MovieChat Forums > The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013) Discussion > Of course he NEVER actually travelled to...

Of course he NEVER actually travelled to Greenland, Iceland, etc.

posted 11 years ago by John-G
101 replies | jump to latest

Warning; this post obviously contains spoilers!

Well, I never intended to create this topic in the first place because I thought my observations were obvious. I guess not. I was surprised reading so many posts here on imdb (and of some critics) of people who really think he went to Greenland, Iceland and Afghanistan and he really made it to the cover of the magazine.

As the movie shows in the beginning, most of his life (in particular the adventures) are daydreams. Do people really think the travelled to Greenland? Battled sharks? Stars at skateboarding? Escaped a volcanic eruption? Climbed mountains? Made it to the cover of LIFE? And, perhaps, got the girl?

Is this a feelgood movie? Why? He got fired for losing a negative (creating his own imaginary adventure based on photos to retrieve it from his wallet), never leaves New York, only has a helpdesk guy to talk to on the phone, and hopelessly tries to approach a female colleague who already started dating a guy (her outdated profile is broken which explains why he cant sent a wink). It made me feel pretty sad at the ending. On the other hand, this "secret life" of his brings him to mountains in Afghanistan while actually being in a city park next to kids playing soccer. This makes his life richer than any of us can imagine, so ok, for that reason, it can be considered a feel good movie..............

The hints that most stuff is not real are countless:
1. The sequences at the beginning of the movie of him being a hero heavily warning the viewer. 2. his cell phone reception talking with the dating-site helpdesk in the middle of nowhere. The calls are real, but the location and the conversation itself arent. 3. A NY pizza place in Iceland when he steps out of a car. 4. unrealistic action (eruption, sharks, high-altitude mountain climbing). 5. kids playing soccer on high mountains like its a park. 6. After his final hero talk with the bearded bad-guy, he suddenly is in the elevator with a colleague, showing it was again just a day dream. 7. the cellphone text message of his colleague on the mountain which only half-succeeds to bring him back to reality.

Any moment that is normal is real, any moment where he is a hero is obviously not. The only doubt is created in the final scene with the girl, I really hope for him that was real!!......

Many people might find this post obvious, so my sincere apologies to them. Its just surprising that a movie like "Life of Pi" (similar to this one since what you see isn't "real") needs to put in a final scene to explain stuff, which was not necessary of course. As soon as it is not explained (as in this movie), its shocking to see how many people take what they see literal....... How many hints do you need? Does it really need to be spelled out for you all time? I also thought about the excellent horror movie "Drag me to hell" which shows the mental state of a woman with an eating-disorder, but never spells this out to the viewer, resulting in >90% of the viewers misinterpreting the entire movie.

In hindsight, I have to agree with the critics that this movie is not as good as it could have been. Its a commercial-like "feel good" movie that is misinterpreted by many people. Deep issues remain unfortunately unaddressed, making the movie shallow (nonetheless amusable!). Truly good scenes are absent. Its just nothing compared to something like Forest Gump.

[–] grammartrollcop 11 years ago

In your attempt to uncover the deeper meaning behind the symbolism and metaphors in the movie, you missed the ones that are actually contained within.

The whole point of the movie is that Walter Mitty is not a daydreaming do-nothing. He's not naturally introverted. He created this version of himself to cope with his dad's death. Then he got stuck in his own head and willed himself into an introverted person.

His need to get the negative and reestablish the normalcy and routine in his life is what begins as his drive for doing the kind of things he originally only fantasized about doing. Basically, he had buried his instincts and true self but was forced to face them and thus, rediscovered who he is and what he is capable of.

As far as your hints go:

1. The sequences at the beginning of the movie of him being a hero heavily warning the viewer.

Not warning, just foreshadowing that he will turn his fantasies into reality.

2. his cell phone reception talking with the dating-site helpdesk in the middle of nowhere. The calls are real, but the location and the conversation itself arent.

He's not in the middle of nowhere though, he's just at a high elevation. Why would the call be real but not the conversation? You don't think that's a bit of a stretch?

