I wasn’t interested in seeing this movie based on the bland trailer and, at best, mediocre reviews. My friend Dan liked it, suggested I see it, and even offered to buy me dinner if I didn’t like it. Fortunately for Dan, he is off the hook. Directed by and starring Ben Stiller as Walter Mitty and Kristen Wiig as Cheryl Melhoff, this is a sweet, feel-good romantic comedy.
Loosely based on James Thurber’s popular short story, Walter is a nerd who hasn’t been anywhere or done anything special. He works at Life Magazine as a “Negative Assets Handler” in the Photo Dept., but Life has just been acquired and will only have one final issue. Life’s legendary photographer (Sean Osborne-Sean Penn) has sent Walter “Negative 25” which will be the photograph for the final cover, but Walter can’t find it. Unless he does, the new “Director of the Transition” (Ted Hendricks played by Adam Scott) will fire him. (Some employees will be retained and work elsewhere.)
As we all know, Walter has a very active imagination to compensate for his dull and dreary life. Some of the imaginary sequences are quite funny, although some don’t work.
Walter is attracted to a new magazine employee (Cheryl) who seems to like him and tries to help him find the missing negative.
Walter then has a real life adventure, taking an odyssey to far away places like Iceland and the Himalayas to search for Sean Osborne and the missing negative.
Will Walter find the negative? Will Walter and Cheryl fall in love? You will have to see it to find out!
I enjoyed the film, which has a nice message about going past your comfort zone and how friendship, support, and encouragement can really make a big difference.
Rating 7.5-good movie and a better than average rental.
Dave
