The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

What do you think of when you hear the name Ben Stiller? Most people -- including myself -- think of comedies, Zoolander to Tropic Thunder, Dodgeball to There's Something About Mary and plenty others in between. I've always been a fan, but Stiller is better to me when he underplays parts. Yeah, his over the top roles, like Dodgeball, are funny, but he's at his best with underplayed genre. Take 2013's The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, a great part for Stiller and a great part in general.

A negatives analyst working at Life Magazine, Walter Mitty (Stiller) is the best at what he does, working with all the pictures Life uses over his 16 years with the magazine. With the changing times in the media, magazines and technology, Life is in for a change too, the iconic magazine going to an online-only format. A longtime photographer who's held in international regard, Sean O'Connell (Sean Penn) has sent Life and Walter a roll of film with one picture, Frame 25, that's perfect for the cover of the last print edition. There's a problem though. That one frame is missing, and Walter's bosses want and need that picture. Where could it be? The mysterious Sean isn't exactly easy to track down. A middle-aged man who doesn't feel like he's accomplished a whole lot with his wife -- daydreaming and zoning out all the time -- Walter decides this is his chance. This is his opportunity to get out in the world and find that possibly historic single picture. Can he find it in time?

Sometimes critics really throw me off. 'Mitty' has across the board mixed reviews, Rotten Tomatoes totaling 49%, Metacritic a 55% . Heading into movies, I really try not to read reviews, wanting to go into each new movie with a clean slate. Well, let's say this. I really don't want to read those reviews now, having seen the recent release. Why? Because they're wrong. That's all. I didn't like this movie, even really like it. I loved it. I loved the story and the message and everything really. Thankfully, it seems audiences are ignoring the critics (oh, wait, I'm a critic...ah, my head hurts!) and going out and seeing the movie. As I write this review, it has earned over $100 million in theaters and possesses a 7.7 rating at IMDB. I have some general issues, a couple criticisms, but what's important is a moving, straightforward, encouraging and emotional message that hopefully will resonate with you as much as it did me.

What hit me a couple hours after watching 'Mitty' was that the message is reminiscent of a Frank Capra movie. This is a movie that wants to believe in the genuine goodness of mankind/humanity, and that the world is a great place. Most of the time, I think it is. There's just so much negative at times that it is hard to go along with. But Stiller's film -- he starred and directed, working off a screenplay by Steve Conrad -- wants to believe in the positive. It is a story about dreams, striving for your dreams, having faith in yourself and others, appreciating the big moments and the little moments, appreciating your family and all the people you meet in your day-to-day life, the impact you can have on all those people and vice versa. If it seems a little dated, a bit of a throwback film, so be it. I fell for it hook, line and sinker.

So four paragraphs into the review, I haven't delved into an important aspect of this movie. Walter daydreams....a lot. The style in which that is shown is seamless. We see Walter in a normal, everyday interaction and then he isn't as he rescues a dog from a burning building, imagines a what-if encounter in the future, sees someone that isn't there, an epic fight scene that tears apart New York City, popping out of a magazine cover. Then, as quick as we saw them, they're gone, Walter's daydreaming broken up momentarily. As a director, Stiller shows off his skill in these scenes, blending the real and the imagined without missing a beat. In general, the style is everywhere from the credits that play like scenery, the scene-to-scene transitions, the soundtrack (Indie rock songs and a solid score from composer Theodore Shapiro), the beautiful visuals, it all rolls into one very enjoyable, pretty perfect package.

Directing and starring in the same movie can be tricky, but Stiller nails it. As a director, I think he does a fine job at the helm of an ambitious film that strives to do a whole lot. I was even more impressed with his acting job here. This isn't over the top Ben Stiller, but human, very dramatic Ben Stiller who perfectly underplays his part as Walter Mitty. We learn why Walter is the way he is, kinda quiet, a hard worker, shy but a nice guy in general, someone who has more impact on others than he could possibly imagine. His backstory is interesting and explanatory, adding another layer to Walter's personality. I love what he becomes. He decides he wants to accomplish something, something big and crazy because he's done nothing of the sort his whole life because he couldn't. What he doesn't realize is that just because your life hasn't been big and crazy doesn't mean you haven't accomplished something. Everything about the character though, I loved Walter.

