicopter piloted by a drunken buffoon. If it sounds a tad weird, that's because it is, however it's also possibly the best few minutes Stiller has ever committed to celluloid. In front of the camera Stiller demonstrates exemplary refrain as the titular protagonist - an average man who is worth rooting for - and Wiig is stellar in a downplayed role that also expands her repertoire. It doesn't quite soar like it should, but this is a sweet and solid tale of living your life to the full.