Walter Mitty's Inconsistent, Yet Beautiful, Journey

Rating: 6/10 (26 December 2013)

I mean, c'mon, who hasn't daydreamed about a more exciting life in which the girl of your dreams is now suddenly in your arms. Something The Secret Life of Walter Mitty surely promises is empathy. Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller) is a "negative assets manager" over at Life Magazine who spends most of his day in his thoughts rather than in reality, and a fellow employee (Kristen Wiig) he works with has certainly caught his eye. Consequently, he contemplates, zones out, and pleasurably imagines heroically and properly introducing himself to her- true romance commencing from thereon. However, once someone taps him back to life and he wakes up, Mitty can only approach his crush with deepening awkwardness and nervosity. Sad is the truth, but when can we finally stop dreaming of a more invigorating and interesting version of our life and embark on that exhilarating journey we so clearly desire? The film hopes to explore that question as Walter Mitty travels across the world to locate a missing negative, and from that point forward, he finally encounters the danger, energy, and pure vastness of the real world.
A major highlight of this ambitious project is its downright gorgeous visuals, taking us to the open spaces of Iceland, the grandiose Himalaya Mountains, and the dark depths of an ocean. The camera places you into some frenetic action sequences and then counters these with beautiful establishing shots of various landscapes, representing the expansive terrains of the sheer life out there, patiently waiting for us whether you're a middle-aged, distressed white-collar worker or an intrepid young adult. The editing is smooth and remarkably prevalent, playing a significant role in conveying this inspiring narrative. The soundtrack complements that sense of excitement and adventure, providing us with lively tracks from the likes of Arcade Fire and encouraging ones from artists like Of Monsters and Men. Now, the first half of the film is driven by that level of realism, relatability, and quirkiness, which I found to be very satisfying indeed.
With that being said, the second half takes on a cheesier and less believable tone/path, obviously attempting to accomplish its thematic goals. Hollywood's involvement becomes perfectly transparent once the film reaches the last act, and that happy ending becomes ever happier (and unnatural). In addition, a movie that's partially fueled by comedy unfortunately doesn't deliver on enough laughs. It got a few chuckles out of me, but a considerable portion of the jokes/overall humor fell flat and simply appeared clumsy in delivery. In essence, TSLOWM works much better as a drama than a comedy (with dramatic elements). So, if you are to enter the theater with the expectations of it being a drama, you'd likely end up leaving more satisfied rather than if you entered it thinking it's another fun, inspiring comedy for the holidays. At the end of the day, if you just can't bring yourself to enjoy Walter Mitty's (inconsistent) story throughout the entire duration, chances are you still might be mesmerized by its dazzling look and spectacular production value. Regardless of its predictable and slightly corny conclusion, there is much motivation and zeal to be found in this uplifting, inspiriting tale.