This is Walter's movie, but like Capra's It's a Wonderful Life, it's also about the people with Walter. Kristen Wiig similarly pulls a Stiller, showing off a dramatic side on top of her comedy chops as Cheryl, a co-worker at Life who he has a crush on, Marcus Antturi playing her son. Penn is a scene-stealer as Sean, a photographer who has no qualms about going anywhere to get the picture he needs, as is Shirley MacLaine as Walter's Mom who's getting older and struggling with some medical issues, Kathryn Hahn as Walter's kinda goofy but well-meaning sister. Adrian Martinez is Walter's co-worker in the negatives room and a close friend, Hernando, while Adam Scott is Mr. Potter...um, uh, Ted Hendricks, the new boss in charge of the Life transition, in general an a-hole who revels in being that boss everyone hates. Also worth mentioning is Patton Oswalt in a great comedic part as Todd, a customer service representative at E-Harmony working with Walter over the phone.      

Trying to limit this movie to one specific genre is tough. It's a fantasy, a comedy, a drama, all of the above and more. Globetrotting from NYC to Iceland to Greenland to Afghanistan and the Himalayas, it is a movie full of beautiful moments that kept on impressing me with each passing minute. I loved it all, especially the ending that had me worried we were about to see some stupid, out of left field twist. No worries there. It is a great ending for a great movie. Shooting myself in the foot here a bit, but it's a prime example of not taking a critics' rating as a hard and fast rule. I can't recommend this one enough.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013): ****/****

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy

Oh, how time flies. I remember 2004 like it was yesterday, me a young college student enjoying everything about 2004's Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. One of the most quotable movies ever and one of my all-time favorite comedies in general, it's hard to believe it has been almost 10 years since the comedy's initial release. Rewatching it recently in preparation for its sequel (review coming), I had to go back and revisit it, see if it still holds up. Short answer? Yes.

It's the mid 1970s and no one in San Diego is a bigger star than Channel 4 anchorman Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell). An icon in the city and must-watch every time he's on the news, Ron is riding high, his news team, sportscaster Champ Kind (David Koechner), field reporter Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd) and weatherman Brick Tamland (Steve Carell) ever at his side. The television ratings are high, the city loves them, and it seems no one can take them down. Well, that could change. Channel 4 has hired a new field reporter, Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate), who would like nothing more than to become the first female news anchor. Ron and the News Team are going to do their best to make sure she doesn't get to achieve her dream, but there's a catch. Ron really likes Veronica and Veronica really likes Ron. Uh-oh, I sense some late 1970s hijinks on the way.

I saw Anchorman in theaters upon its initial release and loved it. L-O-V-E-D it. From director Adam McKay, co-writing the script with good friend Ferrell, Anchorman is either loved or hated among viewers. You don't hear a lot of folks who came away just liking the movie, mildly enjoying it. It's pretty obvious why. The humor -- to say the least -- is the definition of random, pretty off the wall and while not filthy, low-brow certainly comes to mind. I tend to think there's a brilliance to the randomness here (and in the sequel), the twisted minds of Ferrell and McKay finding that perfect outlet to let out that craziness. A review listing the countless memorable scenes would be incredibly easy because there is one laugh out loud scene after another. It deserves its status as one of the best comedies ever, not to mention a status as one of the most quotable movies ever from Brick's "I love lamp" to Ron's explanation of the origin of the name San Diego and a whole lot of other lines in between.

The movie's epic success (in my eyes) begins and ends with Mr. Ferrell as legendary newsman Ron Burgundy. Thanks to Elf and Old School, Ferrell was a rising star in the comedy world making the jump from SNL to movies, but for me, this was the movie that put him on the A-list map officially and for good. Maybe you love the character, maybe you hate him, but Ferrell makes Ron Burgundy a truly memorable character. He's uber self-confident, a ladies man, a master player of jazz flute, a hard-drinker who favors scotch, epically proud of his perfectly coiffed hair, loves his little dog, Baxter, and knows more than anything else that he was born to READ THE NEWS! There's a certain idiotic charm to Burgundy, a man who is all sorts of confident, but he's really dumb too. That's the beauty of the character, the biggest doofus of all to lead a cast full of doofus characters. A great, truly funny part for Will Ferrell.

There really isn't a weakness in the entire cast. Applegate holds her own in the Boys Club, her Veronica wanting to make a legitimate name for herself, not just because people like her. The Channel 4 News Team is perfect, especially Rudd as the epically smooth ladies man and field reporter Brian Fantana. Koechner and Carell too help hold the group together, four freakishly dissimilar folks who bond through their love of the news, partying and carousing. Also look for Fred Willard as Channel 4's producer, Chris Parnell as his nerdy assistant, Seth Rogen as a cameraman, and Danny Trejo as an angry bartender.

