Why The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Hits So Deep

Added: 2026-05-11

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[00:00:26]>> Stay tuned. Go support. Let's get into the episode. What's up everybody?

[00:00:30]Welcome back to the Crown Cinema Podcast. In this episode, we are breaking down >> and literally just watched The Secret Life of Walter Midi.

[00:00:38]>> Let's go, dude.

[00:00:39]>> Let's go on an adventure.

[00:00:40]>> That All my boys love Walter Midi. This movie rocks.

[00:00:45]>> It does rock.

[00:00:46]>> I I love this movie.

[00:00:49]>> Honestly though, to be honest.

[00:00:50]>> Whoa. What What are you about to say?

[00:00:51]>> Beginning me. It's the last part of the movie that's where it's at. when he goes on the real adventures where it's at.

[00:00:59]>> One could say that's intentional.

[00:01:02]>> Sure. Yeah. True. I mean, yeah.

[00:01:03]>> I actually So, I'm just going to go straight into it. Like, I love this movie because like I love a movie that is so intentional with the camera that even if you don't know anything about cameras or anything about cinematography, it forces you to enjoy this.

[00:01:19]>> What do you mean?

[00:01:20]>> Like in this movie, just the shots, >> the shots that they do. Yeah. Like all the transitions that they do, everything is like beautiful in this movie except for the beginning >> whenever he's daydreaming and it's all it's like fantasy fake.

[00:01:33]>> Yeah.

[00:01:33]>> It looks bad like when he's like super saturated, >> right? It looks like a horrible horrible like Marvel movie, you know, especially when he's like >> doing the big fight with his boss with the stretchy man.

[00:01:46]>> Yeah. Yeah.

[00:01:46]>> That like looks bad and you're just like, "Ah, damn." Like it's corny. you know, they had it in the budget to make it look good, but they didn't. You're just like, what are they doing?

[00:01:55]>> Mhm.

[00:01:56]>> I think it's intentional because then once he like wakes up and gets into real life and starts experiencing real moments, he's also hunting down a famous photographer, right? So, like, you know, like an elusive photographer.

[00:02:09]>> Yeah. Just with that, like you know that there's got to be an emphasis on like camera work in a movie like this.

[00:02:15]>> And so once it gets real, >> literally this movie is beautiful. like everything. Obviously, it's it's obviously easy to do that when you get to go to Iceland and Greenland, you know, beautiful parts of a Afghanistan and all that. So, I'm just saying even when he comes back to New York, like it just looks better, too.

[00:02:33]>> So, just big fan of that cuz I don't know [ __ ] about cinematography.

[00:02:38][laughter] I'm talking about me. It forces me to be like, "Wow, like look at how cool if you really choose to like make camera work like a big thing in a movie." It really can like make a difference.

[00:02:52]>> And it's I mean, it's also really not that hard to make Iceland and Greenland look like that.

[00:02:58]>> Exactly.

[00:02:59]>> Which, by the way, they're in Greenland for part of the movie, but they filmed it all in Iceland.

[00:03:03]>> Nice. So, like they're Yeah. Like when they were in Greenland in the movie, >> they were in Iceland.

[00:03:12]>> Okay. Okay. I'm just clarifying because I thought you were just saying like, "Yeah, like they were in Iceland filming and then they were in Greenland and I was [laughter] like >> I I bet. Yeah, they I know. That's where they went.

[00:03:23]>> Noteworthy point, sir. [laughter] >> Okay. But yeah, I mean, >> they filmed it all in Iceland."

[00:03:28]>> Okay, that's that's pretty cool. This movie is almost it gets more relevant with time as we get more deeper into social media world where you're just infatuated with your phone and nobody's doing anything but sitting inside their house >> having just locked on their screen addicted to scrolling reels.

[00:03:45]>> Yeah, cuz he like he's that's why you love Walter is because he's doing all this cool [ __ ] and he he doesn't post about it which is like an obvious choice but he doesn't even tell people about it. Mhm.

[00:03:57]>> Like he gets home to his mom after jumping out of a helicopter into an ocean, getting in a fight with a shark, >> escaping a volcanic eruption, >> long boarding, >> long boarding, you know, all of that.

[00:04:10]And then he just gets home and sits on the he gives her a kiss on the cheek and >> throws away >> sits on the couch.

[00:04:16]>> You want to know why? Cuz he's a [ __ ] man. [laughter] >> That's what a man does.

[00:04:21]>> Just keep it inside, >> dude. You go travel the world, don't tell anybody. Don't tell anybody.

[00:04:27]>> It's for you and only you.

[00:04:29]>> Exactly. Exactly. And like this is how it's supposed to be, dude. And you know it. They literally make a point of it.

[00:04:37]Yeah. They make a point of it. Sean Penn who what a beast, bro. God, >> we haven't covered one battle after another, >> but his character in that movie is insane.

[00:04:46]>> Insane.

[00:04:47]>> Because Shawn Penn is an insane actor.

[00:04:50]Mhm.

[00:04:50]>> It's nice to actually see him play like a semi-normal guy for once, but like he can >> he l he's one of those actors that can become a completely different person.

[00:05:02]>> He's like a Leonardo DiCaprio to me where >> Daniel D Lewis >> Daniel D Lewis. Yeah. Like that caliber.

[00:05:07]Whereas like you know and I'm not saying anything against like like Brad Pitt or Matthew McConna. I think it's mainly just their voices that they just really can't escape from. Yeah, >> like they're almost or Alpuccino like they're almost just playing like themselves >> and that's not a dig at all. It's just it's really just their voices. Like they're way too iconic. But like Sean, >> you have your persona when it comes to acting and you kind of fit your role into those personas. I think it's like Jason Baitman talks about he only >> he plays the same character and everything because like he knows what he's good at so he's going to keep doing that. It's like a different variation but it's all Arrested Development.

[00:05:45]>> Yeah.

[00:05:45]>> That character every time. Sean Penn throws that out the window cuz he can just transform.

[00:05:50]>> Yeah.

[00:05:51]>> And so it's just it's really weird seeing this movie where he plays like a normal guy and then thinking like nope years later he's going to completely transform into a insane military dude that loves black women.

[00:06:04]>> Not even Yeah. Not even a normal guy though in this movie. He's just uh he's not weird.

[00:06:07]>> That's what I'm saying. Yeah. He's like normalish, >> right?

[00:06:10]>> He's still I mean he >> still doesn't have a phone. He still is a photographer that doesn't >> take pictures.

[00:06:14]>> Yeah. He just wants it for I wanted this one for me.

[00:06:16]>> Yeah. Be like, "Shut the [ __ ] up, dude.

[00:06:18]>> Just click it and look."

[00:06:20]>> Yeah. [laughter] >> Yeah.

[00:06:22]>> But he's spying on Walter, taking pictures of him.

[00:06:25]>> Yep. Being creepy.

[00:06:27]>> Yep.

[00:06:27]>> Low-key creepy.

[00:06:28]>> Yeah. I guess you didn't like the moment that I had.

[00:06:32]>> What?

[00:06:32]>> No, I'm talking about like Yeah. Walter when he saw it, he was like, >> "Okay, screw you, dude. What?" Like I >> it's although it it may be creepy, but really it's a very nice gesture. He like snuck captured him in the wild to put him on the cover of Life magazine, the place where he slaved away for 16 years.

[00:06:51]Now he's getting laid off because [ __ ] Adam Scott's coming in here to [ __ ] [ __ ] up.

[00:06:55]>> Yeah, Adam Scott. Wow. I kind of Okay, so it's been a while since I've seen this movie. Kind of forgot everything.

[00:07:04]>> That beard goes crazy, >> bro. That beard looks like you know who Jaylen Brown is for the Boston Celtics.

[00:07:11]Do you know like what is kind of going on with him? Mm-m.

[00:07:14]>> Okay. He's I think he's just having hair problems. Shout out to Lock Lab.

[00:07:18]>> He should get on Lock Lab. But he's >> Speaking of which, >> guys, I got to take another moment of your time to just tell you about this product I'm taking. It's called Lock Lab. All right. It's just a little tiny pill that I take once a day and it totally completely restored my hair.

