Behind the clowning he is best known for, Ben Stiller actually seems like quite a serious chap. It’s easy to forget for example, that he appeared in front of and behind the camera of his biggest hits Zoolander and Tropic Thunder. His latest outing as both director and star, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, feels like a grand excursion into more ambitious territory, as he pushes himself both in terms of directorial scope and performance.
Stiller plays the eponymous hero, a shy, likable character who has led a life one could perhaps describe as humdrum. To compensate, he has a rich inner fantasy life in which he is the hero of fantastical scenarios. Walter works as a photo editor for Time Magazine, which is soon to be publishing its final issue with a photo from acclaimed photographer Sean O’Connell (Sean Penn) on its cover. There’s only one problem; the photo has gone missing. Walter is forced to finally break out of his workaday routine and travel to remote landscapes on the trail of O’Connell and the missing print.
With elaborate fantasy sequences, quirky comedy and a great big dollop of sentimentality, there is a lot for Stiller to balance here but for me, he gets it just right. Visually, the spectacle of the fantasy sequences is impressive enough but when Walter starts out on his adventure, it becomes downright beautiful as director of photography Stuart Dryburgh captures some breathtaking panoramas.
The performances meanwhile are tremendously likable. Stiller gives a subtle, affecting turn as Mitty, while Kristen Wiig is a charming love interest. The narrative has undergone some changes from the original short story; suggesting that Mitty’s fantasy life is the by-product of being an exciting rebellious kid, who was forced to grow up quickly when his father passed away. It is a fundamental change which may displease some fans of James Thurber’s story but which works well to gently tug the heartstrings of the audience. The result is a frequently funny and visually exciting film which feels sweet and sincere rather than emotionally manipulative. If you flip your cynical switch into the off position you may just enjoy it.