Several months ago, while watching previews and trailers for another movie which I cannot even recall now, I saw my first preview for The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty. I'll be honest - my first thought was "another Ben Stiller movie ... great." And I didn't say that in an upbeat sort of way. It was in that twitching eyebrow sort of way a man, who just wants to watch the movie he came to see, will say something like that. Now, to be honest, I said it to myself primarily. You never know when you'll run into a Ben Stiller fan but it does happen occasionally. I must admit that I have enjoyed a few but I'm not this die hard Ben Miller fan. Never have been. He's okay but he's not the type that draws me to a theater to watch a show for $6 - $10 which I will top off with a small combo at the concession stand. He's just not that high on my list. But I will admit I have snickered at his antics on screen. He is a funny guy. And the trailer was intriguing. But he's one of those actors that just basically changes the character's name and you pretty much see Ben Stiller. So, with a little trepidation I went to see his latest offering. For me, movies are a drug. I hate to admit the addiction but I am hooked and unfortunately for me it is legal and we have a dealer at two locations in our small city. So, today, being the first day of a new year that I don't have much experience with, I needed a fix. A friend of mine basically twisted my arm and every day would bombard my phone with texts such as "Have you seen it? When you going to see it? Mitty is awesome - have you seen it yet?" He was obviously easier to please than I. So I decided today was the day I would watch The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and give him such a bad review that I would disgrace my friend so harshly on his choices that I would never suffer such texts again. Surprisingly I don't have a lot of texting buddies. Actually I jest. I do enjoy his texts and it is with great fondness and admiration that I faithfully keep watch over my phone in the hopes I will get some text from him. I'm desperate that way. So, today was the day. Today I would answer my friend's curiosity with a thumb's up or down on the The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Now I know you've been patiently waiting for my take on this movie but let me introduce it a bit further. Ben Stiller stars as Walter Mitty. He also directed this movie. A few weeks ago, while watching a special documentary on comediennes on Netflix, I heard Ben Stiller's take on directing. I will say this - he has a passion for it. His love for directing far outweighs his love for performing. You could see it spew from him. He really likes it. So, as far as Ben Stiller directing, that part was actually beneficial in my initial interpretation of the movie. The female lead - Kristen Wiig, does an outstanding job in her performance as the potential love interest for Walter Mitty. I would have to say I was pleased by the portrayals of all the actors/actresses in this film. The story, which tells us about the choices Walter Mitty must make as his plate gets full, is a story familiar to a lot of us. For Walter Mitty, the daydreams are his adventures. That is, until he must awaken to a life greater than he's ever been comfortable with. He begins a journey out of necessity but realizes that life really is the best adventure a man can understand. I enjoyed The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty. Not only did I enjoy this movie but it did something which I totally did not expect. It inspired me to be more. As I watched the struggles and adventures of our unlikely hero unfold on the screen, I found myself craving more out of my own existence. To climb a mountain. To swim with the sharks. To live like life only happens once. For the ultimate moral of the movie is this - Life is a choice from our first cry to our inevitable silence. We are only confined by the limitations we put upon ourselves. I just wasn't expecting that from a Ben Stiller movie. And if you're ever at a rental car agency, choose the red one. My name is Rueuhy and I approve this blog.
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