[00:07:32]I've got multiple friends and family members taking this pill. So, it's one of those like I got people that really are like, "All right, dude. This better work. It is. This thing works."

[00:07:43]>> Remember me and Gray, we were on a work trip and Gray's hair was gone. It was not gone, but it was fading fast.

[00:07:49]>> And I said, "Cade, just be honest with me. Does it look bad?"

[00:07:54]>> And I said, "Gray, you need to shave your head, bro. Stop holding on."

[00:07:59]>> Oh, and there's even more to add on to that story. is like, so I shaved my head, didn't get on the pill, and thought, "Oh, I've heard stories of people that shave their head and then their hair like comes back."

[00:08:10]>> There's one story and it's Matthew McConn. [laughter] >> This Matthew McConnA that said that he shaved his head and then it just came back thicker. So I thought, well, I mean, maybe that happened to me, too.

[00:08:20]Nope. It looked terrible. Was fully accepting of the fact that I was bald.

[00:08:25]Unless you have Lock Lab because then Gray found Lock Lab, took the pill, now he's back in action. Heard of Lock Lab.

[00:08:32]Gave it one more shot. My hair is back.

[00:08:35]>> It was a miracle. Except it's not cuz it's just science.

[00:08:38]>> It's just science. They got a good product over there and it's very affordable. So go to locklab.co. Go get your hair back. No. Jaylen Brown like has this issue right now with his hair and he's like literally putting like >> the color stuff >> some type of marker. Yeah. like he's, you know, he's an NBA player, so he probably gets the good stuff. But when he's playing against NBA players and he like >> his head hits their jersey, there's just black [ __ ] like all over their dude.

[00:09:07]It's like a bad thing.

[00:09:08]>> Why would you think that's a good thing to do when you sweat in a basketball game and it's going to pour off your head and you're going to have mascara type drainage from the top of your head?

[00:09:17]>> Yeah. Also, why not just go to Lock Lab?

[00:09:20]But that is what Adam Scott's beard looks like in this. That just doesn't even look like a beard.

[00:09:26]>> What's great about his beard is that he has this fake very very fake looking beard. And he's also posturing as like the man of the company when he's actually destroying he's destroying the company and like what the value in the movie is of the company. He's also like the theme of the movie. It's like go live your life life magazine. We're going to go out and adventure. Whatever the >> uh slogan of the company is the motto, you know.

[00:09:48]>> Yeah. I forget what it is exactly, but >> you're just like him. You're just like Adam Scott.

[00:09:54]>> [ __ ] >> You're just like the I'm loving it.

[00:09:57]>> Life. I'm loving it. But >> but yeah, >> so he has this fake beard, but at the end of the movie, Walter ends up getting a beard, but he's earned the beard from adventure.

[00:10:05]>> He looks good.

[00:10:06]>> Yeah, he only has a beard because he was going out on an adventure and didn't have time to shave or didn't have anything to shave his face, so he grew the beard out. So, he has an earned beard when Adam Scott has this fake posture. I'm the boss beard.

[00:10:18]>> Yeah. You see what I mean, dude? That hypes me up. Who the [ __ ] thinks of that?

[00:10:22]>> Some good [ __ ] >> Like, who thinks of that idea? And then like pitches it and they're like, "Yeah, they should like he should have a fake beard and then Walter will have a real beard." And somebody was like, "We don't have to do that." But that's good.

[00:10:34]>> There's some layers to this movie.

[00:10:36]>> There are. There really are. And I just I'm like watching this movie. I was like, dude, I almost I almost just want to instead of like going on an adventure right away, I really just want to go back and watch this movie again. Like when I get back to my place, >> Walter would be mad at you.

[00:10:53]>> Yeah. Like totally missed the point of this movie.

[00:10:55]>> Yeah.

[00:10:56]>> Yeah.

[00:10:56]>> Yeah. [laughter] >> Damn. I want to go on an adventure, but first let me watch some TV again.

[00:11:01]>> Yeah. I know I should be touching grass, but I really just I well I love the comfort of Walter Mitti having to go through having to go through this [ __ ] >> There's also the the kind of symbolism of Life magazine turning digitally, you know, losing the physical copy of Seeing the World and having the magazine, which even is almost still a separation from reality, but now you're going deeper separation from reality where you're just looking at a screen and bunch of a bunch of pixels as you look at Life magazine.

[00:11:27]>> Yeah. that it's too easy, you know, getting a magazine, you have to like uh just the way this movie makes it look like you you have to like go out into the wild to go get this magazine. Like every everybody's getting too comfortable. It's getting too easy for people.

[00:11:41]>> So, this movie is literally getting more relevant >> as we go through life as technology advances, as AI takes over our world, >> aliens meet us.

[00:11:52]>> Humans are humans are meant to do this, bro. Now, don't get me wrong, I love watching a good movie and being cozy, but like we're not actually supposed to do this. No, >> we are we need to we need to go back a little bit.

[00:12:06]>> The biggest thing that sucks about technology evolving and like having electricity and lights is that at night we're meant to see the sky. Like, if there's no lights, you see >> like a million stars. You see like the Milky Way coming across the sky. Like, it looks surreal. But light pollution, you can't see it. So like, we're literally blocking the most surreal thing we can ever see is the freaking outer space sky. But we can't.

[00:12:34]We suck, bro.

[00:12:36]>> Humanity.

[00:12:37]>> We suck. Except we are capable of making The Secret Life of Walter Mitti. So we're not that bad.

[00:12:44]>> Ben Stiller. Shout out Ben Ben Stiller.

[00:12:46]Shout out to Ben Stiller, who I did not know that he directed this until the end of the movie.

[00:12:53]>> Yeah, >> this guy's crazy.

[00:12:54]>> What's weird about this movie is that critics hated this movie.

[00:12:58]>> It has like 50% on Rotten Tomatoes, >> but they missed all the critics, all their ratings and stuff, they missed the entire point of the movie. Like one I think, okay, I have a quote here from one of these critics.

[00:13:09]>> First off, they don't want us to escape.

[00:13:11]That's why they hate this movie. But please explain.

[00:13:13]>> So all the critics have like it's not very good. It's like a flat movie, blah blah this and that. But like they're they're giving no credit to how deep the movie actually goes >> because there's actually more layers than just like the story and the theme.

[00:13:24]It actually ties into like Ben Stiller's life because at this point in Ben Ben Stiller's career, he was kind of shift he's always kind of directed things, but he was shifting his career into directing more and he actually wanted to step away from acting a little bit because said acting is a little bit limiting because you can really only play, like we were talking about earlier, you can only play the characters that fit your acting personality. You can't, you know, you're kind of limited on what stories you can tell versus being a director, you can kind of tell whatever story you want because you can whatever your mind can come up with, you can direct that story and pick it. I mean, we've seen him as severance.

[00:13:58]>> Yeah. Which I want to get to that at some point.

[00:14:00]>> Um, >> it's Yeah, he's kind of got the same career path as John Fabro anyways.

[00:14:05]>> Mhm.

[00:14:05]>> Yeah. But so Walter maybe the character is basically a symbol or a metaphor for Ben Siller in his life at this point to where he wants to his air quote mundane life is acting and playing the same type of roles but he wants to step out and take the adventure of being a director and doing more directing work because you see in his resume a ton of acting before this. He had a few director like Tropic Thunder was before this. um >> he directed that a few other movies he's directed, but he >> kind of after this movie is kind of where his directing resume >> really stacked up because he kind of went and focused more on the directing directing side of his career. So him directing this, him starring in it, >> there's like a deeper layer where he's kind of mimicking his own life, what he's thinking about in his own life. I don't think he's ever maybe he has mentioned this, but if you just kind of look at his career, it's kind of a very similar thing where like maybe just subconsciously he wanted to do the movie.

[00:14:58]>> Yeah. because he feels closer to um Walter Mitti in this. And so some of the critics said the movie causes our identification to give way to envy and Midi is another person the rest of us can only dream of becoming.

[00:15:13]>> The entire point is that you can become Midi. You can't just go take an adventure. You can't just go step out of your >> like if you don't get the message of the movie, you're going to stick as old Walter daydreaming and watching movies.

[00:15:25]>> Yeah.