There are certain moments here that rise above that same old, same old comedy formula. On top of the countless lines worth quoting, there are certain set pieces that take this comedy to a special place. One of my favorites? Rudd's Fantana revealing his hidden musk/scent display to Ron, especially the illegal Sex Panther (it's got bits of real panther so you know it's good), is ridiculously funny. Ron trying to impress Veronica on their date is priceless, both sitting in his car overlooking San Diego, Ron citing all sorts of "history" about the city. How they finally got a take without laughing I'll never know. There is no doubt about the best scene though, Ron and the Channel 4 News Team engaging in a brutal street fight with rival news teams. The cameos are priceless including Vince Vaughn as hate-filled Wes Mantooth, second in the ratings, Luke Wilson (3rd ranked), Tim Robbins (PBS) and Ben Stiller (Spanish). Words don't describe how stupid this scene is, and that's why it works. It works because it's stupid, it knows it, and it embraces the stupidity. Also look for Jack Black in a quick cameo earlier.

Maybe more than any genre, comedies are subjective because senses of humor can be so all over the place. This is that special kind of bizarre humor, but it works. How could a movie narrated by legendary newscaster Bill Kurtis not be good at least a little bit? Enough talking, it's a classic. Brace yourself for the laughs and lots of them. Stay tuned tomorrow for a review of the Anchorman sequel.

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004): ****/****

The Watch

2012's The Watch sucked. That's all I've got. It sucked. By all means, keep reading though. I enjoy writing reviews for movies that were God awful as much as the ones I loved, maybe more so. Go figure.

Having lived his whole life in Glenview, Ohio, Evan Trautwig (Ben Stiller) does his best to give back to the community, starting clubs and events to bring people together. His polite, little world is thrown for a loop though when a night security guard at the Costco he manages is found brutally murdered. He decides to do something about it though, starting a Community Watch with three other Glenview residents, Bob (Vince Vaughn), Franklin (Jonah Hill) and Jamarcus (Richard Ayoade). No one in town thinks much of this group -- what can they actually accomplish the cops can't? -- and when they can't manage to find do anything right, that thought seems pretty fair. Then one night doing a patrol around town, the Watch finds something none of them expected.....an alien! Oh no! What to do?!?

Thanks to marketing, some horrifically bad timing, and in general, a pretty checkered production, this is a flick that could have been doomed from the start. Countless directors, writers and stars were at one point on-board with this flick before Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg were brought on board to write a harsher, R-rated comedy. Then in May 2012, a Neighborhood Watch member shot a teenage boy, setting off a torrent of reactions on both sides, and eventually changing the original title, Neighborhood Watch, to The Watch. Then, in Colorado in the weeks before its release, a mass shooting at a movie theater clearly had an impact on audiences going out to see any films. Whatever led up to the film's release though, it's hard to look past the fact that this is one stupid movie that just isn't very good.

So before I continue, I'll say that for the first 15-20 minutes of this flick, I was enjoying it. It had that right mix of humor (both smart and stupid) and was at least laying the groundwork for a funny movie. Then, everything hits the fan in a big old way, and I'm struggling to come up with one specific reason why. One, it simply tries too hard. The cast assembled has a ton of talent. The laughs and humor don't have to be aggressively thrown in our face. Instead of just being funny though, the laughs are loud, overdone and in most cases, settling for the lowest common denominator. "Oh, Jonah Hill is crazy and swears a lot!" Two, it doesn't know what it is by any means. As Evan and the Watch investigate a freaking alien appearing, the story veers off into the personal. We learn that Evan is sterile, but hasn't told his wife (Rosemarie Dewitt). Bob's daughter (Erin Moriarty) intends to hook up with an all-around a-hole, and Bob intends to stop her. Who cares? It's an R-rated comedy, let's not get all after school special on the viewer.

Not so surprising, the script relies heavily on the four stars to lead the way with mixed results. With the right role, Ben Stiller can be a pretty good actor, usually playing the straight man to the hijinks all around him. This is almost that part, but not, as he's the straight man who....has to act crazy too? Vaughn gets most of the big laughs, but he resorts too much to LOUD Vince Vaughn, talking so ridiculously fast and ranting that it feels like we've seen it before in countless other movies. Hill is just bad as Franklin, the unhinged nut who is willing to do anything and everything to help the cause, but mostly he just wants to have some messed-up fun. The bright spot is Ayoade as Jamarcus, the quiet, nerdy guy who seems like the odd duck in the group. It works though because his laughs are usually underplayed and/or understated.

Also look for Billy Crudup in an uncredited part as Evan's suspicious neighbor across the street, Will Forte and Mel Rodriguez as two local cops having fun messing with the Watch, R. Lee Ermey as a pissed off neighbor, and the Lonely Island crew, Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, and Watch director Akiva Schaffer making a cameo at a party Evan and Jamarcus stumble into.

