The Secret Life of Walter Mitty: New York Film Festival 2013
New York Film Festival 2013: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
After years of Hollywood development and multiple A-list stars come and gone, James Thurber’s classic short story gets an overly cutesy treatment by director-actor Ben Stiller. There’s little soulfulness to his central dreamer, a New York City photo archivist about to be downsized by Life magazine (here improbably revived from its actual 2000 demise). In this incarnation, Mitty’s timidity is barely explained; he has difficulty clicking on eHarmony or reaching out to love interest Kristen Wiig—until, of course, he doesn’t, and these problems waft away with little personal reckoning. Cue Wes Anderson–like sequences of skateboarding down a volcano’s slope and jetting off to Afghanistan. You’re going to find it all either enormously empowering or deeply calculated: It’s an Arcade Fire–scored TV commercial for instant spirituality. Click for showtimes.—Joshua Rothkopf
RECOMMENDED: All New York Film Festival coverage
You might also like
See more in Film
Write your own review
Film events calendar for New York City
-
Chelsea Classics
Get to know a different campy film classic each we...
-
AMNH Presents:...
No one will argue that being a young parent is tou...
-
An Autumn Afternoon
Ozu’s final film takes the basic plot of his stirr...
Most popular in Film
- The 50 greatest war films of all time
- The 50 best uses of songs in movies
- The 50 best documentaries of all time
- The 20 best Christmas films ever, just in time for the holidays
- New York movies: The 100 best films set in New York City
- The best and worst James Bond movies: a ranked list
- New York attractions: Places on our radar
- The 50 best movie villains of all time
- The top 50 foreign films of all time
- The 50 most controversial movies ever
Time Out videos
Get Exclusive Offers from Time Out!
Sign up for Time Out's free daily offers and receive exclusive offers for handpicked events and activities, including discounts and VIP benefits, at insider-only prices.
@TimeOutNewYork
Subscribe to Time Out New York on Spotify for playlists and recommendations from our Music team.
Check out New York's best restaurants, hottest street style, cool apartments and more.
