Spending a lot more time at home has led to a lot of channel flicking seeking inspiration for our wanderlust. Whilst our list of travel TV shows fills some of the void, we put our heads together to think of some of our favourite travel movies. Movies like The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.
This Ben Stiller epic is one of our favourite movies of all time, not just travel related. Walter Mitty does have a place close to our heart when it comes to travel however. It’s the first movie I flick to when I’m on a plane (remember those times?). It’s the movie I put on in the background when I’m looking for some background noise or just want to zone out.
Stiller’s portrayal of a daydreamer is just what most of us need when our travel options are restricted. Whether it’s jumping out of helicopters, outrunning volcanic eruptions, or hiking through Taliban controlled Afghan mountains it’s a movie that transports you anywhere.
There’s some irony in that given the film was shot between the US and Iceland alone. Iceland covered for Afghanistan, Greenland and Iceland. That’s some nifty camera work!
One of the other key features of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty we love is its soundtrack. Good music always lifts a great narrative. With Jose Gonzalez, Of Monsters and Men, Rogue Wave and even some David Bowie, you’re in for a musical treat too.
So if you’re a fan of movies like The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, you might be considering what other movies might be able to similarly inspire you from the couch. We’ve pulled together some of our favourites that give us some of the same feels as Walter Mitty. There’s a couple of Oscar winners, some Icelandic based films and some compelling journeys. Although it must be said, there really is only one The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (well two if you include the original!).
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Our list of movies like The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Bokeh
Makes the list as a film set entirely in Iceland.
Our first movie like The Secret Life of Walter Mitty makes the list for location alone. Bokeh revolves around a trip made by a couple to Iceland. You’ll see some of the sights of Reykjavik and beyond in Iceland as the couple explore Iceland by themselves after they wake up to find no one left in all of Iceland.
Iceland is one of those countries I think I’d love to be stranded in if no one else is about, however the story of this movie is a little more dramatic. It won’t give you the feel-good travel feels you might be after, but you’ll see plenty of Iceland to inspire a trip.
Eurovision
Makes the list as a story that revolves around Iceland, and for its energetic soundtrack.
Sticking with our Iceland theme, Will Ferrell and Rachel MacAdams star in Eurovision. Some light hearted comedy relief, Ferrell and MacAdams play an Icelandic singing duo with dreams of representing Iceland in Eurovision.
There are sweeping vistas of Iceland, some time in the northern Icelandic town of Husavik before the duo head to Edinburgh to compete.
A movie centred around Eurovision, expect lots of singing and performances, with a good dose of humour thrown in.
The Hundred Year Old Man who Climbed out a window and disappeared
Makes the list for its diverse story telling. It almost feels like a story that Walter Mitty might concoct if he was a centenarian.
A long winded title for sure, but it gives you just a hint of what is to come in this Swedish movie. The story follows Allan Karlsson as he begins to turn his mind to turning one hundred. He decides to climb out the window and go on his own adventure to celebrate his centenary.
Throughout the movie, we explore flashbacks about some of Allan’s life experiences. Mostly with comedic effect and some famous historical moments thrown in along the way. Allan’s life has been one full of true life experiences that take place all over the world.
If it’s escapism you are after, this movie has it in spades. And if you really enjoy it, take heart, there is a sequel. Check out the 101 Year Old Man Who Skipped Out on the Bill and Disappeared!
Eat Pray Love
Makes the list for its escapism and how travel helps you learn about yourself.
Eat Pray Love might not feature Iceland. It does however feature three other countries beginning with I – Italy, India and Indonesia. A very different story to Walter Mitty, Eat Pray Love follows Julia Roberts as the lead character, based on Elizabeth Gilbert’s real life experiences detailed in her book. Finding herself divorced and in something of an early mid-life crisis, Gilbert goes on a life changing journey of self-discovery. She spends time exploring Italy, India and Indonesia, learning new things about herself and the world around her.
An escapist reality that most of us can only dream of in 2020, Roberts’ character learns as much about herself as the destinations she visits.
Under the Tuscan Sun
Makes the list as a movie that shows what an individual can do when pushed outside of their comfort zone.
Under the Tuscan Sun is another mid-life crisis movie in some of the same spirit as Eat Pray Love. Our lead character Frances find out her husband is cheating on her and she looks for a way to make the best of a bad situation.
Taking a holiday in Italy, Frances does what comes naturally and buys a spur of the moment Tuscan villa. Nothing will help her overcome her life than living in a run down villa that needs some serious attention.
Along the way, Frances meets a range of characters and has experiences one might not otherwise expect relocating to the other side of the world.
Those that have found themselves in a funk and having visited Tuscany can empathise with Frances decisions. Great to watch with a nice bottle of Tuscan vino.
Forrest Gump
Makes the list because it’s a great solo story packed with adventures.
Movies like the Secret Life of Walter Mitty and Forrest Gump have a genuine escapism at their core. And it’s this great story-telling and ability to transport that make them two of my favourite all-time movies.
I hope and pray that the 1995 Oscar winner for Best Picture has been viewed by most readers, but if not, newbies are in for a treat. Forrest, played by Tom Hanks is a mentally challenged man who lives life to the absolute fullest. The movie follows his experiences throughout America, the deep south and his time in the Vietnam War.
Aside from the story about Forrest himself, told against a backdrop of our modern history makes it compelling viewing. And whether it’s your first of fiftieth viewing of this film, you’ll be left reciting your favourite lines for sure.
Elizabethtown
Makes the list for its escapism and also containing a perfect soundtrack.
