Capturing the "Quitenssence" of Life

Rating: 7/10 (1 January 2014)

Ben Stiller's latest directing film was based on James Thurber's short story in 1939 depicting the illusive fantasy of Walter Mitty (who is a negative asset manager), trying to flee away from every day routine's confinement. Ted Hendricks (played by Adam Scott) played the obnoxious antagonist of the film while the company was facing a huge downsizing since its corporate takeover which made Life Magazine's coming issue as its last. Yet, the owner and photojournalist, Sean O'Connell urged insistently that negative 25 would be the cover of final print of last ever issue of Life magazine which seemed to be misplaced elsewhere. Mitty is enforced to live out of his fantasy to embark on a journey seeking for the missing photograph from the prominent photographer.
Mitty who is introduced as an ordinary working class man, living a dull, unadventurous life who suffered from his "zoned out" syndrome, fantasizing himself drawing into the most treacherous situations out of the orthodox life of his own. "The common man" theme has already built a crucial connection with the audience, as Mitty often restrained himself as a stereotypical worker in the bureaucratic society nowadays who many may daydreamed and romanticized his own living into an idyllic fiction. Mitty reminded me of Kevin Spacey's Lester Burnham in American Beauty, who is a depressed ordinary working class who had an eccentric affection for his daughter's friend. Mitty is in his 40's, in the pursuit of a companion on an online dating website and most notably that he was affectionate to his new colleague Cheryl Melhoff played by Kristen Wiig. Though this idea might seem a bit old school, Melhoff is critical drive to the story of how Mitty climb through the obstacles ahead of him. Kristen Wiig has the quality of modesty and elegance in her whom a good match with her role as the inspirational figure behind Walter's inner mindset.
Throughout the film, Mitty moved from spots to spots to pursue for the treasurable negative 25 and ascent numerous struggles. Yet, his first real test intrigued me the most when he fumbled whether to proceed to the ship or not. The film decided to adopt an eminent song to convey the courage needed to achieve things. The introduction of David Bowie's "Ground Control To Major Tom" was a stroke of genius as the song was about courage and taking a leap out of your comfort zone which fits in flawlessly with the scene when Mitty hurdled through his own struggles and got abroad of the drunken man's helicopter.
After several tests and cruising across multiple nations, he eventually found Sean O'Connell played by Sean Penn who was worth the wait even though the character wasn't a very prominent role yet, he was quintessential to the film. He elaborated the model "Life Magazine" was known, going to desolate and hazardous locations and live dangerously to explore the unknowns. His role captured the essence of the film of how Mitty envisioned life he would daydreamed of.
Though the plot is seemingly plain and deprived of sparkling moments in the film, production designer Jeff Mann has managed to capture the spectacular visual elements of the boundless terrain in Iceland, Greenland and the Himalayas. Some may argue that the film's meandering pace is beyond mainstream audiences' capability to captivate. Yet, audience has the aptitude to tune in and anticipate the ecstasy and surreal world Ben Stiller depicted. The film has its reward for the deprivation of dialogue in some sense as complementing the extraordinary scenery which is beyond words to capture.
Overall, in spite of the lack of thrilling moments in the film, the film is revitalizing to watch as an embankment of a new year. "Life is about courage and going into the unknown." Encapsulated the notion of the film and bursting out all the positive energy in you while you watch it.