Review

Rating: 10/10 (1 October 2014)

Review:
When I went to the cinema to see The Secret Life of Walter Mitty last December, I honestly did not have very high expectations. I had not heard much about the film, and what had intrigued me to see it was not a recommendation from a friend. I had simply seen the preview, and it struck me as something maybe worth watching. After viewing the movie, however, my opinion was completely different. I was so pumped as I walked out of the theater, excited about how much adventure I had just vicariously lived through the character of Walter Mitty in the last 114 minutes of me merely sitting in front of the screen, and ever since, I have been dying to go explore Iceland and possibly learn how to ride a skateboard just so I can ride down one of its incredibly scenic, absolutely breathtaking mountain roads. What really made the movie for me, though, was the incredible soundtrack which was super appropriate and very unique. A review published online by KCRW, a public radio station based in Santa Monica, CA, put it this way, "The overall effect is that of quiet otherworldliness, which likely will suit the flights of imagination depicted in the film" (Lawrence). The mix brings in a variety of eclectic rhythms from well-known artists such as Jack Johnson and Of Monsters & Men to the not so familiar Junip and Rogue Wave. The songs really suit the dreamy, melancholy tone of the film (Scott). Each artist brings a distinct style that really works well with the flow of the movie, and several of the tracks are classic oldies remade which also add to the unique vibe of the film. Another aspect of the movie that goes hand in hand with the soundtrack is the colors used. At the beginning of the movie, a lot of the music is slow, reflective, and mainly instrumental, and the color scheme goes well with that. Up until Walter decides to be brave enough to travel across the ocean in search of negative 25, the colors are mainly greys, light blues, and blacks. This adds to the sort of dull, stiff, and quite helpless view of Walter we have when the movie starts out. By the time he decides to hop on a plane to Greenland, however, more vibrant colors begin to be introduced, and more upbeat and lively music begins to play. Once the picturesque scenes of the Greenland and Iceland landscapes are start becoming a prevalent part of the movie, the colors are wide-ranging and absolutely stunning along with the music which becomes more and more inspiring as the movie progresses. The progression from duller music and colors to livelier more vibrant hues and songs really depicts Walter's personal progression in the movie as he transitions from an uninteresting person with a wild imagination to a man who gains courage and, as a result, has extraordinary experiences. A lot of the cohesiveness between the various aspects of the movie such as colors, music, and message, I believe is largely due to the fact that Ben Stiller, who portrays the main character in the film, also directed it and picked out the music selections that the soundtrack would consist of. Another facet of cohesiveness in the film is the presence of the proverbial theme song that audiences interact with most throughout the film, David Bowie's "Space Oddity." The song is referenced multiple times by different characters. Initially, the bearded and very well dressed jerk, who is the manager of the Life Magazine's transition to an online only publication, intends to poke fun at Walter by nicknaming him "Major Tom" (the main character of Bowie's song) and repeats the lyrics to Bowie's song, "Can you hear me Major Tom?" as he immaturely throws a paperclip at him to see if he would snap out of the daydream he was having at the time (Bowie). However, later on in the film, Cheryl Melhoff, Walter's secret crush, tells him that the song is inspiring because it is about exploration and stepping into the unfamiliar and experiencing life outside of one's comfort zone. When Walter later on makes a pretty important yet risky decision, he imagines Cheryl singing the song to him, and that is what ultimately motivates him to be bold. The part of the song playing as he jumps on the helicopter with a very drunk pilot says, "I'm stepping through the door." This line in particular speaks of a shift much like the one Walter Mitty experiences throughout the film. "Space Oddity" along with the rest of the soundtrack is really a big part of what make the film a success in my mind and really does a good job of propelling the movie forward. Quite frankly, the soundtrack is phenomenal standing alone as well. I listen to it on a frequent basis, especially when I want to feel inspired.
Works Cited:
Bowie, David. "Space Oddity." The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (Music From and Inspired By the Motion Picture). Republic Records, 2013. MP3.
Lawrence, Eric. "Various Artists: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty soundtrack - Album Preview - KCRW." KRCW. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2014. http://www.kcrw.com/music/shows/album-preview/various- artists-the-secret-life-of-walter-mitty-soundtrack.
Scott, A.. "He Can Balance a Checkbook, but Not His Imagination." The New York Times. The New York Times, 24 Dec. 2013. Web. 30 Sept. 2014. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/25/movies/the-secret-life-of- walter-mitty-stars-ben-stiller.html?_r=0.
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Dir. Ben Stiller. Perf. Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, John Daly. 20th Century Fox, 2013. DVD.