The secret life of walter mitty 2013 film

A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, starring and directed by Ben Stiller, may be based on James Thurber's short story, but it's very different from it and the original 1947 movie. It's a tween- and teen-friendly tale full of hope, with a can-do, go-big-or-go-home message that's backed by sensational special effects. Expect some swearing, including "hell" and "s--t," and some jarring scenes of conflict, though no graphic violence.

Community Reviews

  • Parents say (25)
  • Kids say (69)

December 28, 2020

Unique Film May be too Dull for Younger Children

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty fires from all cylinders in this wildly satisfying film. The gorgeous aesthetics are what make this movie shine for me. Some might find the extended character building monotonous and unnecessary but I believe that this movie would not be the same without it. Very minimal violence and cursing. Any sexual content you will encounter will probably be misinterpreted by younger viewers. Overall a great film to enjoy with just about anyone.

October 20, 2020

Saw it in the cinema, had to leave early!

This movie has some flirting, sexual references and bad language. But it also has an awful story and uninspiring characters that make for a really boring movie. Lots of scene's when he is actually imagining what's happening which make the movie very repetitive, weird and annoying. This movie is an UTTER waste of time. I literately fell asleep in the cinema.

What's the Story?

Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller), is the negative asset manager at Life magazine, which means he handles the negatives that arrive from the publication's best shutterbugs and makes sure they're done justice when they're processed and printed. The biggest talent to endorse Walter's skills is Sean O'Connell (Sean Penn), a globe-trotting, adventure-seeking, and often unreachable photographer. But that's as close to adventure as Walter gets. He's a devoted son to a mother (Shirley MacLaine) who's keenly observant of his life; a good brother to his underemployed actress-sister, Odessa (Kathryn Hahn), and a sweet colleague to Cheryl, a woman he has a crush on (Kristen Wiig) but can't seem to approach. He's even friendly with the customer service rep (Patton Oswalt) at the dating site he just joined, but hasn't really taken advantage of. But Walter's carefully choreographed and simple life gets complicated quickly when Sean sends a negative to be published for Life's final cover, and it goes missing. Walter will have to leave his nest to find Sean, or risk the wrath of Ted Hendricks (Adam Scott), who's managing the magazine's transition online and deciding who stays and who goes.

Is It Any Good?

See this film for the cinematography, which frames nearly every shot like a perfectly composed photograph of the likes you'd see in, say, Life magazine, where Walter works in the movie. The colors are saturated, the edges are crisp. And there's a monumentality to it all, which is perfect for a film examining the measure of a man, in this case the unassuming Mitty, who gave up on his global-scale dreams once his father died and he needed to help support his family.

Stiller and company do a fine job -- it's gratifying to see Sean Penn tweak his adventuresome, elusive image in the role of the adventuresome, elusive O'Connell -- and especially Oswalt, who takes what's essentially a voicing role and elevates it. But the script is too spare for a story that poses big questions. (The original short story by James Thurber was brief, too.) And nearly everyone in it, including the ostensibly larger-than-life O'Connell (whose idea of profundity appears to be not taking a photo if he wants to just be in the moment), lands squarely in the midrange, characterization-wise, leaving no one truly exceptional for Walter to aspire to. Walter Mitty is fun to watch, but it still plays it safe.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the messages in the movie. What makes Walter finally take action? Does the movie try to inspire you to do something? What holds people back from pursuing their dreams?

  • Talk about the workplace needling that goes on at Walter's office once the downsizing is announced. Is this bullying? How does Walter handle it, and why does the bully get away with it for a while?

  • If you've read the short story, how does the movie compare? What are some of the challenges of turning a book or story into a movie?

Movie Details

  • In theaters: December 25, 2013
  • On DVD or streaming: April 15, 2014
  • Cast: Adam Scott, Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig
  • Director: Ben Stiller
  • Studio: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
  • Genre: Comedy
  • Topics: Adventures, Book Characters
  • Run time: 114 minutes
  • MPAA rating: PG
  • MPAA explanation: some crude comments, language and action violence
  • Last updated: October 8, 2022

Is Walter Mitty a true story?

Walter Jackson Mitty is a fictional character in James Thurber's first short story "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty", first published in The New Yorker on March 18, 1939, and in book form in My World—and Welcome to It in 1942. Thurber loosely based the character, a daydreamer, on himself.

Is Walter Mitty a good movie?

Ben Stiller has created some entertaining comedies, but 'Walter Mitty' is by far his most audacious piece of direction so far. The story is solid and the cinematography is stunning, Stiller has created an utterly mesmerising spectacle that follows the same basis of the 1947 classic starring Danny Kaye.

What is the point of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty?

One of the most important lessons we can learn from The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is to just let go of our natural instincts and emotions, to do things that we wouldn't normally think of doing. Try to let go of yourself every now and again, and don't over-think certain situations.

Is Walter Mitty a remake?

Spielberg was interested in directing Carrey in the film, but the conversation took a turn when Carrey brought up The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, a remake of the 1947 movie that John Goldwyn's grandfather, Samuel Goldwyn, had produced.