Elizabethtown gets a bad wrap from a lot of critics. Why, we’re not really sure as it is one of our favourite films. The story follows Orlando Bloom’s character Drew, an up until now successful corporate high flyer who gets the news that his father has passed away. He meets Claire, played by Kirsten Dunst on a flight. The movie showcases the ups and downs of dealing with grief, finding new love and contains an epic road trip across the United States too.
Like Walter Mitty, Elizabethtown also contains a highly memorable soundtrack. On our cross-country US adventure, the Elizabethtown playlist got an incredible workout.
Lost In Translation
Makes the list for pure escapism and getting lost in foreign lands.
If movies like The Secret Life of Walter Mitty are melded together by lost souls in strange places, Lost In Translation has to make the list.
Bill Murray plays Bob Harris, a character one wonders must have quite a bit of his own personality infused. Says the man who has never met Bill Murray. Harris is a well known international celebrity who travels to Tokyo for a series of promotions and advertisements for Suntory whisky.
He meets Scarlett Johansson’s character, Charlotte, who is left to her own devices by her photographer husband.
Together Charlotte and Bob explore the craziness and Tokyo and beyond. They enjoy the strangeness of the Japanese culture and try and determine where they fit in, in life as well as in Japan. Travel pangs for Japan? Hit play on Lost in Translation and transport yourself to Tokyo.
The Way
Makes the list as a fantastic story of travel pushing people further than they first thought possible.
If you’ve ever romanticised about the idea of walking the Camino de Santiago, The Way will probably tip you over the edge. The way follows Thomas Avery, played by Martin Sheen as he embarks of the pilgrimage. He does so in memory of his son Daniel who died in the Pyrenees.
Dealing with death in such a way, there are a few teary moments. Tom finds solace along the way with a number of other pilgrims and begins to open up and take in the experience which has a few curveballs for good measure.
The Darjeeling Limited
Makes the list as a film that shows how travel helps shape perspectives on our problems. Strong soundtrack too.
The Darjeeling Limited sees three quirky brothers come together a year after their father has passed away. Another film that has death at its core, I promise this was not how I set out to compile this list. However, it seems to be the catalyst for so many travel stories, so maybe there’s a lesson in that to take life by the horns?
The three brothers take a train trip across India together, learning to be brothers again, but all struggling with their own inner demons and problems. It’s another story of personal reflection and self-identity. And against a backdrop of India, it helps them all find some hint of themselves.
Green Book
Makes the list as a story which shows how travel can bring people together and help improve understanding.
Whilst Walter Mitty travels the world solo, Green Book sees our main characters travel the Deep South of the US as a duo. Dr Don Shirley is a world-class African-American pianist who travels to the southern states to perform during the period of high segregation. Shirley needs a driver and recruits Tony Lip, a bouncer from the Bronx as his driver and in some ways protector.
The story highlights the challenges of the era. Shirley is allowed to perform, however is still segregated like any other black person of the time. Shirley and Lip develop an unlikely friendship given their different upbringings. And like so many good travel movies, serve to show how shared experiences can bring people together.
Personally, my favourite scene is when Dr Shirley and Tony share some Kentucky Fried Chicken on the drive. Keep an eye out for that, there’s so much narrative packed into such a short scene.
We first watched the Oscar-winning Green Book shortly after completing our own road trip through the southern states. It’s a great story that puts some depth to the stories of this area during an era that wasn’t all that long ago.
The Beach
Makes the list for escapism and a solo journey that ends up being much more. Strong soundtrack to boot.
Leonardo Di Caprio plays Richard, an American backpacker is search of the perfect Thai getaway. A life on the beach, amongst beauty and a tight community. Richard finds that and more as he discovers an island which sits on the real life Maya Bay. A stunning bay with crystalline water and white sand.
The Beach was the first real travel movie that made me sit up and say ‘I want to do that!’. And so we did together on our first overseas trip together to Thailand in 2005. At that point in time, Maya Bay was popular for visitors to Phuket, and The Beach did more than inspire me.
In 2019, Maya Bay was closed as a result of over-tourism. The beautiful bay had been over run with boats and visitors and starting to look a lot less like the Maya Bay of the movie.
In any case, The Beach itself is a beautifully shot movie of escapism, backpacking and self-discovery. Making it a logical addition to a list of movies like The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.
Tracks
Makes the list for its ability to detail an individual’s epic journey.
Bringing things a little closer to home to us here in Australia, Tracks follows Robyn Davidson (Mia Wasikowska) on a journey across the outback. A real life story, we follow Robyn as she takes four camels and a dog on a journey from Alice Springs to the Indian Ocean.
Setting out in 1977 as a single female and a harsh Australian outback, Robyn is confronted with a range of challenges along the way. Not least of all an American photographer who wants to document her trip whilst Robyn wants to complete it solo.
It’s an amazing story, and puts Australia’s vastness in perspective.
Midnight in Paris
Makes the list a story with an individual searching for meaning through travel.
Owen Wilson plays the lead role of Gil, a writer on holiday in Paris. In the evening, he tours the city alone. One evening he stumbles across a group of people who transport him back in time, enabling him to effectively time travel.
This time travel unearths a deep dissatisfaction of his life in the future. It’s another story of escapism, and an individual’s struggle to find meaning in what they do.
Cut some soft cheese, pour a glass of wine and settle in for some Parisian dreaming.
We hope you’ve enjoyed our recount of movies like The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Whether it’s escapism, individual journeys or the power of travel that you’re looking for in a film, this list should have you covered!
Have we missed your favourite? Let us know below!