Yay or Nay?: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (Movie) (Reading Week Special)

"To see the world, things dangerous to come to, to see behind walls, draw closer, to find each other, and to feel. That is the purpose of life."- Walter Mitty

I thought I'd start this Yay or Nay with a quote directly taken from the movie, as this film has been one of the most refreshing things I've seen in such a long time. Rare is the moment where a movie connects to me on such a deep level. The last one to do that was Moana, and the play Lion in the Streets by Judith Thompson.

While I'm aware this review was not listed in the scheduled lineup for February, I couldn't resist writing about it. It was just one of those unexpected things you come across, and I needed to fit it into this month's lineup. I think it has a message more relevant than any other movie I've seen to date. So this is a bonus-review for our Reading Week Specials, even though I'm writing it weeks before when I have a test and a paper due within the next two days. 

I was incredibly surprised though, to see on Netflix that this movie's rating was only a 3/5, which I consider being mediocre at best. I will, however, admit that I thought when this movie came out it was weird and stupid, based on the trailer they advertised for it way back in the good-old days of 2013. 

You can watch it here 

The rating on IMDB is higher though, sitting at 7.3/10, and I was happy to see that this was higher since I think it deserves an 8 (or more). But as you can see with the trailer, and the many other ones following it, the movie introduces itself as an oddball, which was primarily my reaction when I saw it years ago. 

Never judge a book by its cover, I know, but that was the reason I'm only watching it five years later, in 2018.

Especially since my English degree praises never judging until you read. 

THE STORY

The story of this movie begins very slowly. You don't know exactly what it is until I'd say maybe halfway through the film. It doesn't lose you though, it just makes you keep guessing, which I love.

Walter Mitty works at LIFE magazine, subsequently for sixteen years, never really living or doing anything until he discovers his job as a "negative assets manager" might be in jeopardy as the magazine will be printing its last issue before moving to an online platform. For the last cover issue, famous photographer Sean O'Connell (played by Sean Penn) sends Walter a gift for his birthday, a wallet and 25 pictures which he suggests 25 being the best one for the cover. To Walter's surprise, the 25th negative is missing, prompting him to look for clues as to where Sean might be so he can track him down, with the help of his possible love-interest, Cheryl.

All the while the mysterious character, the e-harmony tech support guy, "Todd" follows him through phone on his adventures. 

MIND OVER MATTER

At the start of this film, one of the things I loved most about it was that you never could tell what part was real, and what part was Walter's "imagination". We all do this, where we imagine we're doing something brave, bold, fantastic. There's a moment right in the beginning where he's on the phone with Todd, and here's a dog barking. Suddenly you see him jump right into the action, as if he's a superhero, save the dog, give it to a pretty lady, and play the superhero role. 

Admittedly, I've done this too. When we first see Cheryl, she's at work and he imagines himself as a Spanish mountain man coming to swoon and sweep her off her feet. Mitty's face is reflected in the walls in places of statues or posters, and creatively, words and phrases of importance are reflecting in the landscape he's in, a silent but bold way to assert messages, as well as Mitty's imaginative sense. 

Now, normally I don't like to fill up space by putting in too many images unless the image is the point of focus. In this movie, it is, you need to pay attention to that world, see and listen to it. That's where the message is. 

But this world is uniquely seen through Walter Mitty's eyes, and it's a familiar realm which we've all imagined ourselves. We've imagined becoming superheroes, rock-stars, doing the brave, the bold, the unthinkable, in place of the monotonous lives we're all living. 

This movie places those moments in so beautifully, that it constructs it's own reality, while simultaneously continuing to keep the viewer the focus. 

Consequently, in the context of the story, this view of imagination is the problem Mitty must overcome. 

At this point I think it's fair to say: We are all Walter Mittys 

We dream big, but never do what we plan to.

"Beautiful Things Don't Ask for Attention"

Contradictory to what the movie shows, Mitty is so focused on his mission, he forgets sometimes, to take a risk, or see a beautiful site. But once he does, he becomes engrossed in it. He travels not to find O'Connell, but to find himself, and live. Only then can he see the beauty of the world he lives in, and surprise, he finds himself "zoning out" less. 

Here's the message. Go live life, feel something, do something, and you'll find yourself wanting to live a lot more. Mitty becomes a totally different person that when he first began. Things don't always work out the way you want them to in this movie, but it's for the better. The fantasies become the story and the life Mitty lives. 

What's so beautiful is that there is no "LOOK AT ME IM THE MESSAGE" in this film. It's ingrained, it's aesthetic, and the background white noise that slowly becomes the forefront. It's a beautifully woven web.

YAY OR NAY? My Rating

If you couldn't guess this is such a good movie it's a YAY in bold. I think today's culture needs to see it more than anything because it speaks to something we all feel, and we all want to do. So please, if you've got Netflix or spare change to buy it, please do. Give it a chance, and let it show you the wonder of living. 

This movie is basically...

Please, please go give it a watch! 

~Meghan