Ben Stiller And His Eyes Take Us On A Masterful Feel Good Journey

Rating: 9/10 (28 December 2013)

I never realized how blue Ben Stiller's eyes are. This was my first thought in the opening scene of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Indeed, Ben's clear, intensely blue eyes feature prominently throughout the film, and help give the character of Walter Mitty a poignant humanity, hooking the audience into his story. And what a story it is.
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is based on a 1939 short story written by James Thurby and originally published in The New Yorker. It revolves around mild-mannered Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller), who works in the film department of Life magazine. Walter processes the amazing photos from around the world published in the magazine, but has never been adventurous enough to discover the world himself.
The film opens on Walt's forty-second birthday and he looks decidedly middle-aged when we first see him. It comes as a bit of a shock to see Ben Stiller looking so old (he is forty-eight in real life), however it adds authenticity to the film.
The theme of the film is mid-life crisis and for those currently journeying through Middle Life, it's a wonderful reminder that it's never too late to do those things you've always wanted to do. Sometimes we just need a push to get us started.
The film's cinematography is exquisite, with a classic retro feel due to the Time magazine setting and prominent use of iconic Time covers as backdrops throughout. The adventure scenes are a lush contrast to the New York scenes, and the soundtrack is perfect. Ben Stiller not only starred in the film but also directed it, and kudos to him for a job extremely well done.
Kristen Wigg does a reasonable job as Walt's love interest, although it's not her best performance. Adam Scott plays an Office-esque nasty boss with a beard that deserves it's own ending credit. The supporting cast of off-beat characters that Walt meets on his adventures are great, including the wonderful Sean Penn as the elusive Time photographer Sean O'Connell.
The audience is rewarded for taking the journey with Walt by an immensely touching ending, one that you'll never forget. Just like Ben's startling blue eyes. Four and a half stars.