The multi-talented Ben Stiller's fifth directorial effort is a grandiose adventure filled with fantasy and wonder.
The irony for quiet good guy Walter (Stiller) is that, despite having worked for years at the magazine Life, he's never lived one. He's never been anywhere of note, he's too shy to ask out colleague Cheryl (Kristen Wiig), and his job as a Negative Assets manager doesn't have too many positives.
Despite all that, his mind is full of adventure. A daydreamer, he's prone to 'zoning out', and leaping into his own world where he's a hero whisking Cheryl off her feet, or saving cats from exploding buildings. But that's all it is, a dream. Then, when a negative sent from the legendary - and somewhat mythical - photographer Sean O'Connell goes missing, Walter is spurred into turning the adventures of his dreams into a reality.
Who doesn't dream of breaking away from their grey office into a world of opportunity and discovery? Stiller's film is spilling over with these qualities, and is destined to pique the interest of any budding globetrotter. It's a feelgood story readymade for a feature film, with sure-to-impress set-pieces ranging from skateboarding through Iceland in the shadow of a volcanic eruption to playing football against Himalayan mountain guides. Wiig is charming as Walter's unassuming love interest, and even Parks and Recreation star Adam Scott's antagonist is more likely to gain laughs than stir up too much trouble.
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is a Film programme that first aired in 2013 and has been classified a U certificate.