3. A NY pizza place in Iceland when he steps out of a car.

Movies are expensive to make. This one was about 90 million. People don't just have that kind of money laying around. Sometimes you have to bite it, and ask for some product placement cashola. i.e. Cinnabon, eHarmony

4. unrealistic action (eruption, sharks, high-altitude mountain climbing).

Volcanos erupt. People scale mountains. People almost die from being eaten by sharks and live to tell the tale.

5. kids playing soccer on high mountains like its a park.

Boys will be boys. No I'm kidding. Those weren't kids. They were adults. I just assumed they helped the photographer get up the mountain. Like sherpas or something.

6. After his final hero talk with the bearded bad-guy, he suddenly is in the elevator with a colleague, showing it was again just a day dream.

Well, it's just showing that a person he worked with in the building is in the same building at which they worked together. I'm a little confused how that's a "clue?"

7. the cellphone text message of his colleague on the mountain which only half-succeeds to bring him back to reality.

Half-succeeds? In what way? What happened after the text message that discounted the fact he was on a mountain? I didn't see the background change for a split second or anything... Maybe I should rewatch.

[–] John-G 11 years ago

Dear grammartrollcop,

Thanks for your reply! But I disagree with you...

No matter how much we would like to see Walter really make journeys to exotic locations and experience adventures, its just all daydreaming. Its his secret life. There is really no cell phone reception on a deserted mountain, and there are no guys playing soccer there. Those were not coincidences or accidents, but deliberate clues that the location is probably not real...

His adventures are unrealistic simply because they are unreal. We just want to believe it just as much as he does. Ever climbed such a mountain in a desolate place, or fought a shark? Or got on the cover of a magazine? Its fantasies we all have, maybe not as lively as Walter has them ;)

About your comment that some things are real but some arent is a stretch. Doesnt the movie show in the beginning that a lot of things are a stretch (waterskiing on a NY road?). His adventures have some overlap with the real world (jumping from the metro platform for example), while the rest is fantasy.

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] John-G 11 years ago

What do you think? Were the adventures of Walter Mitty real or not?

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] bing-57 11 years ago

> Other than the surreal events, the movie had no legit signs for it to be either in his head or for real.

Well, that's just it. Most of the movie was surreal. He was fighting off a shark, for gosh sake! You don't get much more surreal than that. And then, in the same day, he skateboarded ten miles down the road at 50 MPH and then outran a volcanic eruption.

And even the plot of the movie was insane. He traveled around the globe and climbed the highest mountains just to ask the photographer about a missing negative. And then what? The big payoff was that this world-renowned photographer took a candid shot of a nerdy and anonymous employee at work and that's the farewell photo for one of the most famous magazines of all time?

--
What Would Jesus Do For A Klondike Bar (WWJDFAKB)?

[–] ColinInLa 10 years ago

And Citizen Kane adds up to a lonely guy who longs for his lost childhood. A sled? Some big payoff.

--------------------
Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

[–] bing-57 10 years ago

But, Kane never fought off a shark, rode a skateboard ten miles, and then outran a volcano on the same day.

--
What Would Jesus Do For A Klondike Bar (WWJDFAKB)?

[–] parbon84 9 years ago

That is the whole point of the movie. Watch it again. The shark scene. Definitely happening - they're a totally different character to his dreams.

[–] CigarDoug 8 years ago

But, Kane never fought off a shark, rode a skateboard ten miles, and then outran a volcano on the same day.

You need to watch Citizen Kane - The Director's Cut.

[–] parbon84 9 years ago

I thought that was the point myself, I'm actually surprised you saw it another way!

The whole point being this whirlwind he experiences is actually happening, the moment he stops dreaming and starts doing his life becomes something unreal.

The shark scene line is very telling "that actually happened!?" he assumed he was dreaming and actually realises half way he's not, he is in shock afterwards.

I really don't think it is meant to be open for interpretation, but of course film is subjective :)

I wish we could ask Ben Stiller, I'm convinced the whole point of the movie is that these outrageous amazing parts are actually real.

