KOREA FOUNDATION

‘The Secret Life of Walter Mitty’ (2013)
Director: Ben Stiller
Stars: Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig

Walter has been working for a magazine for 16 years, handling negative photographic film. A rather timid person who seldom expresses his opinion, his only hobby is daydreaming. In the world of his imagination, he is a completely different person—someone who is courageous enough to say what is on his mind. As the magazine undergoes downsizing and restructuring, it decides to stop releasing the magazine in print, keeping it in a webzine format only.

As the magazine prepares to release its last print issue, a photograph for the final cover goes missing, leading Walter to travel abroad (for the first time in his life) to meet the photographer and receive the negative again. While in the foreign country, he encounters unexpected events that cause him to change into a more active and positive person. Even though the magazine where he had worked for so long closes down, Walter begins his life anew.

The scenarios Walter daydreams about are as grand as impressive scenes in wonderful movies. Though they are devised as an escape from Walter’s ordinary reality, the film awakens viewers to the significance of real life. I suggest that people who are looking for a warm, healing touch and a positive message watch this movie. The English translation of the film’s Korean title goes, “Walter’s imagination becomes real,” and I recommend it with the great hope that our imagined return to pre-COVID-19 times will become as real as Walter’s imagination.

Movie RecommendationThe Secret Life of Walter Mittyhealing