Extract

Mike Judge, the creator of Beavis and Butthead, King of the Hill, and Office Space forays back to the silver screen with a simple tale about an extract company owner (Bateman) who is dissatisfied with his marriage, and has to deal with incompetent and apathetic employees at work while trying to avoid a pending lawsuit that is stalling his attempt to sell the company.

Judge has a knack for portraying the everyman and puts a genuinely interesting and humorous spin on the plights that a monotonous life can concoct. Much in the spirit of Office Space, Bateman's character is likable and pathetic, and his interactions with the interesting individuals around him are pedestrian, but somehow captivating. A great placement of supporting characters JK Simmons, David Koechner, Ben Affleck and Kristin Wiig creates a mood of levity that I surmise is exactly what Judge was going for.

What makes this film work is the simplicity of the story and the slow, innocuous dialogue as well as the banality of the characters' lives. From Simmons calling all of the employees "Dingus" because he can't remember their names, to Affleck suggesting drugs as a remedy to all of Bateman's problems and Koechner simply pestering his neighbors with his painfully prolongued plea for them to attend a benefit with him. These are all conversations that we have had in our lives, so there is that element of connection that is often missing from contrived dialogue.

Jason Bateman is the most naturally gifted comedic actor in the business. From his days in Arrested Development to his bit parts as the scene-stealing cameo or supporting player, he is able to evoke laughter with a perfect sense of comedic timing and innuendo.

The film itself was not great however. Although funny at times, it did delve into the realm of inside jokes that Judge and his friends might appreciate a little more than the general audience. There was also the sub-plot (or perhaps the primary plot depending on perspective) of Bateman's sexual frustrations with his wife, Kristin Wiig. It seemed entirely unrealistic as the two shared a rapport and chemistry that could only be described as loving and sincere.

There were just too many things going on to appreciate the film for its originality and humor. The testicular accident was unnecessary. Mila Kunis, although funny and beautiful seemed an unnecessary distraction to the rest of the film, Brad the gigolo held far too much screen time, and Gene Simmons was absolutely awful as the dial-a-lawyer looking to capitalize on the accident.

In the end, this was an entertaining film because Bateman can do no wrong in my eyes. If you are expecting the iconic cult status of Office Space, you will be a little disappointed, as Judge will never be able to duplicate that gem. However, Extract is still a funny, light-hearted comedy that hits dead-on almost as much as it misses the mark. 7/10