[–] bing-57 9 years ago

> The shark scene line is very telling "that actually happened!?" he assumed he was dreaming and actually realises half way he's not, he is in shock afterwards.

And, when you add in the key word in the title of the movie, "Secret," that firmly confirms that this is all a dream. Or, at least 80% of what we saw was a dream. He's just a boring man with a mundane life and he escapes reality with a series of fantastic daydreams.

I mean, seriously, an office worker doesn't just grab a parka and climb Mount Everest. Most climbers need years of training.

--
What Would Jesus Do For A Klondike Bar (WWJDFAKB)?

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] parbon84 9 years ago

I can't even believe its being offered.

The character himself says "THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED!?" after the shark scene. The whole point is that these unbelievable things are actually happening, and he has to participate in life!

He can't tune out and day dream any more, but he still does before the shark scene - he imagines her singing to him - i thought that was the last part he imagined in the movie :)

[–] grammartrollcop 11 years ago

Very cordial reply, thank you for that. I guess we have agreed to disagree.

[–] John-G 11 years ago

Yeah, and thats OK. I truly believe the whole point of the movie is that Walter Mitty IS a daydreaming do-nothing (but its OK, his life IS spectacular). Opposite of what you believe.........

I just keep asking myself:

This is a movie about a guy who daydreams. Then, he suddenly undergoes insane adventures. Yet, most people, after watching the movie, take these things as if they really happened: It. Doesnt. Make. Sense.

This movie is exactly like "Life of Pi", except it lacks the scene at the end where they explain that what you saw wasnt exactly real.

[–] grammartrollcop 11 years ago

His adventures really aren't all that insane.

His daydreams at the beginning are over the top. Completely unrealistic. The stuff at the end is actually possible. Well, you know, Hollywood possible.

You're suggesting that the entire end of the movie is a long trip into unreality for Walter. So, what was he doing the whole time? Sitting in Starbuck's staring off with people worried about him? Is he in an insane asylum by the end of the movie?

You also suggest that maybe he is speaking with the girl at the end, but doesn't really see himself on the cover of Life magazine. So basically, this girl is becoming involved with a complete lunatic who is missing big chunks of his real life because he can't stop fantasizing. Which would make this movie very dark, especially if there is no reveal at the end confirming your interpretation.

The difference between this and Life of Pi is that the latter is a story being told by a narrator, and said narrator is embellishing only the characters in his story giving greater impact to the subject when it is revealed at the end that the animals were actually human beings. If the Walter Mitty story was the same, in that it is entirely fantasy at the last half of the film, it would add nothing to the story. It would actually take away from the story that was actually told and the message within. The thing that makes no sense to me is how you think this is so obvious, when it actually makes less sense than the actual story.

[–] John-G 11 years ago

grammartrollcop: ["...when it actually makes less sense than the actual story"]

I think it makes more sense! The movie CENTERS on a guy that daydreams about adventures. Then he suddenly has some pretty bizarre ADVENTURES.

So it makes far more sense to explain it as daydreams, than to explain it as real. Why suddenly insist that the stuff at the beginning are daydreams, but the rest of the (still bizarre) story isn't? Isn't that making no sense?

Why does the movie need to spell it out to the viewer at the end before you would believe it? (as happened in "Life of Pi"?)

In response to your comments:

No he's not in an asylum by the end of the movie. He's really talking to the girl. However, when he looks at the cover of the magazine, he sees himself (he's daydreaming). He really gave the skateboard to the kid and she really thanked him for that (that particular thing wasn't an adventure, thus real). The rest, i dunno.

The girl is never really involved with him. He's just a weird colleague to her but she still sort of talks to him when he approaches her.

Even though there is a difference with Life of Pi, it doesnt need to be exactly the same for my arguments not to hold anymore. A daydreaming guy is a good reason enough to show stuff that didnt really happen (like the beginning scenes indicate!!)

