Ben Stiller goes from day-dreamer to adventurer in this charming film based on the classic short story. Walter works for LIFE magazine, processing photographs and fantasising about travel as well as his new colleague Cheryl (Kristen Wiig). But LIFE magazine is due to close, and star photojournalist Sean O'Connell (Sean Penn) has offered one of his images as the final cover. The snag? Walter can't find the negative or the famously elusive Sean. Following clues in the other photographs in the series, Walter goes on a mission to Iceland, Greenland and beyond.
It's a sweet, witty and heart-warming story with a positive message about self-discovery and the joys of adventure. Stiller who also directs is an ideal lead and there's good support from Wiig, Penn and Adam Scott, who plays Walter's nasty new boss. The constant barrage of product placement slightly undermines the happy-traveller vibe but it's still visually inspiring: whether real or computer generated, the locations look absolutely breathtaking.
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