From the mind of Mike Judge ("Office Space") comes "Extract," a movie about the mundane daily struggles of Joel Reynolds (Jason Bateman). Joel is the owner of a flavoring extract plant where he is forced to babysit his mismatched and unmotivated employees and dreams of the day he can sell the company off and stop working altogether. His wife, Suzie (SNL's Kristen Wiig) sits at home, depressed and lonely, while Joel struggles to make it home before the eight o'clock deadline when she puts on her sweatpants and all hopes of coitus are squashed. A con-woman (Mila Kunis) comes into the picture, hoping to capitalize on a pending lawsuit against the company as well as catching Joel's eye. Not knowing what to do, he turns to his drug-peddling bartender friend (Ben Affleck) who in turn suggests he hires a gigolo to have an affair with his wife so he can go forward with his own affair, guilt-free.
If it sounds ludicrous and over-the-top, it is. Mike Judge's films always have a way of spinning everyday-life situations in the wildest ways. What starts out with the best (well, sort of) intentions quickly spirals downward into a mess beyond repair. Like "Office Space," "Extract" is Judge's version of what happens when the everyday, working-class man gets bored and decides to do something about it. Is it meant to be a cautionary tale or simply a social commentary? Whatever the answer, it works on both levels. You'll laugh at Joel's misfortunes while a little part of you feels sympathy knowing deep down that he is simply a nice guy gone wrong and that things like this (although not as extreme) could happen to any one of us. That sort of twisted reality is what makes a good Mike Judge film, and no doubt, this is another of his that is destined to become a cult-classic.
Thankfully, though, the movie isn't so wacky that it loses its humanity. Despite some odd performances in the film, achieved brilliantly by Affleck, David Koechner and J.K. Simmons (who, with his bald-head, somewhat resembles a character in one of Mike Judge's cartoons) and the outrageous events that unfold, the film still keeps its heart firmly in place. Granted, you won't laugh as thoroughly as you might during other comedies, but during Judge's fourth feature-length film, you'll squirm enough in your seat during the awkward moments to know that you were delivered a solid story with real characters and humor derived from their pain and suffering. "Extract" is, at the end of the day, an intelligent, hard-working and quirky little comedy that will no doubt find its audience in the years to come, much like "Office Space." Unfortunately the film isn't doing so hot right now (debuting at #10!), so I urge you to go to the movies and give it a shot. I promise, you won't be sorry.
If it sounds ludicrous and over-the-top, it is. Mike Judge's films always have a way of spinning everyday-life situations in the wildest ways. What starts out with the best (well, sort of) intentions quickly spirals downward into a mess beyond repair. Like "Office Space," "Extract" is Judge's version of what happens when the everyday, working-class man gets bored and decides to do something about it. Is it meant to be a cautionary tale or simply a social commentary? Whatever the answer, it works on both levels. You'll laugh at Joel's misfortunes while a little part of you feels sympathy knowing deep down that he is simply a nice guy gone wrong and that things like this (although not as extreme) could happen to any one of us. That sort of twisted reality is what makes a good Mike Judge film, and no doubt, this is another of his that is destined to become a cult-classic.
Thankfully, though, the movie isn't so wacky that it loses its humanity. Despite some odd performances in the film, achieved brilliantly by Affleck, David Koechner and J.K. Simmons (who, with his bald-head, somewhat resembles a character in one of Mike Judge's cartoons) and the outrageous events that unfold, the film still keeps its heart firmly in place. Granted, you won't laugh as thoroughly as you might during other comedies, but during Judge's fourth feature-length film, you'll squirm enough in your seat during the awkward moments to know that you were delivered a solid story with real characters and humor derived from their pain and suffering. "Extract" is, at the end of the day, an intelligent, hard-working and quirky little comedy that will no doubt find its audience in the years to come, much like "Office Space." Unfortunately the film isn't doing so hot right now (debuting at #10!), so I urge you to go to the movies and give it a shot. I promise, you won't be sorry.