The actual story of the movie will change, but not go away as you say. The "second interpretation" story is that he's life is spectacular. He makes up adventures to retrieve a misplaced negative from his wallet! :). We get a glimpse into his secret life! But yeah, its not such as feelgood movie anymore when you realize that.

This second-interpretation-idea was deliberately put in by the writers. Its just weird no-one even slightly recognizes it as a possible interpretation.........

[–] grammartrollcop 11 years ago

I think it makes more sense! The movie CENTERS on a guy that daydreams about adventures. Then he suddenly has some pretty bizarre ADVENTURES.

So it makes far more sense to explain it as daydreams, than to explain it as real.

Only if you believe that characters don't grow during movies. Which defeats the whole purpose of developing a character.

[–] John-G 11 years ago

OK, now that's a good point you got there!

But the movie is ambiguous on purpose. Again: it was not a mistake that he had cellphone reception on a desolated mountain and guys were playing soccer there. Its meant to put you to thinking if its real -> at least it worked for me.

Also, in some movies, the characters don't grow but only that illusion is presented to make it view-able just as any other movie, as might be the case here.

Ben Stiller is a clever guy, he gave this movie this second interpretation on purpose. Its unfortunate so few people even seem to recognize it as a second interpretation.

[–] cregox 11 years ago

As kicke_bluelback said, it is open for translation. And I find your translation fascinating, Mr John-G.

Me, I think it was all real. But I can't really argue against the cellphone reception.

The papa johns doesn't (or didn't) exist indeed (http://icelandreview.com/news/2014/03/09/papa-johns-walter-mitty-worst -product-placement), fictitious. But so are the LIFE covers made for the film.

The actions are also quite unrealistic indeed, but aren't impossible. Some people are that lucky in reality.

All other points you bring to defend your translation are quite poor from my point of view. They're all very plausible to happen any day, anywhere.

The main point in your argument, to me, is the cell phone reception. I think it was too much in the face, it was clearly trying to tell us something. Or maybe it was deliberately put there, in a fictitious world, just to cause discussion - for no specific good reason.

The film message was still pretty clear in the end, despite of any translation issues. It was a man who set himself free of his fears, no matter how, and could finally talk to the woman he wanted right in the beginning, to whom he barely could try to send an online wink, in fear. He even says he's not day dreaming anymore, as it was a clear manifestation of how he wished to be free of his fears, stating out loud he managed to find courage to live as he wanted, at last.

As a reference, there is yet another comedy film which I think can be interpreted in such a peculiar way as you did here: Bedazzled (2000) But I rather talk about that translation in its own boards (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0230030/board/post/tt0230030). You might want to take a look at another crazy interpretation. :P

http://www.cregox.info/caue

[–] InCaseyWood 11 years ago

I have a few problems with your logic here my friend.

First off, every time he was daydreaming before, it showed him come out of it (getting the paper clip thrown at him, Cheryl yelling, beard guy flicking him in the forehead, etc.) If he had been daydreaming, it would have showed him coming out of all of the daydreams of his supposed adventures. In fact if you read the IMDB trivia for this film, it mentions that every daydream he had in the beginning correlates to a real adventure that he had later on in the movie.

Another issue is you said that he really did give the board to the kid. If he didn't go to Iceland, where did he get the board? I'm not buying that he just went to buy it.

Finally the phone thing was a little off, but no more unrealistic than all sorts of things in all sorts of movies that claim to be real. I mean maybe his phone had satellite service or something. Then it would work just fine.

The issue with your theory is that he would have had to do too many things that we did not see and that the movie would be pointless if it weren't for that drastic change in him that really came about when he came to terms with everything that had happened and started to really become who he had always planned to be before his dad's death.

I don't think that there is any way that the adventures were daydreams. The point of the movie is that it's never too late to become who you really want to be and that even people who seem simple and boring are amazing.

[–] bing-57 11 years ago

> If he had been daydreaming, it would have showed him coming out of all of the daydreams of his supposed adventures.

The movie ended before he came out of his hour-long fantasy. The fact that we never saw him come out of it in no way means that it did not happen. Movies don't show us EVERYTHING.

