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The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Play trailer Poster for The Secret Life of Walter Mitty PG 2013 1h 54m Comedy Adventure Fantasy Action Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
52% Tomatometer 195 Reviews 71% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller), an employee at Life magazine, spends day after monotonous day developing photos for the publication. To escape the tedium, Walter inhabits a world of exciting daydreams in which he is the undeniable hero. Walter fancies a fellow employee named Cheryl (Kristen Wiig) and would love to date her, but he feels unworthy. However, he gets a chance to have a real adventure when Life's new owners send him on a mission to obtain the perfect photo for the final print issue.
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The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

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Critics Consensus

It doesn't lack for ambition, but The Secret Life of Walter Mitty fails to back up its grand designs with enough substance to anchor the spectacle.

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Critics Reviews

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Jason Bailey Flavorwire 06/19/2016
With such high aims, it's too bad that 'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty' falls somewhat short of greatness. But it's not often that you come across a "big" movie as earnest and patently un-cynical as this one. Go to Full Review
Dana Stevens Slate 01/01/2014
Stiller's attempt to braid together introspection and humor kept me engaged and curious, even when I wasn't quite sure what he was setting out to do. Go to Full Review
Donald Clarke Irish Times 01/01/2014
3/5
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty probably succeeds on its own terms. Given the elusive nature of those terms, it is, however, hard to tell for certain. Go to Full Review
Emiliano Basile EscribiendoCine 12/11/2023
7/10
While not genial, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty recaptures the charm of hopeful stories by giving a comedy twist... [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review
Wael Khairy The Cairo Scene 09/23/2022
I admire the film’s originality, and the thought-provoking twist ending, but daydream of a deeper director’s cut. Go to Full Review
Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review 08/19/2022
1.5/4
Less about Walter Mitty’s secret life than his actual, perfectly romantic, impossibly realized adventures, the film loses itself in a fantasy world all its own and never fully embraces the everyday balance of reality and imagination. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Andy L @RT02391391 8h Some films entertain you for 2 hours and then fade. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty did something else entirely to me. It's the story of a man who has spent his whole life almost living — retreating into daydreams instead of stepping into the world. Watching him, you recognize something uncomfortable in yourself. The message doesn't lecture you. It just shows you — through stunning images of this planet — that the world is enormous and beautiful and right there. And the music! José González makes you feel like you're standing alone somewhere vast and quiet. Of Monsters and Men fill the Icelandic landscapes with something almost mythic. And when David Bowie comes in — you'll know the moment. Ben Stiller never gets enough credit for this. He plays him with such quiet dignity. No easy laughs. Just a man slowly realizing his own life has been waiting for him. It's the kind of film that makes you want to book a flight somewhere. Anywhere. If you haven't seen it — what are you waiting for? See more Tyler W @RT37587080 Mar 14 Charming, creative, fun, clever, beautiful. I went in with minimal expectations (except respect for Ben Stiller's comedic chops), and came out really appreciating Stiller's artistry, creativity, and visual storytelling panache. A sweet, touching story with great imagery, fantastic creativity, and joy. If you don't like this flick, you might not have a soul. See more Jeff L @RT65970612 Mar 13 This is probably the most beautiful movie I have ever seen. It is my go-to comfort movie when I am feeling low. Everything from the title graphics to the music and cinematography are an absolute masterpiece. The critics obviously just don't get it. And I encourage them to re-visit this fantastic movie. Pacing is fantastic, not a moment is wasted. It has a fantastic message about how to grasp the "quintessence of life" The lead character's arc is fleshed out really well. You share his growth throughout the movie. While the imagination scenes can be a little over the top, that is the intention. I have to mention that I read the original story in high school and I think the subtlety and mood of the story is played out well in the movie, even if there is really little in common apart from sharing the imagination of the main character. See more Laura S @RT96833921 Mar 12 Everytime I think of this movie I want to rewatch it. I cannot believe it's so low on RT. :( it's well done and definitely worth the watch. I don't even like ben Stiller that much. See more Charlie S @RT60494889 Mar 4 The movie could definitely do better in terms of logic and motivations, but the message within it is too valuable to let slip. See more Thyaagu C @Thyaagu Mar 4 From green hills and snowy Himalayas to green landscapes, hills and solo skateboarding amid waterfalls, cliffs, and glaciers - this 95% VFX display travel delivers 100% visual adventure, plunging you into Walter's wild dreams. The true adventure, the spark: What you crave is in your inner circle staying close; cherish living moments, not clicking them. See more Read all reviews
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

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Movie Info

Synopsis Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller), an employee at Life magazine, spends day after monotonous day developing photos for the publication. To escape the tedium, Walter inhabits a world of exciting daydreams in which he is the undeniable hero. Walter fancies a fellow employee named Cheryl (Kristen Wiig) and would love to date her, but he feels unworthy. However, he gets a chance to have a real adventure when Life's new owners send him on a mission to obtain the perfect photo for the final print issue.
Director
Ben Stiller
Producer
Samuel Goldwyn Jr., John Goldwyn, Stuart Cornfeld, Ben Stiller
Screenwriter
Steve Conrad
Distributor
20th Century Fox
Production Co
Red Hour Productions, Samuel Goldwyn Films
Rating
PG (Language|Action/Violence|Some Crude Comments)
Genre
Comedy, Adventure, Fantasy, Action, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 25, 2013, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 30, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$58.2M
Runtime
1h 54m
Sound Mix
Datasat, Dolby
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