With the first trailer for Ben Stiller’s The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, we were treated to something fairly magical, as Walter’s (Stiller) daydreams and mundane realities meshed together while he embarked on beautiful but unexplained journey around the world. And now, with the second trailer Walter’s actions are finally given some explanation and substance (pretty as the score in the first trailer might have been): it’s about a girl and ambition and getting a life.
And from the trailer, it looks like it tackles several genres at once: romantic comedy, fantasy, adventure, drama, and maybe even a little bit of action. It’s hard to tell what parts are real, and what exists in Walter’s head as soon as he leaves the office. Flock of birds forming the shape of Kristen Wiig’s head: not real. Getting attacked by a shark: maybe real? Check out the trailer here:
Now, the film premiered at the New York Film Festival this weekend to incredibly mixed reviews, but our own Kate Erbland was mostly in favor, saying of its middle act:
“It’s clearly what the entire film is aiming for – something that’s whimsical but not overbearing, shaded with fairy tale colors without devolving into the cheesy. But it’s a balance the rest of the film cannot match, unable to walk the line between what is ‘whimsical’ versus what is simply ‘improbable.’”
You can read her full review here.
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is in theaters December 25th.
Related Topics: Ben Stiller