[00:15:25]>> Which is hilarious. And like if you think about it, these critics writing the reviews are literally going against the exact message of the movie where >> they watch a movie, a screen, seeing a guy take an adventure and they log onto their laptop and then post their opinion about a bad review of the movie and then go back to their life and not have any adventure just criticizing the depiction of an adventure.

[00:15:46]>> That is just I mean that's honestly I bet he was I bet Ben Stiller was so happy when he saw that.

[00:15:51]>> I know it was like that works perfectly with the movie. the critics hating on this movie fulfills the message of this movie, [laughter] which >> is hilarious.

[00:15:59]>> They don't want you to escape. And I love it cuz like they literally make it so simple because it is that simple. He was like, "Oh god, he's in Greenland."

[00:16:07]And she was like, "Yeah, like but you can go. It's actually very easy, dude. You're like 40 something. No kids, no wife. You can literally go. Like you you make money.

[00:16:20]It's only $84 if you want to go to Afghanistan [laughter] or no, if you want to go to Yemen.

[00:16:25]>> Like, bro, also it's your job. Like, you Yeah, bro. You should go to Greenland.

[00:16:29]It's very easy. It's actually not that hard to do. We have accomplished so much as a race.

[00:16:35]>> Yeah. Look, Ron made us 52%.

[00:16:38]>> That's insane.

[00:16:40][snorts] That's in Oh, that's almost on purpose. I almost think that Ben's like, "Yeah, could y'all actually [ __ ] on it?

[00:16:46]That'll help me."

[00:16:47]>> Yeah.

[00:16:47]>> Yeah. cuz I can you really think of anybody that would watch this movie and be like I hated it. My grandma liked this movie. She took us to go watch it when I was a little kid when it first came out. We watched in the movie theater. She like took us I don't know why we wouldn't watch this movie. I think she wanted to watch it. I don't I can't imagine us picking this movie as children. I mean I'm 13 years old. I'm like let's go see some war.

[00:17:11]>> Right. Yeah. Like the secret life of Walter Midi. Look, he's literally in a suitcase. He Yeah. He's got a collared shirt with a tie on and a suitcase. That doesn't appeal to children.

[00:17:22]>> And as a 13-year-old, I don't really think I'm really reading out the like, what's the description of this movie? Am I going to like this movie? You just kind of go and watch a movie, >> right? You saw a commercial for it and now you're like, >> that trailer looks sick.

[00:17:34]>> This is an Iron Man.

[00:17:35]>> Oh, that's a lot of killing.

[00:17:38]>> Yeah. Where's the killing in this movie?

[00:17:40][laughter] >> Yeah. Actually, you hate this movie.

[00:17:42]>> Yeah, but everybody loves this movie.

[00:17:44]It's a good action comedy adventure. PG family.

[00:17:49]>> I can't. And it's PG, too.

[00:17:53]Shout out to us. We're really stepping it up with like the familyfriendly movies.

[00:17:56]>> What's going on with this podcast?

[00:17:57]>> Yeah, something's up. Um, wow. I can't actually How is it PG? There's a drunk pilot.

[00:18:03]>> You don't cuss.

[00:18:04]>> No, I guess. Yeah, you can get away with it.

[00:18:05]>> Comedy.

[00:18:07]>> You can get away with it. Comedy. Um, also, what is her name? Is it Kristen Stewart?

[00:18:12]>> Kristen Wig.

[00:18:13]>> Thank you. Who's Kristen Stewart?

[00:18:15][laughter] >> Twilight.

[00:18:18]>> I suck at this, bro. [laughter] I don't know famous people at all. I don't know actors names, anything. But >> and here's the worst part is I actually I love Kristen Wake. She's like one of my favorite SNL uh cast members ever. Yes. I Okay. Thank you. Yes. Thank you for clarifying that.

[00:18:37]That is not Kristen Wig.

[00:18:39]>> So to make sure >> um >> Mr. Movie Podcast host. Yeah. Oh, dude.

[00:18:44]I know. I I know. I get it all the time.

[00:18:47]Um Kristen Wig is an animal. She's so talented. She's so good. Also can sing.

[00:18:53]Kind of forgot that.

[00:18:55]>> Was that actually her singing?

[00:18:57]>> I think so.

[00:18:58]>> It sounded like her.

[00:18:59]>> And I think she sung in like SNL skits and like it was good. She's got a good voice.

[00:19:06]>> She She's so good.

[00:19:08]>> She's so talented. It's nuts. Ben Stiller said they filmed they cut some of the dream daydreaming scenes from it because it was like too weird, too corny where it just felt like a skit. He said like there's one with him and Chris and Wig where it was like I think he said it was like a Downtown Abbey type thing and I don't know. He said it was just it felt like a skit like it wasn't didn't seem like it fit in place cuz like like the Benjamin Buttons one >> the Benjamin Buttons one is a know where you're like wait what the [ __ ] what is this? Why is he daydreaming about being a Benjamin Button?

[00:19:39]>> [clears throat] >> That is like hilarious.

[00:19:41]>> But this is book based on a book like a short story. Walter Mitti, the secret life of Walter Mitti was a short story.

[00:19:48]>> What?

[00:19:48]>> This diverges story like act like that takes anything away because you still Okay. What's the short story? What's What's it about?

[00:19:56]>> It's this movie diverges from the short story cuz the short story was more just about a man living a mundane life that just daydreams that he does different things but his wife is like bossing him around to go and like run errands for him. Like while he's running errands, he like dreams. He's like a war veteran or >> Yeah. He's just living in completely different worlds. Yeah.

[00:20:12]>> The book doesn't really go into him having the real adventure. And Ben Ser was a fan of that book when he's a kid and he remembered it. And there's another movie. I believe there's like a this is a remake. There was another Secret Life Walter Mini movie and he said he had he didn't really watch that movie like he's only seen like clips on TV and has you know never really been a >> watcher of the movie.

[00:20:32]>> When did it come out?

[00:20:42]1947.

[00:20:43]Whoa.

[00:20:47]So, this one's again closer to the book with the daydream is the main focus of it versus this movie is about, you know, kind of changing the story a little bit and then having that real adventure be the message of like don't just daydream, go live >> Life magazine.

[00:21:02]>> Yeah. So, it's not going to be about him having to track down a photographer, which I think like again I think that's just a very big part of this movie because Ben Stiller is like directing which means like it look and just based on the fact that Severance is also beautifully shot.

[00:21:20]>> Yeah.

[00:21:21]>> And so I'm starting to get the impression that Ben Stiller really cares about cinematography.

[00:21:26]>> He's creative. Well, I was seeing some behind the scenes clips of him and like he's there with the camera. Not with the camera. I mean, I guess with the camera sometimes obviously, but he's like picking the shots and like telling the DP like, "All right, come back here and come through here." Like very much and can kind of control the visual aspect of the movie.

[00:21:42]>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, in another life, he's a director of photography as well.

[00:21:48]Ben Stiller. Yeah. And then I also did not remember that Adam Scott was in this movie. And so that's kind of crazy that this is probably where they met because I know I saw Adam Scott was on Kid Cuy's new podcast that he's got going on and I just saw a clip and he was just explaining he was like yeah like Ben Stiller I think approached him in like 2017.

[00:22:12]>> Wow.

[00:22:12]>> About severance. He was like there's nothing. It's just an idea right now.

[00:22:16]And like I I don't even think the script was done. and he like told Adam about it and then that was 2017. When did Seventh finally come out? Like >> was it like after 2020?

[00:22:29]>> Was it two years ago?

[00:22:31]>> Yeah, it's pretty recent. Also, when's number when season two dropping?

[00:22:36]>> Season three.

[00:22:37]>> Oh, season 3, right? 2022.

[00:22:40]>> That's crazy.

[00:22:42]Okay, maybe I'm getting the dates. No, I'm pretty sure he said 2017.

[00:22:47]Isn't that crazy though? Like that's how long it can take >> to get something made, but you also have to make it right.

[00:22:53]>> Season 3 is coming out mid to late 2027 >> in a year.

[00:23:00]>> Looks like they uh [ __ ] >> started filming in April or was expected to film in April. So hopefully they're filming it or wrapping it.