> In fact if you read the IMDB trivia for this film, it mentions that every daydream he had in the beginning correlates to a real adventure that he had later on in the movie.

That's fine. He daydreamed the same thing multiple times. Everyone I know does that. You dream about winning the lottery today, and the next day, and the next.

> The issue with your theory is that he would have had to do too many things that we did not see

Consider the timeline. The new guy comes to the office one day and announces that the next issue will be the last one. Then, Mitty goes on these amazing adventures to Iceland then back to New York and then to the Himalayas and then back to new York, all in the two or three weeks until the final copy was sent to the printers. The travel time alone would be 5 or 6 days. It's just impossible for him to have had all these adventures in the short time span of the movie.

> The point of the movie is that it's never too late to become who you really want to be and that even people who seem simple and boring are amazing.

That was never a part of the movie. Mitty wasn't trying to find himself or become a better person or any of that new-age mumbo jumbo that you think was going on.

He was simply doing exactly what was shown to us. He was trying to save face by finding the missing negative. Nothing more.

In his fantasy, he was the hero and saved the day. He was then rewarded by appearing on the cover of the magazine.

Best fantasy ever.

--
What Would Jesus Do For A Klondike Bar (WWJDFAKB)?

[–] Ithilfaen 8 years ago

This is a movie about a guy who daydreams. Then, he suddenly undergoes insane adventures. Yet, most people, after watching the movie, take these things as if they really happened: It. Doesnt. Make. Sense.

It's ok. You're missing the entire point of the movie. It. Doesn't. Have. To. Make. Sense.

Life is a series of moments and for most people, like 90% of people alive, it'll never be adventure and extreme, breathtaking moments. It'll be the quiet moments, the seemingly small life, the routine but that is the quintessence of life. Life is not found in danger and adventurous travels, it's found in every day connections, and doing what makes you happy, no matter how mundane it seems to you or to others.

The fact that he embarks on an incredible journey that turns out to be almost as incredible as his day dreams is just the irony of it: that he had to go all this way to find what was in his wallet from the beginning. The meaning of his life.

For every lie I unlearn I learn something new - Ani Difranco

[–] Jack-Crusade 10 years ago

I think you're both right. I think this movie succeeded in its goal of making the viewer question what is real/daydream. There is no answer. It leaves you to ponder the possibilities... kind of the way the spinning top works in the movie "Inception". Who's to know? Who's to say who is right? But it's fun to contemplate 

The internet is a series of crack pipes that are all stuck together.

[–] Splarne 10 years ago

director stiller >> loser director of inception

ROFL

***

Go away, or I shall taunt you a second time!

[–] sirmildredpierce 10 years ago

I really like your overall explanation of one interpretation of the movie. I honestly think the movie was crafted very specifically in such a way that BOTH interpretations can be right. The movie doesn't spell it out at the end, of course. I really love the ambiguity of a movie like this. I think it was a carefully crafted ambiguity that leaves you with two equally valid interpretations.

[–] mjcomic23 11 years ago

i really thx u for sharing your thoughts about movie i love movie and idea
but he is not have that personality that make him Chang his life style even if he try
people cant Chang easy hge cant even talk to his love one
but the thing you said is remind me of life of pi movie when he imagine animal as human nature
when you talk about this movie he make his imagine life by the way he live and people around him to face it his fear
but in cover of magazine did this happen or what he think h deserve that attention
and fell that they thanx him for his life work in dark place with no one see his hard work all his life
thx again

[–] triachgul3 11 years ago

Interesting thoughts OP, throughout the movie I actually expected some twist revealing his fantasies not being real, but they didnt. Its open to interpretation. Yours is clearly that he was daydreaming. Mine is different. I personally believe that he did travel to Iceland. As mentioned by others in this thread. His daydreams were unrealistic and even hollywood-esque. His (possible) trips werent. Granted, if we want to analyse every scene, there is evidence for and against the "truth", but not entirely conclusive.

