My dad and my father-in-law couldn’t be any more different. They’re both unique individuals and I love them for different reasons. Be that as it may, I find that both my biological pa, and my pa through marriage love the same Ben Stiller movie, and that’s The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.
I find that strange since neither of my fathers like Ben Stiller when it comes to his other movies. But Walter Mitty? Oh, man. My FIL will watch it anytime it’s on TV, and my dad, who hasn’t seen a movie in theaters since Covid, still reminisces over what a good movie it is.
So, why do they both love it so much? Well, I have some theories.
Firstly, Both Of My Dads Call It A Beautiful Movie, Visually Speaking
Once again, my two dads couldn’t be any more different when it comes to their taste in films. My dad is a BIG fan of musicals, and he loves lavish sets and big dance numbers (as well as movies that make him cry). My FIL, on the other hand, is big into action flicks. When I told him that the Sisu movies were streaming, he told me, “Yeah, I know. I already watched them.”
And yet, they both call The Secret of Life of Walter Mitty a “beautiful” movie, and it might be because the cinematography by Stuart Dryburgh is absolutely gorgeous. But it also might be because there’s a sharp contrast between the “secret life” inside Walter’s head, and the mundane job that he actually works at (and escapes from) throughout the film.
This juxtaposition, especially later in the movie, really transports the viewer, just like it transports its titular character. And, I think both my dads really appreciate this, since it’s like going on a visual vacation!
They Also Love Ben Stiller As A Milquetoast With A Rich, Inner World
Both of my dads regale me with stories of their work-life (they’re both retired now), and I think that’s another reason why they like this movie so much: It shows what it’s like to be older (and more subdued) and still working a familiar job.
Walter Mitty works for Life Magazine as an assets manager working in the photo negatives department. The magazine is in a state of flux, as it’s changing from analog photos to digital. Also frustrating is that some of Walter’s higher-ups are younger than him. In this way, Walter grows very introspective and wonders what he’s actually done with his life.
He goes on an adventure to locate a missing negative from a famous photographer (played by Sean Penn), and the film speaks to any hardworking employee who might feel like they’re wasting their life at their day job. Now, both of my fathers tell me that they were anything but milquetoasts while at work, but I think they like seeing what they avoided by putting themselves out there, as opposed to Mitty.
I Also Think It Just Speaks To Them Personally
Here’s the thing about getting older. If we’re lucky, we all get to do it. There have been plenty of movies about aging, but few movies like Walter Mitty about watching the younger generation take over. That definitely plays a part in this movie, as Walter secretly daydreams about beating up his younger managing director (played by Adam Scott), who is transitioning the magazine to being all-digital.
But, the film also plays into the idea of pursuing one’s dreams, especially when you’re older. In a lot of ways, Walter Mitty is the ultimate midlife crisis movie, and maybe that speaks to both of my dads, who by the time of this movie’s 2013 release, had made it out the other end of “mid life” and saw that what was waiting for them wasn’t all that bad after all.
I think this feeling could be common to people of a certain age, and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty still speaks to that call to adventure within every man, which might be why both of my dads love it. Because sometimes, a good movie is all you need to fulfill that call.