The Reflection of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
April 29th, 2020
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is an adventurous comedy, which released in 2013. And I have finally had time to enjoy it recently. (Don't judge me for watching films during this midterm! I am a senior student!!!) The film is about an adventurous experience of a negative asset manager, Walter Mitty working in a magazine publisher named Life, which corresponds not only with the title of this film but also with the topic of it- life.
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Walter likes to daydream of adventures and has a crush on a co-worker, Cheryl Melhoff. He collaborates with an amazing photographer whose name is Sean O'Connell. Life magazine is taken over by a network company that decides to cancel this outdated paper publisher, so Life is going to release its last print. At this point, Sean sends the latest series of his negatives and a wallet as presents to appreciate Walter's effort during these years. He also writes a letter to Walter for revealing the thought that negative #25 is "the quintessence of life" and should be a cover of the last Life magazine. However, "the quintessence of life" is lost, nowhere to be found in the office. What's worse, the new supervisor of Life makes up his mind that the ending of Life must be demonstrated by the #25 negative. Walter has no choice but to find Sean to ask the whereabouts of "the quintessence of life." But, there is a problem. Sean is just like negative #25. He doesn't have a phone or fixed settlement because he goes around every corner of the world to capture the moment of life and that is why he is respected and called legendary. Walter analyzes hints hid in Sean's latest work to find out where he is and start his journey. After his daring traveling, Walter gradually realizes the meaning of life. When he finally finds Sean, it turns out that negative #25 is always being in the wallet which Sean gave him. What Sean believes "the quintessence of life" is a photo that captures Walter sitting outside the office building of Life examining one Life publication.
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This film is described as a comedy, so there is no need to say how excellently funny plots are organized. The interesting plots lie in two different types- imagination and reality. The first kind is showed while Walter is daydreaming about doing some hero acts to save Melhoff, which is funny due to its exaggeration of unreal brave behaviors. The other type is about something that happened in real life. Misunderstanding of one's words drives Walter to jump in the stormy ocean and be attacked by a shark. The gap between language makes him nearly die in a volcanic eruption. Although these might seem a little too over, the triggers of these events can make us be in an embarrassing occasion in real life. So, I still will put the latter as a separate category. In my opinion, the one that may occur in life enables me to laugh from the core of my heart. Furthermore, this film uses plenty of implications to demonstrate the pursuit of "the quintessence of life".For example, the title of Walter's magazine firm and the description of #25 negative both point out the perspective- when one encounters some changes or obstacles in life, it is just a great opportunity to reflect on oneself and adjust one's concept toward the meaning of life.
As for the favorite character in this movie, I personally adore the fabulous photographer Sean O'Connell the most. He is not only a key factor to urge this whole film, but a respectable mental tutor of life. Although he appears as a legendary professional, who travels to every place filled with dangers to capture the moment of amazement of life. He would just risk his life to sneak into Afghanistan for getting a shot of a rare snow leopard. Although he seems like a conqueror to blocks, his idea toward "the quintessence of life" is Walter's passion for Life magazine, or let's say his daily life. This is an enormous contrast lying in his behaviors and thought. But, it might be not that surprising if we think in the way that Sean appreciates every single life who or which tries to live in this environment with one's principle. That is why I loved him. He admires everyone's value of surviving and uses his method to show his respect. If you recently have doubts about your daily life, you can see The secret life of Walter Mitty to entertain yourself or find your definition toward your quintessence of life.
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References:
Pic 1. Retrieved from http://corrina-at-summer.blogspot.com/2014/04/secret-life-of-walter-mitty.html
Pic 2. Retrieved from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/333336809891381870/
Pic 3. Retrieved from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/428756827019264878/
Pic 4. Retrieved from https://www.pinterest.ch/pin/224054150186092071/