Secret Life of Walter Mitty (4 Stars)

This film is loosely based on a short story written by James Thurber in 1939. It was filmed in 1947, and this is a "remake", very generally speaking. Actually, the new film just borrows the name and the concepts from the old film and the story, so it can be considered a completely new film. It's a matter of definition.

The expression "Walter Mitty" has entered popular culture. It signifies a person who daydreams about doing great heroic deeds instead of facing the challenges of real life. This may or may not involve telling other people that he has done them (lies) or telling others he would do them (empty boasting). Especially in the army, this expression is used to describe a person who claims to have performed heroic deeds which were actually carried out by others who may now be dead and unable to tell the true story. But let's be honest: there's a bit of Walter Mitty in all of us. When we read in the newspaper that someone robbed a shop and beat up the shopkeeper we say, "If I'd been there I would have stopped it"; but if we're ever present at a robbery we see how big the robbers are we freeze in fear. That's human nature.

In this film Ben Stiller plays Walter Mitty. He's the negative asset manager at Life Magazine in New York. If you're wondering what that is, it's the person who looks after photo negatives. The film is set today, in 2013, and as we all know film cameras are a thing of the past. The digital age has made Walter's job obsolete, and he's hanging onto it by the skin of his teeth. Walter feels attracted to Cheryl Melhoff, a new employee in his company, but he's unable to ask her out on a date; instead of speaking to her he dreams of impressing her by doing things like rescuing her dog from a burning building so that she'll fall into his arms.

Life Magazine is bought by another company and has to close down. From next month it will be an online publication only. Walter is entrusted with processing the photo for the final cover, provided by Life's top photographer, Sean O'Connell, one of the few purists who refuses to use digital cameras. Walter is sent the negatives, but one is missing, and he suspects that Sean never sent it. For the first time in his life Walter feels inspired to do something. On a whim he catches a plane to Sean's last known address in Greenland. Sean, the great adventurer, everything that Walter isn't, is always a few steps ahead of him. Walter pursues him through Greenland to Iceland and Afghanistan.

In the trailers the film is touted as a comedy. That's not quite true. It does have its humorous moments, but it's really a story about overcoming all odds and learning to become a real person. It's a very moving performance by Ben Stiller. The scenery in Greenland especially is breathtaking, in stark contrast to the cities of New York. If anything, it awakes the Walter Mitty in me. It's the place I want to be, not continuing in my dull life.

The film won't be on general release until December 26th in England. I was lucky to be able to watch an advance screening at Cineworld for their Unlimited Card holders only. It's certainly worth the money, only £15.90 a month, if there's a Cineworld cinema near where you live. If you are considering becoming a member, I advise you to apply online and use the promotional code RAF-42SM-64EG-76US-46SD in the last page of the application process. This will give you a free month's membership at the end of your first 12 months.