Through all the stupidity and mindless humor, there were bits that worked here. Unfortunately, most of those bits were shown in the trailer so they don't come as a surprise. The Watch taking some pictures and having some generally chaotic fun with a supposedly dead alien is hilarious and Evan and Bob endlessly shooting another dead alien later is funny in an odd, subtle but not subtle fashion. In the end though, things fall apart as several twists are thrown our way that don't add up. The humor gets even more juvenile -- if that was possible -- and just ends up trying far too hard to impress us as viewers and get a laugh.

The Watch (2012): */****     

Tower Heist

I've written about this before, but I can't help but think of it every movie I watch with Eddie Murphy in it. The comedian/actor built up a huge reputation for himself in the 1980s and has basically spent the last 20-plus years tearing it apart. So when he does something positive and enjoyable, as a viewer we've got to enjoy it! Murphy is a bright spot in a solid, entertaining if unspectacular caper movie, 2011's Tower Heist.

Working as building manager for The Tower -- a swanky, classy NYC apartment for the wealthy -- Josh Kovacs (Ben Stiller) runs a tip-top operation with a helpful, hard-working wait staff. He's shocked to hear some startling news when Wall Street power broker, Penthouse owner in the Tower and all-around nice guy, Arthur Shaw (Alan Alda) is arrested for counts of fraud, wasting millions and maybe billions of his investors' money, including the pensions for all the employees of The Tower. Josh wants to believe the best but finds out otherwise and comes up with a desperate plan. With several other burned employees and a low-level crook, Slide (Murphy), Josh is going to rob Shaw's penthouse apartment and find his hidden stash. Can these amateur crooks pull the job off?

As a fan of heist movies, I'll give just about any one of them a try. The premise reminded me of an ABC show a few years back -- The Knights of Prosperity -- with a ragtag crew of amateur thieves and crooks trying to be master criminals. It isn't a straight physical comedy, and it's not quite a dark, sinister heist movie either. Instead, it falls in between. Yes, it is genuinely funny; Josh's ragtag crew bumbling and fumbling through the planning and robbery. But surprisingly enough, there is a dramatic edge to the heist setting. It isn't played entirely for laughs. There's some actual drama involved, much of that chalked up to the Shaw character being a not so thinly veiled dig at Bernie Madoff. It's easy to feel for Josh and his staff, their pensions/life savings stolen by someone who thought he could get away scot-free with his plan. Comedy and drama working well together.

Playing on the comedic heist angle with a bumbling crew of crooks, I was happy to see the cast here, including some names I wouldn't normally have thought of. Stiller is a great lead as Josh, an everyman worker who busts his butt to do what he does and do it well. He does get some laughs, but he's the straight man, letting those around him get the big laughs. As the conniving, fast-talking Slide, Murphy does provide those bigger laughs, especially his "training" of his crooks and a later explanation of his protocol about the thieving business. Murphy is such a talented comedic actor it's easy to forget that when he's in so many of his recent sub-par efforts. There is an effortless quality to Murphy's talent when he's given good material to work with, and he's got it here. And rounding out the three leads, who better to play a condescending, upper class, know it all a-hole? Yeah, Alda nails his part, his Arthur Shaw a bad guy you just love to hate.

The ensemble behind these three are the real scene-stealers here, including Matthew Broderick, Casey Affleck, Michael Pena, Gabourey Sidibe, and Stephen Henderson as Josh's crew of thieves. Broderick is a highlight as Fitzhugh, a former Wall Street whiz who's fallen on epically rough times as he's evicted from The Tower. The unlikeliest of the crooks, his deadpan, straight delivery kills it in the laugh department. Sidibe too is hysterical as Odessa, the Jamaican maid with a safecracking background. Mostly though as an ensemble, they work well together. Their scenes among the group allow each individual to shine when given the chance. Solid group of dramatic actors all given a chance in the 'Yuck it up' department. Also look for Tea Leoni as FBI agent Denham, assigned to guard Shaw, and Judd Hirsch as Mr. Simon, the bossy on-site manager who keeps pushing and pushing Josh to do this and that.

So what new thing does 'Tower' bring to the heist genre? Like 2010's The Town, it takes a somewhat familiar heist and puts it in an incredibly unique, visually different setting. Where 'Town' went to Fenway Park for its heist, 'Tower' heads to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Josh and Co. attempt to rob the apartment while thousands of people line the streets below, the giant floats filling the sky. I can't say why for sure, but it works. Yes, the heist premise has all sorts of holes and premises that just don't work in a ridiculous quality, but it is a fun, exciting extended sequence. The ending though is surprisingly sweet with one character making a huge personal decision.

Nothing flashy or spectacular about this comedy-drama-heist from director Brett Ratner, but it's fun from beginning to end. It benefits greatly from a strong cast -- the major roles and the supporting ones -- and a heist premise just unique enough to set it apart from the rest. Worth a watch.

Tower Heist <---trailer (2011): ***/****