Avoid the Tedious Life of Walter Mitty

Rating: 3/10 (27 November 2013)

This is a poor film.
I was given free tickets to a preview of this film and I have to report that I have never seen as many people walk out of a film as I did with Walter Mitty.
The plot is predictable and clichÃ©d, relying too heavily on what is supposed to be a feel good factor (it isn't) and the quirky qualities of its lead characters (they aren't).
Just to make it clear, this film isn't quirky, it's irritating, tedious and deeply frustrating. There are several problems with the film not least the central premise of the plot. For those of you who are unaware the Ben Stiller character regularly drifts off into flights of fantasy where he imagines he is a super hero, or an alpine ski God, or Benjamin Button and here is where the movie really loses its way. The 'dream' sequences are misjudged and out of place. They add nothing to the plot and actually take you away from the narrative of the main story. As a result when he drifts off it becomes increasingly frustrating as you just want the story to progress without the constant (and irritating) disruptions. As a result the story is unevenly paced, and you lose all sympathy for the lead character.
While I am usually a big fan of Ben Stiller, he was miss cast as the nerdy office worker who is transformed into the would be hero in this misfiring story. His performance is wooden and he is not helped by a corny script, and the decision by the director to surround Walter Mitty with a series of parodies of office workers (the shy beautiful girl, the ball busting out of touch boss, the put upon overweight co-worker etc).
The film seems confused as to who is its audience, and as a result it falls between several stools. It isn't really a comedy, a art house movie, a drama or a romance.
This was one of the least enjoyable experience I have ever had at the cinema.
Avoid, just avoid.