Ben Stiller’s adaptation of James Thurber’s short story “The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty” has been met with some mixed reactions from the critical community. There was early Oscar buzz when the first trailer and stills arrived, but that has since cooled down in the face of some blase reviews following its premiere at the New York Film Festival. The latest trailer for The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty tries to keep the buzz alive, treating us to images of epic scope and personal sentiment.
The film is based on the Thurber short story, but looks like it resembles it (and the original 1947 Danny Kaye film) in name only. The film is about a man who lives his life largely in his imagination, casting himself in heroic roles while occupying a normal and everyday existence. Walter (Stiller) takes his life on the road in a global adventure to save his job and the job of the woman he loves (Kristen Wiig).
The trailer gives us a basic overview of the plot without actually being comprehensive – I’m still a little shady on why Walter has to take to the road, except that he wants to finally live out his fantasies. Wiig is on hand as Walter’s love interest, one of the few women who notices him. It looks like it has great potential as a film, although obviously lacking Stiller’s trademark manic humor. This will be quieter and gentler than Tropic Thunder, that’s for sure.
Despite the poor buzz on The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty, I suppose I’m willing to give it a chance. The trailer makes it look possibly cloying or possibly grandiose, interspersing truisms about ‘living life to the fullest’ with some beautiful cinematography. I’m not quite sold on it yet, but give me time and I could be.
You can check out the latest trailer below, and then go see The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty when it hits all cinemas on Christmas Day. Oh, and watch the Danny Kaye film too; it’s just good fun.