[00:23:10]>> Damn it, dude. Anyways, yeah, but it is cool. Like this is probably where they met.

[00:23:16]>> Yeah. At least their first time working together. Yeah, >> I would assume. I mean, >> but he literally plays the opposite of his character from Severance in The Secret Life of Walter Mitti.

[00:23:26]>> Yeah.

[00:23:26]>> Adam Scott rules reversed.

[00:23:28]>> Yeah. He literally Yeah. So, that's just incredible to me that Ben Stiller does this movie with him. Then he comes up with this idea for Severance and has him in mind when he didn't even come close to playing that character. But Adam Scott playing the boss man that's actually dumb is good because Adam Scott can be that >> he's so good at it.

[00:23:49]>> Yeah. He's like, you know, his acting persona is like the guy that >> like Derek from Step Brothers.

[00:23:54]>> I was going to say >> like trying to be cool but he's not.

[00:23:58]>> Yeah. What was the story with Step Brothers? Wasn't he like kind of insecure about getting into comedy?

[00:24:04]>> Did you tell me that?

[00:24:05]>> I can't remember what that point was. I feel like Adam Scott was like he I feel like he did mainly serious acting roles and like stepping into comedy especially set brothers.

[00:24:17]>> Yes, that's right. He was >> like he was like kind of nervous or insecure.

[00:24:21]>> Yes, that's what it was. Yeah. I think the story was like he >> I think I think John Ham was supposed to get that role.

[00:24:26]>> Yeah, I think so.

[00:24:27]>> Yeah.

[00:24:27]>> But he was he was in St Brothers. He like was scared to to to do the scenes and improv with Will Faroh and John C.

[00:24:34]Bradley and everybody. And so he would like rehearse the scene and um Adam Scott came up, "Hey, we're going to scrap the scene. We're doing this one instead." He's like, "Wait, what? I didn't rehearse for it. I don't I don't know what I'm going to do."

[00:24:45]>> Yeah. And so that's why he was nervous about uh acting on Step Brothers with in the in the comedy role.

[00:24:50]>> But Step Brothers came before this, right? Before The Secret Life Walter Mini.

[00:24:55]>> Oh, yeah. Yeah.

[00:24:56]>> Because he's pretty much just playing that character again.

[00:24:58]>> Yeah.

[00:24:58]>> He's good at it. He >> is good at it.

[00:25:00]>> He's good at And then he does it again in uh Eastbound and Down.

[00:25:04]>> Yeah.

[00:25:05]>> Yeah. He plays the the [ __ ] agent, right? I think he I think he's >> Damn, I just watched it, too. I can't remember who, >> bro. Yeah. What are you doing to me? You love this show.

[00:25:16]>> You love He's pounding down.

[00:25:18]>> I love all Danny McBride. What's your favorite Danny McBride show?

[00:25:23]>> Vice Principles. That one caught me off guard.

[00:25:27]>> I love Righteous Gemstones.

[00:25:28]>> Righteous is good. I loved it. But Vice Principles was like, "Damn, this is almost not even a comedy."

[00:25:35]>> Oh, Adam Scott plays the guy that promises u Kenny Powers a spot on a team and then he's like gets fired and was like on cocaine and like [laughter] just made that up.

[00:25:47]>> What is he talking about? He's nervous about comedy. He's funny.

[00:25:49]>> He is funny.

[00:25:50]>> And then Yeah. What am I He did Parks and Wreck. Adam Scott's kind of the man, too, now that I think about it.

[00:25:55]>> Mhm.

[00:25:55]>> This guy's nuts. A lot of good talent in this movie.

[00:25:59]>> It is. It's good. Um, but again, going back to the deeper layers. All right, we have Life magazine going digital again, stepping away from the world.

[00:26:07]>> Um, you have Adam Scott coming in and like just posturing corporate talk to all the people, making them leave their job despite all the years of them like building up this magazine about life, forgetting the motto, doesn't even care.

[00:26:21]Um, you have Adam Scott or no, Adam Scott, you have Ben Steel's character, Walter Midi. Obviously, he works down in the basement away from the world and is also just taking the negatives of photos of the outside world to put them on a magazine cover. So, you have that his that separation from reality.

[00:26:40]>> Like a lot of little good layers in this movie that just fit right into that theme.

[00:26:45]>> Could you explain to me what negatives are?

[00:26:50]>> I [snorts] can try. I I did like the rough concept of I've never like done it.

[00:26:54]>> You've never done it?

[00:26:55]>> No. But I think when you take a photo, the way the a film camera works, it like imprints the negative image onto the film and then you have [clears throat] to go in and return into color to pull out the image.

[00:27:06]>> Okay.

[00:27:08]That was good. I think that was good.

[00:27:10]>> That's roughly how it works.

[00:27:12]>> Okay.

[00:27:12]>> Never actually shot on film. I want to, but like film photos.

[00:27:16]>> Yeah. Yeah.

[00:27:16]>> They're just so nice.

[00:27:17]>> They are. How? What?

[00:27:20]>> You've never shot on film? You're a fraud. [laughter] You're You're a phony.

[00:27:26]>> This is so bad that our listeners that are older than us, this little young film negative is >> light. It's light sensitive and inverted photograph images produced on a camera.

[00:27:38]>> Yeah, it's just the opposite. It's just it's more sensitive so you can imprint more of the light on it. So then you can turn it into the positive so you can visually scan it. Okay, cool. [laughter] It's It's important.

[00:27:53]Walter Mitti, >> dude. Yeah. I What's the craziest place you've ever traveled to?

[00:28:02]>> Dude, I I don't travel like that.

[00:28:04]>> You got to go on some adventures.

[00:28:06]>> I know. I know. This movie is literally It's kind of crazy that I don't even know why I wanted to watch this movie, but now I'm starting to think I do know why. because I'm reading this book right now. What's it called? The uh the crisis of comfort or the comfort crisis. I literally just started it.

[00:28:25]Like I think I'm on like page 40ish. But it tackles exactly what this movie is talking about, which is what I was kind of saying at the beginning is like mankind was not meant to actually be this or this comfortable. Mhm.

[00:28:38]>> So, the reason that like anxiety, depression, all that has skyrocketed is because we've like kind of confined ourselves to just being on screens and watching movies and, you know, just kind of binging the next TV show, >> sitting in 73° air conditioning.

[00:28:55]>> Exactly. Oh, wow. Literally says that in the book, too. Yeah. Um, yeah. Like, you talk about like, [ __ ] dude. Seance doesn't come out till next year. Dude, we just got Invincible and there's like another million other shows to watch.

[00:29:08]>> The Boys.

[00:29:09]>> See, there's The Boys. Yeah. Like there's literally an overload and they're like just keeping us inside.

[00:29:15]Yep.

[00:29:16]>> And so there's this thing that like Walter Mitti >> I I'm sure Ben Stiller like knows of it, but he like Walter Mitti >> unintentionally does it. It's this Japanese custom. I cannot remember the name of it, but it starts with an M.

[00:29:32]Anyways, it's about like it's this state of being where if you put yourself pretty much in a situation where you have to like break all expectations of what you thought you could do and like physically too where it's like you don't run you let's say like for me like I could probably run like five miles like if I thought I was really trying.

[00:29:57]>> Sure.

[00:29:57]>> In reality I could run a lot more than that. Like if I really really had to.

[00:30:03]>> That's a David Gogggins mindset where he's or I think it's also the Navy Seals >> when you think you're tapped out at your limit. You're like 60% there. Yeah.

[00:30:12]>> You got like maybe you have [snorts] 60% left. Yeah.

[00:30:15]>> Like you have a lot more left in your body that you're just your you have the strength in your mind to push past that.

[00:30:19]>> Right.

[00:30:20]>> Same with holding your breath, >> right? Yeah.

[00:30:22]>> Like holding like when the pain hits just your body saying I need to breathe.

[00:30:25]It's just carbon dioxide building up.

[00:30:27]Like you can go for a lot longer if you can have obviously you need to work up to it. will pass out. But you have the fortitude to last for like 5 minutes holding your breath. Some people even go like 10 minutes >> holding their breath. You know what I mean?