Feel free to disagree, but thats the beauty of interpretation. It tells us about ourselves more than about the actual film.

[–] John-G 11 years ago

Yeah. I think the filmmakers deliberately left it open to interpretation, that's why you and me expected the twist at the end.

In other words: its not a coincidence that I am doubting if it was real. They gave me (all of us!) hints that it might not be real. And that was on purpose! Still, it surprises me then that people miss this double interpretation on such a massive scale.....

[–] Mickyfinn 10 years ago

I agree. And he would be dreaming in his daydream about seeing the girls face made up by the birds while riding the bike. And again, based on the earlier "Hollywood" daydreams, his Iceland one has him smacking himself into a road sign?

It being open to interpretation is interesting, but I am going with he really did those things. He even grabs the backpack and the journal his father gave him.

You just have to be resigned-
You're crashing by design

[–] jennieraccoon 11 years ago

Hmm! Such an interesting thread to read through!

If travelling to greenland was just a day dream, how come he needed to daydream within his daydream (Oh, so Inception of him!) that Cheryl was there to sing and give him the courage to get on the plane? In his previous/obvious daydreams he appears to always be in total control, not lacking courage to do anything. Surely he wouldn't have to second guess or doubt himself if it was his fantasy. What do you think?

Little thing like this make me want to believe the travel adventure was actually his reality... but maybe he kept on daydreaming along the way. Other characters also refer to his daydreams or zoning out a lot, and when he says he has been doing it less lately (to Cheryl, I think?) I really want it to be true!

[–] muveme 11 years ago

I agree with this... I think he did travel and had some daydreaming mixed into the actual events but it seems to me that the travel is real.

I also think he was on the cover of the magazine. We know that Sean thought a lot about him and the cover was a tribute to those that made his art come to life for the masses. Why couldn't he be on the cover? He could!

Walter travelled IMO. When his mother tells him that Sean was there, it was obvious to me that he found a way to get the photos he needed to make the final cover.

And yes... he gets the girl. I think it was also indicated that had he not done all of that, the girl was still interested. She didn't really reject him. That was his own insecurity.

A great example of love making you be the best person you can be.

[–] CigarDoug 8 years ago

If he didn't travel to Greenland, why did he have to sell his mother's piano to pay for the trip?

[–] muveme 8 years ago

I think HE DID TRAVEL...

[–] CigarDoug 8 years ago

Yeah, I should have worded that differently. It's another example that he DID.

[–] jennieraccoon 11 years ago

I'm still working through this idea in my head so stick with me... This might have been already brought up or maybe I'm just being nuts in drawing similarities.

When I was watching the movie and he was on the plane to Greenland I was thinking -how do I know this is not just another daydream? Then when he got off the plane and hired a car in a scene that kinda felt to me like it was referencing The Matrix... The red car or the blue car?
Similar to The Matrix, in this movie the audience is having to take a leap of faith and trust (or at least really question) the protagonists view of reality. He decided on the red car, just as Neo decided on the red pill, so maybe it was suppose to indicate that this was in fact his reality? Haha DON'T SHOOT ME it's just an idea :-)

***I just saw a whole other thread about this scene being a Matrix reference so I'm sorry I'm a little late to the party on that one

[–] KCurmudgeon 11 years ago

The Greenland fantasy of Cheryl persuades me that his adventures were real and I like the Matrix reference idea too! :)

Also, it's worth pointing out that, believe it or not, there are plans to place a cell tower to provide cell service on Everest (if indeed this hasn't been done already), so cell service on a remote mountain in the Himalayas is not totally outrageous.

[–] TJenkins602 11 years ago

Don't worry, if any of us shoots you, you can dodge the bullet in bulet time ;)

I will be honest that I just took it as real (the trips,) However, I've only seen it once. I was paying more attention to the message in the film. I think of it as a story about a dreamer who takes action and such.

All that said, this talk about whether or not this whole thing is a dream or not has brought the movie up a few notches to me.

