The Secret Life of Walter Witty: Find the Meaning of Life from Stiller's Finest Work
(I rarely write about movie review, but when i do, it means that the movie has a great impact on my life. And this is my first movie review on the year of 2014.)
If someone asks me the best movie of 2013, i will answer confidently The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Why this movie is so special for me? Simply, it's because i can relate my own self with the main character, Walter Mitty - a daydreamer, an adventure seeker, a timid lover and a family-loving person.
I still remember the day when i saw the trailer broadcasted for the first time on youtube last year. I got hooked instantly right after watching the trailer - firstly, it was because the music came from an Iceland-based indie folk/rock band, Of Monsters and Men. It's surprising to know that those hyped musicians filled the trailer track for this Hollywood movie. Few months after, the longer trailer was broadcasted, which depicted more about the story of the film - and it made me really want to watch the movie more and more.
The movie itself tells about Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller) who works as negative processor and archivist in LIFE magazine. His life as dedicated worker brings him into a 'good' life story, - or it can be said as boring safe routine. He never tastes the exciting experience of adventure (and love adventure cos he's too timid to express his feeling to the girl he likes) on his entire life, thus all he can do is just daydreaming. The problem arises when the company ends its printed edition and has to go online. Meanwhile, Mitty cannot found the negative for the last cover of that magazine. Ready or not, he has been forced to find the missing negative, which will consequently leads him into challenging adventure that he could only imagine before and find the meaning of life.
Besides having connection to Walter Mitty, the movie itself offers lots of excellency to show, including beautiful cinematography, eyegasmic and landscapic setting, simple yet meaningful story, inspiring quotation, funny joke and most importantly heart-warming ending. This is a kind of movie that successfully warms my heart right after the ending has been revealed - It feels like my heart sheds some joyful tears in the end. Moreover, the credit title music (performed by Sweden-born José González) brings touching feeling as well - a great ender to make the movie memorable and brilliant.
However, there is a thing that makes me wonder; the fact that i just can't find any discussion or small talk about this movie on my twitter timeline or facebook post - it's kinda weird to know that this inspiring movie gets fewer attention rather than any of those overrated movies (like Pacific Rim or even Iron Man 3). I just don't know why people nowadays tend to watch movie with outstanding special effect and overly exposed promotion but has no solid storyline. Well, the world has changed already - what people see from the eyes sometimes can be more preferred rather than what they see with the heart.
Overall, I can clearly say that this is the best work of Ben Stiller so far. It's more than just entertaining, it gives the audience beautiful moral message to note also. I will give The Secret Life of Walter Mitty 4.5 stars out of 5. Trust me, if you love great story movie to spend your precious 114 minutes, then The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is just worth to watch. And as reminder, if you have watched the movie already, it's better for you to check the soundtrack also. Beautiful songs can be found on the album (including my favorites, Of Monsters and Men, José González, Rouge Wave and Rouge Valley).