[00:30:38]>> Yeah. No, it's it's insane. And so just going into this movie, like just seeing it and then it just literally the book that I'm reading, he just talks about how people literally feel better because you kind of find a purpose. You shatter expectations that you didn't even like ever think about. And like you're supposed to kind of feel the survival instinct like a few times in your life.

[00:31:04]>> That's what they say anxiety is. It's because you're not getting chased by an animal. So when you're sitting around doing nothing and you feel anxious because >> you think there's a tiger coming to get you cuz it's just been bred in you for as long as humans existed. Like only very recently have we been comfortable.

[00:31:18]It's a very short thing.

[00:31:20]>> And our bodies are not built for that.

[00:31:22]>> Yeah. And I mean like new new thing really. I mean, it all pretty much went to [ __ ] sadly when like the first movie came out.

[00:31:32]>> Yeah. [laughter] >> Well, think about this.

[00:31:34]>> So, there's a dark irony.

[00:31:35]>> The human body is is designed to run.

[00:31:38]Like, we're perfectly engineered to be long distance runners.

[00:31:40]>> Yeah. Like, I know it's something and also something to do with like your feet, like the way that they're curved.

[00:31:45]Yeah.

[00:31:46]>> Our butt, like having our butt stick out is like balance when you run.

[00:31:49]>> We're not even supposed to wear shoes. I just found that out. You're not supposed to wear shoes.

[00:31:52]>> I found that out like a year or two ago.

[00:31:54]>> Mhm. I was like, "All right, dude. Like, relax."

[00:31:57]>> Your feet should be like wide, like super adaptable and callous to protect you from outside.

[00:32:02]>> I tried going on a hike without shoes one time. I was like, "Bro, what in what world?"

[00:32:07]>> Yeah.

[00:32:08]>> Anyways, but yeah.

[00:32:09]>> And so, back in the day when we were cavemen hunting and gathering for food, the way that we would hunt some animals is we would just outrun them.

[00:32:18]>> Like a the human body can endure a lot longer distances than like any animal.

[00:32:24]Cheetahs can do really fast sprints, but they tap out quick.

[00:32:27]>> We are the alpha.

[00:32:28]>> We are the alpha. Look at us. We have microphones. We're talking to microphones [laughter] about a movie.

[00:32:34]>> This is alpha [ __ ] right here.

[00:32:35]>> Yeah, we won. [laughter] >> Alpha [ __ ] is us sitting here on podcast.

[00:32:40]>> Look at us. Yeah.

[00:32:40]>> Talking about movies.

[00:32:41]>> We're the big winners.

[00:32:42]>> Yeah. But uh and so imagine us we just door dash some food. [ __ ] go drive the car to pick up some Freddy's burgers.

[00:32:51]>> Yeah.

[00:32:52]>> No sir. We're supposed to be running for 100 miles to go wait for this animal to gas out and then stab him in the neck and cut him up, cook him.

[00:33:00]>> You're supposed to be hungry. I don't think you're ever really supposed to be full.

[00:33:04]>> No, if you're full [laughter] like >> you're not eating for like three days.

[00:33:08]>> Exact. Yeah. Like if Oh, we're talking like back back in the day. Yeah.

[00:33:12]>> Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Like right now we are not supposed to eat until we're full. That's just not what we were programmed to do.

[00:33:18]>> And so just Yeah. like reading this book, he talks about like you know there are still people to this day like you know kind of in other parts of the world where they have tribes where like dude they will send a like a kid to like become a man his test like all right you got to go hunt a lion with a spear also no shoes >> that's 300 Sparta [laughter] >> and so it's just crazy but like okay I keep trying to tie it back to Walter Midi >> [laughter] >> But the book also like kind of talks was like and you start looking better. You start looking like a human in this movie. He looks just weird. He looks fake almost. He just looks so >> awkward and small and >> again like that's kind that might be a dig to Ben Stiller because but I think he knows what he's doing and he plays into it. You know, he gives the character like kind of the cut off collared shirt with the clip on tie.

[00:34:16]Like he just looks so dorky.

[00:34:18]>> Yeah. Then at the end of the movie, you're like, "Damn, dude. Ben Stiller, good-looking cat.

[00:34:22]>> Got a tan."

[00:34:23]>> Yeah, he's got a tan. Yeah. But he's also like, it's the adventure in him.

[00:34:26]It's the fact like, and that's also really good acting, I think.

[00:34:31]>> Mhm.

[00:34:31]>> You know, to where >> carry yourself differently.

[00:34:33]>> Yeah. Cuz like Ben Stiller, I'm sure in real life, like that's probably how he carries himself. Like, you know, just confident, you know?

[00:34:43]>> Um, >> but yeah, it's just it's kind of crazy how that works. Like if you put yourself in these situations, I want to Maybe I should just [ __ ] go to Greenland.

[00:34:53]>> Go.

[00:34:53]>> What are we talking about?

[00:34:54]>> Go tomorrow. Quit your job. Go.

[00:34:57]>> Quit my job. Don't drive to New Orleans for a week. You're right. What is money anyways? We don't need money. We weren't programmed for it.

[00:35:03]>> Just money.

[00:35:04]>> But yeah, so just it's it's kind of cool that Walter Mitti, Ben Stiller specifically, like I'm sure he'd heard of that and kind of applied that as well. I envy the life of just backpacking.

[00:35:17]>> What are you talking about? You could do it.

[00:35:19]>> I have a wife and a child.

[00:35:20]>> Okay. [laughter] Yes. I was reading this book.

[00:35:24][gasps] I was reading this book and I like I think 20 pages in I was like, damn. Like Cade cannot read this book. You would just laugh. You'd be like, "Cool, dude.

[00:35:36]>> Mercedes, we're selling the house."

[00:35:38]>> Yeah. [laughter] >> We're backpacking across America.

[00:35:41]>> Mercedes. I'm not exactly happy these days. Um, I think what I need to do is just go backpack in like Afghanistan for like a few days.

[00:35:52]>> That's why I want to get a camper cuz that's like the closest thing you can do.

[00:35:57]>> Yeah.

[00:35:57]>> Still comfy, >> but you can still just kind of go wherever. You don't have like one spot.

[00:36:01]You can just I'm going to stay here for a week. I'm stay.

[00:36:03]>> Humans weren't made to drive.

[00:36:05]>> You're going against everything if you get in a car.

[00:36:08]>> Yeah. They used to think that if >> you're supposed to walk >> They used to think that when trains were first built, they thought that if the human body went faster than like 30 miles an hour, it would explode [laughter] >> because no human's ever been that fast.

[00:36:19]>> Oh, so you're saying they might be right. I don't know.

[00:36:22]>> I go 90.

[00:36:23]>> Oh. Oh, you're talking about Okay.

[00:36:26]>> Okay. I see what you mean.

[00:36:27]>> What' you think?

[00:36:28]>> I thought you meant like if a human started running that fast, they would explode. You meant if they were put on a train and just went that fast, >> it's like too >> Oh, I feel something.

[00:36:37]>> Yeah. explode.

[00:36:38]>> Oh my god. Yeah.

[00:36:40]>> But backpacking like that, dude. Just The only thing I wonder about is like how do you You just probably smell like [ __ ] constantly. You have one set of clothes or like an extra pair of clothes. How do you How are you washing it?

[00:36:52]>> You just smell like Matthew McConnA on any given day.

[00:36:54]>> Let it sit in the sun. The sun probably kills the stench.

[00:36:59]>> No, I bet he smells pretty bad.

[00:37:01]>> I bet Shan O'Connell smells pretty bad.

[00:37:04]>> Yeah, but he's playing into that whole artist thing.

[00:37:07]He doesn't believe in smelling bad.

[00:37:09]>> No, >> you just smell which Matthew McConna that's the rumor. I've yet to actually work.

[00:37:15]>> He smells bad.

[00:37:16]>> Matthew McConn supposedly doesn't wear deodorant.

[00:37:20]>> Mercedes has been like in the same room with him doing the media for Texas stuff and she said he smelled amazing.

[00:37:26]>> I bet he does. I bet he does. I you know I the people that I've worked with I haven't worked with Matthew yet but like a lot of the people nobody's actually saying that he smells like [ __ ] This was something that I heard before we got here.

