Day 352 of the challenge! More funny people being serious(ish) today with The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty!
The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty has the style, the scope, and the vision, but it falls short of itself. I loved the original short story when I read it in high school, and was excited to finally sit down with the movie, but I ended up feeling disappointed overall once it was all said and done. As enjoyable as the film is (and I did enjoy it for what it is), I can’t help but feel like The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty was frustratingly close to being something far more memorable and unique than what it ended up being. Again, all the ingredients are there for something special, but the story just couldn’t crack it.
Ben Stiller (who also directed) has a much tougher time transitioning from comedy to drama than the other funny people I’ve been watching these past few days. His portrayal of Walter Mitty is fine enough, but he really struggles with the film tonally. We’ll be in the middle of an intense character moment, only for it to be cut short by some weird “Stiller-esque” comedy (that Benjamin Button scene in particular really feels like it belongs in a different movie). It’s the little things like that that keep The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty from really soaring. Still, the movie has it’s moments, and it’s beautifully shot.