I'd have to see it again in order to pick up a few more hints. I personally can relate to Walter Mitty. I often have daydreams and I'm starting to go on some journeys. No, I'm not travelling to Greenland, or Iceland :p.
http://ourfeaturepresentation.tumblr.com

[–] boogyboy 11 years ago

I pretty sure everything that happened from greenland onwards is real. If you pay attention during the shark scene, when he is dragged onto the boat, Walter says something along the lines of "This is real! This is actually happening" as if he is shocked that something as exciting as his daydreams is really happening to him.

Fork It!

[–] leopard77722 11 years ago

Yes he did.

[–] sweep24m 11 years ago

I think he traveled too. That small scene in his mom's kitchen when he goes over his checkbook balance, the cost of the plane ticket is listed.

[–] NotASpeckOfCereal 11 years ago

I've got to reply before I read any other replies.

I'm not buying that it was all a fantasy. Yes, they were all fantasy sequences at the start, duh. But as they moved on, they became more and more actual real life events. What's the point of the film if they're all fantasies?

First off, baby steps: it's doesn't take anything but money to buy a ticket to most places in the world. He went to Greenland.

Was Cheryl there to sing "Major Tom" to him? No way. But what she had said to him earlier about the song gave him courage to risk the flight with a drunk pilot.

Was he brave when he jumped out into the water? Not necessarily--he was just mistakenly doing what was thought he was told.

Did he escape from a volcano? If he went to Iceland, there very well could have been one erupting and MAYBE he wasn't as close as the film indicated (his fantasy could have added that), but he was there.

Did he see a flock of birds for the image of Cheryl from the bike? Of course not. The point of that scene was to really just a vehicle to get him off the bike and into the need of more wheels--the skateboard. When you're you're in love, you see the object of your affection all over the place.

Did he do all of those tricks on the skateboard for Cheryl's son? Maybe not, but the boy sure happy enough to make a video specifically for Walter showing him his newly acquired moves on his new board.

Could Walter have bought it locally rather than getting it from the kids abroad? Maybe, if you really want to believe that he didn't go. But the scene where made the trade involved something he cared about a lot, so getting that board for the boy was more valuable than that. It was an important part of the story, and I like to believe that he actually did it.

Be sure to proof your posts to see if you any words out

[–] toddp-10 11 years ago

I thought my observations were obvious.

They are not and you are 100% wrong. Sorry. No need to go into a 500 word essay on why you are wrong, you simply are. You could use your theory in any movie that it was all in the guys head. Just because it could land doesn't make it true.

You missed the beat of the film

[–] John-G 11 years ago

I wouldn't go as far as to say that I have missed the beat of the film.

And no, you cannot use this particular theory on any movie. This is a film about a daydreaming guy remember? The argument of possible daydreaming in any other random movie would make far less sense.

Maybe I look at movies and then look to see if there are small layers underneath? I just look at bit further than the length of my nose. Its OK to just question things from time to time you know? Try it sometimes.

Usually there are layers. Not everything you see in movies needs to be taken literal. Which is one of the reasons film is regarded as "art".

[–] toddp-10 11 years ago

Its OK to just question things from time to time you know? Try it sometimes.

The whole concept of the movie could not be more clear. Sorry, but you are just grasping at "hidden layers" that are not there. It's not open for interpretation and it's not ambiguous. Not at all.

The plot is basic, very basic. To look for twists is something I know people like to look for but it's usually a pointless task.

Very basic:

Story of a lonely man with an uneventful life who uses elaborate and adventurous daydreams to fill a void.
Said man ends up having a real adventure.
With this real adventure he grows and changes. No longer needs the elaborate fantasies and also gets the girl he secretly loves.

Saying the whole movie was a daydream is not smart, it's not observant and to be blunt, destroys the whole tone and intention of the movie

It's not that you may be wrong, you are. The whole beat was him going from fantasies to a happier reality

[–] WhoisThePrisoner1 11 years ago

Perfect summation, Toddp-10.

[–] tobisama 10 years ago

Totally agree, the movie does not have a "dark tone".
Is obviously an inspirational films.