[00:37:39]>> Gotcha.

[00:37:39]>> They were like oh good luck whenever you meet Matthew like you won't be able to breathe. I was like dude he's like a movie star. Those Lincoln commercials alone.

[00:37:49]>> He also cares about his looks. He's a movie star >> right.

[00:37:53]>> He's not like all natural. You can't just be walking around doing all this and then smelling like poopy.

[00:37:58]>> I believe Matthew gone on a worst degree.

[00:38:01]>> I'm even if he doesn't wear deodorant, I'm sure he's on some other product that I can't even imagine. Not even close to my stratosphere of hearing about it.

[00:38:10]>> Yeah.

[00:38:11]>> And I'm sure he just Anyways, Walter Mitty smells like [ __ ] though.

[00:38:16]Fun fact, whenever the drunken pilot goes up to Walter Mitti and tells him there's only like eight people in Greenland, Walter Medi only encounters eight people in Greenland.

[00:38:27]>> See, don't you just love movies?

[00:38:30]>> The layers.

[00:38:30]>> It's the layers. Don't you just love that?

[00:38:33]>> There's You got the You got the people in the bar. I think it's like seven people in the bar and then you have the one guy he meets rent the car. That's all he meets in Greenland. The next people he meets are in Iceland.

[00:38:43]>> Yeah. No cops either. That's why that guy was so quick to just I guess murdering Walter Mitti.

[00:38:50]>> Yeah, >> that Yeah, spoiler alert. The whole movie is actually just a dream.

[00:38:56]>> Mhm. Oh, >> he's got to Somebody's got to have that theory.

[00:38:59]>> Interesting point about the dream.

[00:39:02]Walter Mitti daydreamed hearing that guy call Wig Kristen Wig's character Honey. He never said that. He daydreamed it.

[00:39:11]>> Wait, >> because the guy walks away, he's blurry.

[00:39:13]is honey. That's when he leaves. She And that's And she says, "We're not together. If they're not together, that guy would never call her honey."

[00:39:19][sighs and gasps] >> Oh, okay. Yep.

[00:39:21]>> He's fixing her fridge. He just came there to fix the fridge.

[00:39:24]>> That was just him >> daydreaming.

[00:39:26]>> Yep.

[00:39:26]>> Yeah. There's levels to it. See, I wonder if there was like other things, too. Like maybe we didn't catch >> proper.

[00:39:31]>> You cannot kind of You can tell when the daydream happens when it kind of goes slow-mo a second like it's a little slower.

[00:39:37]>> Mhm.

[00:39:37]>> And then something crazy happens.

[00:39:39]>> Yeah. Like I thought the shark was about to be a dream. It's I mean it's just it's very well done because like you that's the point is that you're like oh [ __ ] this is real life.

[00:39:51]>> Yeah. Right.

[00:39:52]>> Like whenever the dude is going to stab his eye I'm like all right well he's just about to wake up cuz that's madness. There's no way that this is happening.

[00:39:59]>> Yeah. Speaking of the daydreams of stunts, like Ben still did a lot of these stunts himself.

[00:40:03]>> Well, was that him on the skateboard?

[00:40:05]>> Yep.

[00:40:06]>> Shut up.

[00:40:06]>> Not not joking. Not the tricks, but like longboarding. That's what I'm talking about.

[00:40:10]>> He was longboarding.

[00:40:10]>> Okay. Longboarding is sickuring, >> but also >> doable.

[00:40:14]>> During the shoot. Yeah. During the shoot on the street when it's Adam Scott versus Ben Stiller, the big brawl with the stretchy guy, whatever it's called, Stretch Armstrong.

[00:40:24]>> He's actually on a long He's on a long board and they did the CGI obviously with like him skating on the ground, but he's on a longboard and they were like pulling him with a truck. He had like a safety rig for some of them, >> right?

[00:40:35]>> But he was getting pulled. Adam Scott was like on top of the bus. I don't I didn't see any straps. I'm sure maybe his feet were locked in or something, but like they're driving the bus out and he's standing on it like holding the Stretch Armstrong.

[00:40:46]>> Yeah.

[00:40:46]>> Like they were doing those stunts inside the city.

[00:40:48]>> Well, I think you have to like think about directing this movie that apparently you're basing it on your life to like take risks and stuff like that and then like you got to get out of the the Matrix essentially. You got to get out of your office. You got to go to Greenland. You got to jump out of a helicopter. You got a longboard to the volcano. If that's the message and you're making the message, you can't just be like, "Can I actually get a stunt double?"

[00:41:14]>> Yeah, >> that would defeat the purpose and probably change the tone.

[00:41:19]>> Good directing.

[00:41:20]>> Except for the skateboarding scene when he's doing the skateboarding tricks. You can very clearly see in the background that blurry image that is not Ben Stiller.

[00:41:26]>> Yeah. But like I'm not going to hold that against Ben, >> you know? I'm not going to hold that.

[00:41:29]But like longboarding realistically, like you just have to be somewhat athletic to be able to do that.

[00:41:38]>> And also, why would you not want to do that? Did that not look like the coolest thing in the world, >> dude? That would be insane.

[00:41:45]>> Did that not look like the coolest thing in the world?

[00:41:47]>> That'd be badass.

[00:41:48]>> Exactly.

[00:41:48]>> I'm sure you probably didn't do the hand thing.

[00:41:52]>> Oh, maybe. I don't know.

[00:41:53]>> I don't know. Honestly, I don't know.

[00:41:55]I'm gonna I'm gonna go ahead and assume you're wrong. Ben Stiller was the man making this movie. So, he was like, >> you can't have the director starring lead [laughter] [ __ ] crash, roll, break his neck.

[00:42:09]>> You only get >> postponed.

[00:42:10]>> You only get one of these.

[00:42:12]>> Yeah.

[00:42:12]>> Yeah.

[00:42:13]>> Um, you got to be careful with the death wobble on a longboard >> for sure.

[00:42:18]>> When you're going fast, you [ __ ] shaking.

[00:42:20]>> Who fell off that bike?

[00:42:22]Is that Ben? That way.

[00:42:24]>> No way.

[00:42:25]>> No way.

[00:42:26]>> No way. That was Ben.

[00:42:28]>> Yeah. You ever crash bad on a on a board?

[00:42:30]>> Yeah, dude.

[00:42:31]>> Yeah. I used to have a booster board.

[00:42:33]>> Oh, ripstick. [laughter] >> I used We used to when I was growing up, we used to have our my dad's golf cart, my parents golf cart. We would take a wakeboarding rope, tie it to the back, and then hold the ripstick behind like we're wakeboarding on the street.

[00:42:46]>> Mhm.

[00:42:47]>> But when I was in college, I had like this boosted board, the electric skateboard.

[00:42:49]>> You love that thing?

[00:42:51]>> That a commission now. We'll get that fixed. We got to get you back on there.

[00:42:54]>> My mailbox is not in front of the house.

[00:42:56]It was like a PO box we have to go to.

[00:42:58]>> And so I'm like, "Dude, sweet. I got I can use my booster board again and ride that thing down in the mailbox." And I went to go turn it on and that shit's dead.

[00:43:05]>> It's weird. A lot of cameramen have that. I've noticed that in the business.

[00:43:09]Like, >> yeah, you all have that board.

[00:43:12]>> But I was in college riding it to class and I hit a bump. Had a jump off. I didn't fall luckily, but like I had that fast dumble. Everybody's looking at me.

[00:43:21]I'm like, >> little fun fact for our viewers out there. Kade's actually a bit of a clumsy guy.

[00:43:26]>> Can be.

[00:43:28]>> What do you mean he can be?

[00:43:29]>> I have moments.

[00:43:30]>> I'm pretty good at saving.

[00:43:31]>> That's what being clumsy is. You just knocked this over.

[00:43:34]>> Okay, fine.

[00:43:35]>> I wish we were recording.

[00:43:37]>> You just knocked over like a pretty important part of our studio.

[00:43:42]>> We're filming.

[00:43:43]>> You've injured talent on sets before.

[00:43:46]>> Yep. We were on >> busted a girl's head open. instead of devil in a red dress when I [ __ ] nuked a girl with a heavy light right in the head.

