The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

I’ve been struggling with Walter Mitty, even after watching it for the second time on the big screen. It has beautiful landscapes, an upbeat soundtrack and a positive mood. But when I stop to look at it intellectually, it seems like a coloring book that doesn’t make much sense and its message about life is too half-baked and insubstantial to be more than an exotic yet forgettable family flick. Walter Mitty sees the world through the eyes of a carefree and cheerful child with no real life experience. (01/16/2014)

An optimistic snack that irradiates energy and peace. All that nonsense that is needed for Walter’s adventure to continue, in connection with this particular film, didn’t bother me at all. What I didn’t like was the utter predictability of the plot, in particular those questions: “where has picture 25 gone?”. The answer will be clear to anyone. And yet, it’s solid, brisk fun that’s nice to watch and makes sense going to the cinema for it. The locations are breathtaking. (12/27/2013)

At first I was unpleasantly surprised by Walter's ideas, as they seemed too awkward, unnecessarily gimmicky and not very imaginative and funny (the fight with the superior was a pain), which is not true of his Spanish polar explorer. Fortunately, the script soon pulled the trigger, and Walter went on a real outstanding journey, where the special effects made sense, the pace slowed down, and the atmosphere became nicer. So Ben Stiller (thanks also to David Bowie) made it in the end. He made one of those films that makes you, who has hardly been anywhere in your life, think how beautiful it would be if it all worked like that in real life and smile with satisfaction. And the best scene for me will always be the fight under the X-ray. (07/05/2015)

A cute Hollywood family fairy tale with laudable intentions, an outrageously likeable soundtrack and a great Ben Stiller in the cute leading role, but dramaturgically it’s strangely disjointed, unconvincing and dumbed down, exploring the imaginary border of fantasy and reality through the lens of a filmmaker who apparently can't decide which side to lean towards... The message is admittedly beautifully positive, but it can't make up for the awkward first impression. 65% (01/26/2014)

Walter Mitty used to be a punk and skateboarder with lots of crazy ideas and the belief that the world would be at his feet one day. Today, he is a shy and unassuming middle-aged man who spends most of his time in the archive and escapes more and more often into the realm of dreams, where he successfully competes with comic book heroes and has no trouble impressing his sympathetic colleague, with whom he would like to establish an intimate relationship. The loss of an important negative and his awakened professional pride provoke him to leave his safe shell. The following days turn into a magnificent journey during which Walter visits three continents and convinces himself that dreams can become reality. For several generations, movie viewers have turned to the film medium to escape from mundane reality into a world of boundless fantasy, and Walter gives them hope that even ordinary people like them can experience wonderful adventures and achieve something great. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty combines several genres from comedy to romance and road movie, and it must be said that it works well, partly thanks to Ben Stiller's commitment, who saw this project as a unique opportunity to break free from the stereotype of cheap entertainers and become a respected versatile creator. The film has divided critics and journalists into two sharply contrasting positions overseas. Some speak of it as a highly entertaining, well-executed film that deserves an Oscar, if not in the main categories, then at least for its technical aspects. Others speak with the same enthusiasm about cheap sentimentality, sycophancy, and unfulfilled ambitions that should be rewarded with a Golden Raspberry. Let's face it, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is as middlebrow as it gets, but I can say for myself that I really enjoyed it, appreciated the excellent camera work with beautiful nature images, and I dare to recommend The Secret Life of Walter Mitty as an ideal example of a family film that can work across generations, educational backgrounds, and gender differences. Overall impression: 90%. (01/14/2014)