Stars Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, Jon Daly, Kathryn Hahn, Adam Scott, Adrian Martinez with Patton Oswalt, Shirley MacLaine and Sean Penn Directed by Ben Stiller The first thing that really got my attention is, really, how much Ben Stiller has evolved as a director. Reality Bites was a decent intro (he had done TV shows before, primarily his self-titled show), but I really did not like The Cable Guy, didn’t care for Zoolander despite some interesting ideas, and felt that he didn’t quite have that strong a grasp on Tropic Thunder. But with The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Stiller has evolved to become a solid director of note. Tropic Thunder showed that he can handle some extravagant action moments, and he does have some deftness where comedy is concerned. In Walter Mitty, he shows off a more sensitive side where drama is concerned. It’s not just in the direction, but his portrayal of Walter is sensitive, caring and full of heart, hope and desire without overdoing it and layering in the schmaltz. Granted, he does slip into some comfort zones (the Benjamin Button bit being the most obvious) and he has toned down the quippy, arrogant, easy-to-snap quick-to-anger bits from way back, and did settle for the underdog leader role of late (see the Madagascar movies, The Watch, Tower Heist). While there may be moments that makes The Secret Life of Walter Mitty appear to be self-serving, I suppose in a way, it is. One of his daydream characters seem to be a callback to his Tugg Speedman persona. Still, he does carry the movie in more ways than one, and at times, he is the only character on screen. But it does showcase his growth as actor and director. The character of Walter Mitty is a delicate one. He is a dreamer who is prone to occasionally ‘zoning out’ and relishing an imaginative fantasy that would over-whelm his reality, often to the point of distraction that he’s unaware of what goes on around him. Maybe several years ago, Stiller might not have been a good choice. But then, there is a thought that comedians sometimes make the best dramatic actors, while some dramatic actors make the best comedies (just look at the main cast of Airplane or The Naked Gun series, how many of those stars were actually known for comedy roles?) Aside from Stiller, the rest of the cast work just as well, even with limited screen time they may have. Shirley MacLaine plays Walter’s mother and probably has no more than ten to fifteen minutes of screen time. Sean Penn may have even less despite his character being a major presence throughout the movie. And this is a very relaxed and game Sean Penn that we probably haven’t seen on screen in a very very long time (since Friends, perhaps?). The same goes for Patton Oswalt whose character also has quite a presence throughout the movie and doesn’t appear until well into the movie. Kristen Wiig, who plays the object of affection for Walter, and also the occasional boost of inspiration - in an amazingly conceived scene with the best use of a Bowie song ever - also seems to have limited screen time. All of them, despite the meagre appearances they put in, all make their mark in the movie as well as Walter’s life. However, it’s Stiller’s direction that truly elevates the movie. The cinematography is truly exquisite, providing very simple and subtle shifts to distinguish reality from fantasy, even when reality becomes fantastic. The landscape shots are absolutely gorgeous, as well as showing the drab and simple life Walter has right at the beginning. The pacing works well to drive the movie even as we journey with Walter through his adventure, not so much one of self-discovery, but one of self-realisation. The use of text on screen is such a rare thing to behold, such as the way the opening credits are done or emphasising the Life motto, or even simply letting us know a text message Walter receives while on his journey. And then there’s the score as well as the use of music throughout. For me, this is an amazing movie to close the year with. While it does hit close to my heart, maybe giving me that extra reason for a slightly higher rating, it is a movie that does celebrate life. It might be a fantasy or day-dream in the end. For some, it might very well be nothing more than a fantasy, but it does have heart, hope and joy. It’s not perfect, as in it’s not likely to be considered a threat to the typical Oscar contender that dominates the screens at this time of the year, but it does come pretty close. There are a lot of smart things that are going on in the movie, and despite the occasional slip, it all works for the most part.
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