THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY looks like FORREST GUMP on acid. That being said, I really want to see it. Ben Stiller has proven to be an adept dramatic actor (PERMANENT MIDNIGHT, THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS) and as a director he has done a fine job with REALITY BITES, THE CABLE GUY, ZOOLANDER, and TROPIC THUNDER. But, there never seemed to be anything behind the camera that was more than just workmanlike. THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY appears to be Stiller breaking out of his directorial shell and turning in something extraordinary.
This new six minute extended trailer for the movie showcases a lot of footage we have already seen in the first trailers, but cut together it feels almost like a segment from the movie rather than a trailer. The entire sequence troubleshooting his eHarmony account sold me that this is a movie I have to see. It was funny, heartbreaking, surreal, and wholly original.
In his secret life, Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller) dreams big…really, really big. There’s no challenge beyond his grasp, be it climbing a massive glacier or rescuing a senior citizen from an exploding building. When he’s not daydreaming, the not-so-secret life of Walter Mitty is the opposite of his heroic alter-ego’s; he’s just an everyday guy facing imminent career downsizing, who’s too timid to ask out his pretty co-worker (Kristen Wiig). But when Walter faces his ultimate real-world test, he springs into action on a global adventure exceeding anything even he could have dreamed of.
Shirley MacLaine, Adam Scott, Kathryn Hahn and Sean Penn all appear as well with Scott especially turning in a nice villainous role that we haven’t seen since the Catalina Wine Mixer. But, Kristin Wiig appears to be finally living up to her talents as an actress here. We saw hints in BRIDESMAIDS, but her somewhat dramatic turn as Walter Mitty’s love interest may signal a bigger future for the former SNL star. Plus, she looks pretty hot.
THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY opens on December 25, 2013.