[00:43:55]>> To be fair, sorry, Kevin. To be fair, she was standing right in the way. My fault. My not saying it wasn't my fault. I'm just saying she's standing in a very dangerous zone where there's [ __ ] moving around.

[00:44:07]>> You have to yell points. You have to yell points.

[00:44:09]>> Coming through. Coming through. Coming through.

[00:44:10]>> Points. Points. Points. That's what you have to say.

[00:44:12]>> No. I left the cut. I left the cut on that girl's head.

[00:44:15]>> Oh yeah.

[00:44:16]>> I felt so bad. Amy like hired our first actor and I was like >> it was right in front of her.

[00:44:20]>> Oh, dude. Literally, she was standing next to her. They were talking.

[00:44:23]>> Could have been her. Could Yeah, could have been her.

[00:44:26]>> Dude, that would have been bad.

[00:44:28]>> That would have been bad. But no, Ben Stiller didn't fall off that bike, but I wish he had.

[00:44:34]>> Damn it, dude. I had a point. I had something to say >> about the longboard.

[00:44:39]>> There was something. But Oh, no. Never mind. I didn't have a point. I was just going to say whenever I fell off my ripstick, I said like the lamest thing ever after cuz like >> no worse honestly than in front of my whole family. I think somebody somebody >> hit that one.

[00:44:58]>> Feel like that would have been normal cuz I was like 10. Feel like that would have been acceptable. But like I got up.

[00:45:03]It was one of those like got up immediately to like see like oh [ __ ] am I actually hurt? And like my family like rushed like you okay? You okay? I was like, I feel good, but do I look good?

[00:45:16]>> Nice.

[00:45:18]>> I was made for the camera, bro.

[00:45:20][laughter] I was made to do this [ __ ] apparently.

[00:45:24]Always always gave a damn.

[00:45:26]>> Do you look good? No, you just ate [ __ ] >> Yeah, that's why That's really why Ben Stiller wanted to make this movie. He's like, I'm a handsome guy.

[00:45:32]>> No, >> I wish you guys would take me more serious.

[00:45:34]>> Yeah, Ben Stiller made this movie so he could go on an adventure. He went to Iceland, >> dude. That's kind of why I want to do this. I don't know if he went to the Himalayas or not, but he went somewhere with mountains.

[00:45:43]>> Afghanistan might have been tricky.

[00:45:46]>> Little bit tricky.

[00:45:47]>> Funny seeing this movie now, and this is literally just this is one of our most hangout episodes I think we've ever had.

[00:45:54]We barely even talked about the movie.

[00:45:56][laughter] But a couple of weeks ago when I was driving to Dallas for a job, I don't know why, but I just kind of had like a Walter Midi moment where I was just like, you know, I could go anywhere in the world. I could literally go anywhere in the world just as it's like my right to, you know, like who who really can stop me from going anywhere I want?

[00:46:20]>> Nobody.

[00:46:22]>> This podcast.

[00:46:23]>> So then I chat GPT.

[00:46:25]How does one go on a vacation in Iraq?

[00:46:28]If I wanted to do that, what does it look like? And Chad GBT was immediately like, "Okay, hold on. Let's pump the brakes." You're not >> like, "You really if I Chad GBT, I [ __ ] with it all the time, which is going to get me killed whenever it takes over."

[00:46:42]She like, "You mess with me all the time." Um, it was like, "Can't tell if you're kidding right now. If you aren't, you really need to pump the brakes. You need to like slow down and really reassess like other traveling options."

[00:46:54]And I just doubled down. I was like, "No, I'm for real. I want to go. How do I do it? I want to go for 4 days [laughter] of spend the night. I want to go see some places. Like I I want to go to Baghdad at one point. How do I do it?" And uh you know what? You can. It's very hard, but you [laughter] can. You have to have a tour guide. Um >> yeah, that's >> But you can do it.

[00:47:14]>> I just want I want to go to Egypt and go see the pyramids, but like it's so dangerous >> if you believe in that sort of thing.

[00:47:20]>> You need like security.

[00:47:21]>> Egypt. Really? Egypt's super sketch.

[00:47:25]>> I don't think I knew that.

[00:47:26]>> Yeah.

[00:47:26]>> How could we let that happen?

[00:47:30]>> Who knows, man?

[00:47:32]>> Anyways, he goes Afghanistan and this is 2013. So, that was I don't I could we actually look this up because I'm having serious doubts that Ben Stiller was able to film this movie in Afghanistan in 2013.

[00:47:51]Where was the Secret Life Ultimate Mountain Scenes?

[00:48:02]>> Iceland.

[00:48:02]>> Oh, Iceland. National park, >> dude. Yeah, they weren't going to [ __ ] >> They were standins for Afghanistan and the Himalayas.

[00:48:09]>> They were not going to Afghanistan.

[00:48:11]Shot.

[00:48:12]>> No shot. You can't. Yeah.

[00:48:14]>> 2013, bro.

[00:48:15]>> Yeah. You can't an American going to Afghanistan to make a movie.

[00:48:21]>> Good hostage.

[00:48:22]>> Yeah. What a joke.

[00:48:24]Um I think Yeah. You ready to rate this movie? Like I I love this movie. And I think I think I'd be down to kind of get more into Ben Stiller films.

[00:48:39]What else has he done?

[00:48:40]>> Tropic Thunder.

[00:48:42]>> Okay. See, we I know I know we've been want to do that.

[00:48:46]Um, producer, actor, director, let's see here.

[00:49:06]>> Zoolander 2.

[00:49:09]Zoolander first one.

[00:49:11]>> Hot take. I'm not really the biggest fan of those movies. there. Yeah.

[00:49:15]He directed some Saturday Night Live stuff. The Ben Stiller show.

[00:49:20]>> Oh, yeah. I've actually heard of that.

[00:49:23]Um, it's uh it's got Ben Stiller in it.

[00:49:27]>> Yeah. So, he was, you know, directing like comedy movies and did a serious one and that kind of jumped him into getting the uncredited director for the Oh, welcome to Luman.

[00:49:40]>> Um, >> Lumen Luman. I just I think that's kind of nuts though that like he he's a talented actor. I just think this shit's crazy whenever this actually happens.

[00:49:50]Like this dude was literally made to make movies because like he's an actor.

[00:49:55]He's a talented actor and he's like I actually I want to get into directing.

[00:49:59]>> Mhm.

[00:50:00]>> And then he's a killer director. This movie looks phenomenal. Severance.

[00:50:04]Insane.

[00:50:04]>> He hasn't Look how many movies he's made.

[00:50:08]>> I always forget that he's Alex in Madagascar, too.

[00:50:11]>> Yeah.

[00:50:12]Um, >> Anchor Man, one of the >> King of the Hill. Oh, okay. I'm sure they actually had everybody I'm sure everybody at some point except for us has been on King of the Hill, >> bro. Insane amount of movies and things he's been in.

[00:50:29]Seems like except for most of the stuff he directs, he's in it. You know, Tropic Thunder, >> why not?

[00:50:35]>> Zoolander.

[00:50:36]>> Well, he's just one of those I don't know. He's really good at just playing a very like normal, relatable guy. So like, why not? Why not?

[00:50:48]>> Old Benny boy.

[00:50:49]>> I mean, he is a Nepo baby. But >> is he really?

[00:50:53]>> Look up his dad. This will make you laugh.

[00:50:54]>> Oh, Jerry Steeler.

[00:50:58]>> Oh, comedian.

[00:51:01]>> Comed Seinfeld.

[00:51:03]>> Oh, Seinfeld.

[00:51:04]>> Yeah, he's done like a lot of other stuff, but yeah, dude. That's uh George's dad and Seinfeld.

[00:51:11]>> Never seen Seinfeld. Never watched a single episode.

[00:51:17]>> I'm not going to try and convince you on the Walter Midi episode to go lay on a couch and watch Seinfeld. What you need to get what you need to do is destroy your house. Don't even get a tent and just take your family to the like field of grass or a mountain in Afghanistan and live there. But don't watch Seinfeld until this episode's off and then I'll then I'll tell you like, "Dude, Seinfeld's great."

[00:51:44]>> Okay.

