Maybe the best Hollywood production for years

Rating: 8/10 (27 January 2014)

I never really liked Ben Stiller. The movies I know in which he played the main characters are listed under comedy but were never funny in my opinion. Yes he always played on this fine line between tragedy and comedy but always kind of implausible. That's why I decided not to necessarily watch his latest performance. So I was very surprised by this movie. Whereas Ben Stiller was also directing I need to say that this man has a sense of taste which is quite unbelievable if you know his other movies respectively the movies he played in. Looking at the beautiful pictures in this film and the excellent music it reminds me on independent movies and not Hollywood productions. The real surprise to me was Ben Stiller in the role of Walter Mitty. On the one hand it is a very tragic character and on the other hand the scenes that should be funny are funny, all in all very solid acting and, in my opinion, more plausible than better known Hollywood actors. And that's why I give it a vote of 9 out of 10. You cannot compare the movie with the short story or the adaption from the 40s even though it is an adaption itself. Maybe it should have been titled differently. In my opinion, the movie succeeded as something autonomous. But there are some minus points as well: I think the story is nice and also believable but things happen too fast what made it less believable. Also the relationship between Walter and Todd was too superficial, I wished for more deepness or more conversations between them but I think it was a good idea. In my opinion Cheryl was needless. It would have been a better movie without the female part. But well it's still a Hollywood movie and there has to be a happy ending with a happy couple. That's my biggest point of criticism. Bottom line: I'm very glad I gave it a try, it is definitely unmissable.