Saturday, September 5, 2009

Review: Extract

Grade: B+

Extract is a comedy about a man, Joel, who owns an extract plant who goes through a serious of personal and professional problems. At first, things seem to be going well for him as he finds out that a big company is interested in purchasing the plant, this will allow Joel to retire early. Just when he finds this out, there is an accident at the plant and an employee gets injured, this could possibly hinder the deal. At the same time Joel has been having some marital issues with his wife. This issue is made worse when his friend Dean gives him some drugs then suggests, in order to test his wife's faithfulness, that he hire a male prostitute. To top it all off, Joel hires Cindy as a temp at the plant. Cindy just happens to be a scam artist who is trying to milk the company for all they've got. Joel is trying to find a way to piece all aspects of his life back together.

Extract is written and directed by Mike Judge (Office Space, TV's King of the Hill) and he strikes gold again. The writing is absolutely hilarious and the characters are brilliant. This is Judge's first major movie since he brought the world Office Space and it shows that he needs to keep them coming. Judge returns to the American workplace and keeps the comedy coming, Extract will have you laughing from start to finish.

Jason Bateman (Hancock, Juno) plays the lead role of Joel Reynolds, owner and founder of Reynolds Extract. Bateman is great as always and spot on with his delivery that just makes the movie that much finnier. I've always liked Bateman and this movie helps remind me why. Kristen Wiig (Saturday Night Live, Adventureland) plays Suzie, Joels wife. Wiig is one of the few constantly funny actresses out there right now. Mila Kunis (That 70's Show, Forgetting Sarah Marshall) plays Cindy, the temp/con artist. Mila Kunis just keeps getting better and better as an actress and she did wonderful in this movie. Ben Affleck (Hollywoodland, Dogma) returns triumphantly in Extract. I have always liked Affleck even when the rest of the world despised him. I have always felt that Affleck did much better with comedy and this movie proves that theory. Nobody in this movie had me laughing harder than Ben Affleck's character Dean, Joel's best friend. The movie also features gut-busting performances by J.K. Simmons, Clifton Collins Jr., David Koechner and Gene Simmons as a Frank Azar type lawyer.

Overall I would have to say that this movie is very enjoyable and entertaining. If you like comedies, and specifically if you liked Office Space, you need to go out and see this movie. It is one of the funniest comedies of the year.
Great quote: "I guess when you lose your balls you just really mellow out."

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