The Main Problems With This Film (spoiler free)

Rating: 3/10 (17 December 2013)

There's a chance you may like this, in which case I don't really want to taint your expectations with the things that follow. If you like whimsical fantasy and tend to like everything you watch, then don't read on. If you have some taste and a good sense of judgement, then you'll certainly be irked by the film's problems.
Its tonally uneven - towards the beginning, it mixes dry office based observational humour with slapstick action scenes. It works for a while, but then changes tone completely about a third in. Now its trying to be meaningful and spirited, but it doesn't quite work. Its still too fantastical to be taken seriously. Some scenes towards the end are so long and boring, lacking any humour or emotional punches whatsoever that you'll find yourself suddenly snapping and thinking "hey, what's going on here? What am I watching here?"
The film uses fantasy daydreams as a plot device, but then after about a third of the way through, drops them completely. They're barely referred to again. Yet, the rest of the film contains elements so fantastical, whimsical and absurd that you WISH he was still daydreaming. Except he isn't. It feels really jarring, and you beg that he snaps out of a daydream so that the film isn't so ludicrous. So many things happen which are absurd. Cell phone calls whilst he's climbing up the Himalayas, having been travelling for days by this point. Flies at the drop of a hat, with just his briefcase, then has an endless supply of clothes and appropriate gear. Hasn't been or done anything interesting but is suddenly an expert skateboarder. He jumps into a helicopter being dangerously piloted by a drunkard, based on some fantasy encouragement by one of his daydreams. What kind of message is that? Live your life! Be reckless! Do dangerous things whilst drunk! Your friend drink at the bar all night? Hey, live you life, let them drive you home!
His motives are never really clear. He goes to search for a lost negative from a photographer - because he wants to a) travel or b) keep his job? If a), then he could have picked plenty more goals and destinations, and the drive to start now isn't particularly strong. If b) then there are plenty of other ways to do it, and it makes no sense (he could have just said the negative was missing from the package).
His personality is never really explained. He processes incredible photographs for a renowned international magazine, yet hasn't been or done anything interesting at all in his life? If his imagination was that active for his day dreams, then surely he'd have put it to better use by now? And if he has some huge fear barrier to making decisions (as shown in the opening scene) then why? Whats the emotional truth here, and how will he resolve it? Its never answered - but when he does finally go travelling, he experiences no fear at all (except for a stupid scene where he literally fights with a shark).
The message of the film seems to be "make your life more interesting, and do things, so that the opposite sex will find you more attractive". This is a really superficial, shame based message, the complete opposite of films which imply "be liked for who you are, not for what you do or can provide for people".
Ben Stiller plays it pretty dry and wooden, without expressing much emotion at all. I can't remember him laughing, looking sad, scared, exhilarated, nothing. Even when skateboarding down a mountain, he has the same facial expression. His lack of emotion throughout makes it hard to really engage with the character or care at all about this fantastical adventure he's supposedly going on. Sean Penn's acting is, as ever, fantastic, but feels like it really doesn't belong in this film.
By the end, it feels like a massive advert for eHarmony.
It also feels like a very bad imitation of the much superior film Joe Vs The Volcano.