Stiller's most accomplished directorial work

"Life is about courage and going into the unknown."

Before Ben Stiller signed on to direct and star in 2013's The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, numerous esteemed filmmakers - including Gore Verbinski, Steven Spielberg and Ron Howard - were in talks to helm the picture. Stiller, therefore, is a peculiar candidate for the film considering his comedic background, but the director's attempt to expand his artistic horizons thankfully pays off. Loosely based on the short story by James Thurber (which was also adapted into a 1947 film starring Danny Kaye), The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is enchanting - a heartfelt, visually accomplished gem, and one of the most refreshing motion pictures of 2013. It feels like an authentic cinematic experience, offering gorgeous locations, a touching narrative, gentle humour, and some poignant underlying themes. I loved it.

The lonely and meek Walter Mitty (Stiller) is a negative assets manager for Life Magazine in New York City who's responsible for developing the images he receives from various photographers for use in the publication. His life is uneventful and adventure-free, but he's a chronic daydreamer, frequently slipping into elaborate fantasies to cope with his shortcomings, and he quietly crushes on his female co-worker, Cheryl (Kristen Wiig). With the magazine now led by a snobby executive, Ted (Adam Scott), Life is about to become an online-only publication, which means job cuts. As the team begins working on the magazine's final physical issue, Walter receives a roll of film from esteemed photojournalist Sean O'Connell (Sean Penn). Sean has an image in mind for Life's last issue that he believes captures the "quintessence of life," but the negative for the photograph is missing from the roll. Panicking, and with his job hanging in the balance, Walter seeks to track O'Connell down, setting off on a perilous multi-country odyssey to retrieve the image before the deadline.

Although The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is technically an adaptation of Thurber's short story and a remake of the 1947 film, this version is its own distinctive entity, with screenwriter Steve Conrad (The Pursuit of Happyness) plotting his own path to bring the tale into the 21st Century while retaining the same spirit. How amusing that one of the most refreshing and, frankly, original movies of 2013 is a loose adaptation of pre-existing material. Stiller's most notable directorial efforts tickle the funny bone (Tropic Thunder, Zoolander), but he dabbled in drama with Reality Bites in 1994, and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is more of an adventure and a drama than a comedy. Conrad's screenplay concerns itself with weighty themes, as this is a touching meditation on not taking risks and letting fear hold you back in life. Nevertheless, humour is not absent from the picture, as some interactions are amusing - just see Walter's fantasies when he insults Ted, or a scene in Greenland of Walter talking to an alcoholic helicopter pilot (Ólafur Darri Ólafsson).

The sedate tone makes The Secret Life of Walter Mitty so enthralling: it feels like a proper film instead of a cheap Hollywood comedy, which is a testament to the talented creative team behind the picture. Stuart Dryburgh's cinematography is breathtaking, ensuring the movie always looks striking and expensive. Dryburgh marvellously captures the picturesque land and water locations, superbly showing off the natural beauty of countries like Greenland and Iceland. Gorgeously shot on 35mm film, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty looks gloriously cinematic, with a mature visual appearance adding genuine gravitas to the picture. With digital photography more prevalent than ever (especially in 2023), the decision to shoot on celluloid is enormously appreciable, resulting in a luscious filmic texture that digital cameras cannot satisfactorily imitate. Additionally, the special effects give vivid life to Walter's heroic fantasies and his actual exploits, including a tense shark encounter. One of the film's highlights involves Walter imagining himself battling Ted in the streets of midtown Manhattan with displays of superpowers - the set piece is as good as almost anything from big-budget superhero movies. Perfectly accompanying the accomplished visuals is the lovely soundtrack, a mix of gentle music composed by Theodore Shapiro, and a carefully curated selection of songs (including original songs). The remarkable music gives The Secret Life of Walter Mitty its most definitive touch. David Bowie's song Space Oddity also plays an essential role in the movie, signifying the moment when Walter's fantasies finally collide with reality.

Stiller tempers his over-the-top comedic instincts to play a restrained, grounded Walter, and it's hard to imagine any other performer taking on this role as effectively or as convincingly. It's tricky material that asks a lot of Stiller, but he is up to the task, generating crucial pathos and making the character relatable and sympathetic. He shares delightful chemistry with Wiig, who's quirky but credible as Walter's love interest, while Kathryn Hahn also makes a terrific impression as Walter's sister. The brilliant Shirley MacLaine provides further gravitas as Walter's mother; her performance is heartfelt and convincing despite her small role. Sean Penn, meanwhile, only shows up right at the very end, and his single scene with Stiller is worth the wait, leading to an extremely touching moment. The only downside from an acting standpoint is Adam Scott. Although Scott's performance might be what Stiller asked for, his role is too broad and cartoonish, giving the film an unnecessary and mean-spirited villain.

Not everything about The Secret Life of Walter Mitty gels, as the film seems a little bit too pleased with itself at times, and it never really soars to unimaginable heights, but these are minor foibles. It's a visually striking big-budget character piece that prioritises characters and themes over action or explosions, which is hugely refreshing in this cinematic landscape. Poignant and captivating, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is Stiller's most accomplished directorial work to date, making it all the more disappointing that he followed it up with 2016's borderline unwatchable Zoolander 2.

7.9/10