Ben Stiller directs and stars as Walter Mitty - a LIFE magazine proofreader who, incapable of revealing his feelings to the woman he loves (Kristen Wiig) in the real world, retreats to a fantasy where he becomes his poised, confident opposite. When images from a fellow photographer (Sean Penn) go missing, Mitty’s mind takes him on a voyage to retrieve the negative, leading to a quest of self-discovery. The script is based on the 1939 short story by James Thurber, previously adapted for the screen in 1947.
Though his leading man status has gone from encouragingly superb to incorrigibly bland, Ben Stiller’s succinct filmography as a director carries a more respectable reputation (Tropic Thunder, Zoolander, Reality Bites). Putting himself once again in front of and behind the camera, this modern take on the 1947 daydreamer comedy is a totally fine, but heavily flawed, Stiller-helmed staple.
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Though Stiller has proven he can be much funnier ... the emotional dimension ultimately makes the film feel more substantial.
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Pretty much all the credit belongs to Stiller behind the camera, turning a sappy Hollywood button-pusher into a slick, smart-looking fantasy that doesn't mind showing its indie roots.
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The film is at its best when played as goofy comedy ... The later, country-hopping scenes feel like flicking through an old copy of National Geographic.
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It's too airless, too perfect, a dream of connection with humanity that flees contact with actual people.
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Seldom has a globe-spanning, soul-plumbing search for what really matters looked so inconsequential.
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Audiences willing to tune in to its blend of surreal fantasy, droll comedy and poignancy will be rewarded.
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As a director, this feels like Stiller's moment. Mitty is a film that bravely rejects cynicism. In many ways, it's the new Forrest Gump. Go with it and it is, in all senses, wonderful.
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