Movie date: The secret life of Walter Mitty

MOVIE DATE

If you're reading this, chances are you'll be able to relate to Walter Mitty.

If you bother to read movie reviews, that means you really like movies, which means you're very likely an escapist like him. Or like me.

Welcome to the club.

What we have here is a story about the power of imagination to make real life bearable and, beyond that, its power to make real life bitchin'.

Mitty spends the first half of the movie indulging in imaginary adventures to escape his grey world.

In the second half, he goes on an actual adventure, spurred by his desire to have his real life more closely resemble the awesomeness inside his head.

My favourite scene is the one in which he's too afraid to get on a helicopter with a drunk pilot, but then he imagines his crush (Wiig) serenading him with David Bowie's Space Oddity.

His courage bolstered, he jumps on the chopper.

He almost ends up dead, but that's not the point.

The point is that Space Oddity is an amazing song, and the secondary point is you live only once.

One thing I've always liked about Stiller is his sensitivity.

In spite of his success as an actor, one senses that he remains as baffled and bemused by the world as Mitty and us all. For once, I can connect with a Ben Stiller movie.

Everyone daydreams - perhaps not to the extent of leaping off buildings a la Spider-Man or going after a bad guy and destroying New York City in the process like in the movie The Avengers.

But this movie, set in the reality of the rise (and dominance) of digital media over the print medium, is good encouragement for those of us who are afraid to take that leap of faith.

As an actor, Stiller keeps his comedy schtick on a tight leash.

When the comedy comes, it's actually humorous and not at all tacky.

As a director, Stiller, together with cinematographer Stuart Dryburgh, delivers a picturesque work of art.

Of course, there's a lot of CGI involved, but it's well-executed.

The natural wonders of Greenland and the Himalayas are simply gorgeous.

This is an expensive US$90 million (S$114 million) undertaking, and you can tell each cent is well-spent.

Walter Mitty may be a daydreamer, but he is an inspiration.

This uplifting movie has a clear message: Make time to be brave and pursue your dreams, and have fun while at it.

STARRING: Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, Sean Penn, Adam Scott DIRECTOR: Ben Stiller THE SKINNY: On the outside, Walter Mitty (Stiller) is a mild-mannered employee at Life magazine, but on the inside, he lives a wild fantasy life filled with action, adventure and romance. When an important picture from legendary photographer (Penn) goes missing, Mitty embarks on an international journey that brings him out of his shell.

THE CONSENSUS: Girls will enjoy this good date movie more than most of Stiller's stuff while guys will relate to the character and story.

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