[00:51:44]>> But uh yeah, dude, he's a Nepo baby. But guess what? It works out when you're actually good.

[00:51:50]>> Yep.

[00:51:50]>> So even if he wasn't a Nepo baby, he would have figured out a way to get into Hollywood. See, >> you can't hide this talent.

[00:51:57]>> Being >> respect, Ben Stiller also.

[00:52:01]>> I like it when the Knicks are good in the NBA.

[00:52:03]>> Yeah. Being being a Nepo baby is not bad unless you don't make good [ __ ] If you can live off of your father or mother's legacy and make something good, >> why would you not do that?

[00:52:14]>> Yeah. And then also, >> what if you want your children to be Nepo babies?

[00:52:18]>> That's the point, you know, of what of >> you want your all your hard work just to go to waste.

[00:52:23]>> Yeah. No, I I really wish Ben Stiller had just gotten into crack.

[00:52:27]>> Yeah. Or he Yeah.

[00:52:28]>> Which guess what? He could have.

[00:52:30]>> But he didn't.

[00:52:31]>> He didn't.

[00:52:32]>> He ended up making severance.

[00:52:33]>> Yeah. The Secret Life Walter Committee.

[00:52:35]>> And it's just one of those things where it's like, dude, you can blame nepotism all you want. And you can even have an opinion on acting. Really, you can have an opinion on all of this. It's subjective. I get that. The reality is if you are born and you have a parent or two that are famous actors or just somehow very high up plugged in the industry, yes, you get a little head start, but if you suck, you don't actually make it, >> right?

[00:53:04]>> You don't actually make it.

[00:53:06]>> So, and that's just that's just the case.

[00:53:08]>> Yeah. Nepotism is only bad whenever the person that doesn't deserve the job gets the job because of their parents.

[00:53:13]>> I'll tell you this. Even then, it's not even that bad because the parents provided that.

[00:53:17]>> There's probably way more Nepo babies that didn't get in than there are Nepo babies that did get in. Want to know why? Because you just you didn't hear about the Nepo babies to the top.

[00:53:29]>> That's all it is. That's all it is. If Ben Stiller wasn't a Nepo baby, >> I'm sure he still would have figured this out.

[00:53:36]>> Yep. Truly. Like that's just you can tell again in this movie it's very clear that like he was kind of emphasizing like look at how [ __ ] good look at how cool you can make stuff look with a camera if you do if you actually like try.

[00:53:51]>> Mhm.

[00:53:52]>> I'm sure he would have been able to figure that out eventually. Like even if he didn't have a dad [snorts] who played George Castanza's dad in Seinfeld. Yeah.

[00:54:01]>> Everybody relax.

[00:54:03]>> All right. Let's rate it.

[00:54:04]>> Yeah. I'm fired up.

[00:54:06]What do you have for The Secret Life of Walter Midi?

[00:54:11]>> Going down the list, uh, acting 10 out of 10.

[00:54:15]>> There you go.

[00:54:16]>> I think we've just Everybody kills it. Everybody on screen kills it. You don't make it in this movie if you suck.

[00:54:25]>> Turn [snorts] me up. Ben Stiller.

[00:54:27]Writing nine out of 10. Beautifully, beautiful story. lot of kind of levels in there that uh you were telling me about was just like that's pretty that's pretty smart.

[00:54:38]>> That's pretty good. Editing eight out of 10. Solid cinematography 10 out of 10.

[00:54:44]This is just one of the most beautiful films >> ever.

[00:54:48]>> Mhm.

[00:54:49]>> To me. And you know that it's just nice to see when somebody gives a damn. Yep.

[00:54:55]>> And tries.

[00:54:55]>> Yep.

[00:54:56]>> Um enjoyability 10 out of 10. I love this movie. I was being serious when I said I'm probably just going to go home and watch it again.

[00:55:02]>> Nice.

[00:55:03]>> So to a grand total of 9.4 out of 10.

[00:55:06]Turn me up, Alter Mitti.

[00:55:07]>> Nice.

[00:55:08]>> That's what I'm talking about.

[00:55:09]>> I have acting seven out of 10.

[00:55:12]>> I say solid. Seven solid. So I'm not saying it's like the best acting I've ever seen, but it's not bad. Just solid acting. Writing seven out of 10, too.

[00:55:18]>> And you're an actor, so you're you can have this opinion.

[00:55:21]>> Yeah.

[00:55:21]>> Yeah. You you can critique people.

[00:55:23]>> I'm a professional actor starring on the show.

[00:55:26]>> You don't even know the name of it. I do know the name, but might change.

[00:55:31]>> Uh, >> working title.

[00:55:32]>> Working title. Um, writing seven out of 10. I think it's a solid story. There's some cool layers to it, but it's also kind of like a simpler story. It's not like it's deep, profound deal. Message is kind of straightforward.

[00:55:43]>> Sure.

[00:55:43]>> So, I would just say solid writing, editing, nine out of 10. I think the greatest pace in this movie is when you get to hang out with Sean O'Connell because it's such a slower paced moment in that movie, but because you build up this mystique of this, you know, elusive photographer, you can't keep track of.

[00:56:02]So like when you sit with them and it's like just long and kind of just odd, you know, it's just you see his mystique coming out. It's like having that scene be like longer >> when you you know, it takes a while for them to start talking and everything, which I think is just good patient there. Plus, all the transitions are pretty cool.

[00:56:17]>> I also love that you saw him on the plane.

[00:56:20]>> Yes.

[00:56:21]>> That's so sick. Then he goes back to America then is still like he didn't meet him in Iceland.

[00:56:27]>> Yeah.

[00:56:27]>> So good.

[00:56:28]>> Cinematography 9 out of 10. Again, it's pretty hard to make Iceland look bad or the Himalayas or the or like the Iceland Icelandic mountains. Yeah. Beautiful movie. And then enjoyability. Eight out of 10 for a total score of eight out of 10 for The Secret Life of Walter Mitti.

[00:56:45]>> That's fair. What about that transition?

[00:56:48]Remember >> the the film stock to the him on the bench?

[00:56:52]>> Come on, dude. That's a pretty good.

[00:56:53]>> That's a 10 out of 10.

[00:56:54]>> That's a good transition right there.

[00:56:56][laughter and gasps] >> Even the letters on the ground stay the same from the film stock to the like painting on the ground.

[00:57:02]>> Yeah.

[00:57:02]>> Like I think it's number 27 and some other numbers that just like morph into the concrete paint. It's pretty cool.

[00:57:09]>> Eight out of 10. Huh?

[00:57:10]>> Yep.

[00:57:12]>> All right.

[00:57:12]>> For what? For what? Editing.

[00:57:14]>> No, the whole thing.

[00:57:16]>> Yeah.

[00:57:17]>> All right. Okay.

[00:57:18]>> It's a good score. It's a good score.

[00:57:21]>> It's a good score. Yeah. All right. 10's fine. I just I expected better from you.

[00:57:26]That's all. That's what I get for believing in people. That's all.

[00:57:29][laughter] Just going to get let down.

[00:57:31]>> Why don't you go on an adventure, bro?

[00:57:32]You're giving us such a high score. She ain't been on any adventures.

[00:57:35]>> I ain't doing nothing. I'm driving to New Orleans right now. Like right after this. Come on, dude. Cut me some slack.

[00:57:41]>> Fine. All right. Thank you guys for listening. Comment below your thoughts on The Secret Life of Walter Mitti. Give us your rating out of 10. Let us know what you think about this movie. And don't forget to like and subscribe if you're watching on YouTube. And don't forget to leave us a review if you're listening on Apple or Spotify.

[00:57:57]Don't forget to go to showstack.tv to support us there as we are on our endeavor to create our first ever TV show. Me and Grace starring in it. I am an actor.

[00:58:08]I'm a professional working actor working on one show that I'm self-producing.

[00:58:13][laughter] >> Got to start somewhere. We're not Nepo babies.

[00:58:17]>> Nope.

[00:58:18]>> But as always, we will see youall next week. We are out.

[00:58:24][music] I've [music] been working like a dog trying to find my next meal. Seems all I [music] do is drive. And when the postman sends my next check in the mail, [music and singing] I'll have