It has little narrative interest and requires that the director latch onto a very specific airy tone of whimsy, lest the whole souffle collapse.
– Mick LaSalle,
San Francisco Chronicle,
26 Dec 2013
rotten:
Sometimes you see failed films and think, well, they tried for this or that but couldn't pull it off. After seeing Ben Stiller's version of the venerable James Thurber story, I don't know what the film was trying for.
– Joe Morgenstern,
Wall Street Journal,
26 Dec 2013
fresh:
Stiller's sensibility creates a movie that's smarter than you think it will be. Kind of like Walter Mitty himself.
– Kenneth Turan,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Dec 2013
fresh:
Stiller's attempt to braid together introspection and humor kept me engaged and curious, even when I wasn't quite sure what he was setting out to do.
– Dana Stevens,
Slate,
1 Jan 2014
rotten:
This is one of the more disappointing efforts of the holiday movie season.