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Mike Judge doesn’t make a lot of movies, but when he does, they’re usually worth a trip to the theater. His late-summer release “Extract,” starring Jason Bateman as factory owner Joel, is no exception, embodying all of the subtle, regular-people humor Judge has come to be known for.
Joel is in a sexless marriage, and nights hanging out with his bartender and drug-hording friend Dean (Ben Affleck) are the closest he comes to feeling fun. He’s built his extract company (as in, vanilla, almond, root beer and cookies and cream) from the ground up, and his employees like him, but don’t always have the best work ethic. An accident at the plant leaves worker Step (Clifton Collins Jr.) without his manhood (if you know what we mean) and poised to sue Joel’s company for a hefty settlement.
Enter Cindy (Mila Kunis), a beautiful but gold-digging drifter, who starts at the extract plant as a temp, but has her sights set much higher from the very beginning. Joel is intrigued by her flirting, and after a drug-induced night with Dean, is convinced into a twisted plan to get his wife (Kristen Wiig) to cheat on him so he won’t feel guilty cheating on her.
As usual, Judge’s genius lies in his ability to relate to the average person and to point out the humor in everyday life. Each character is caught up in a circle of envy, all in different places in life and strangely wanting what another one has– good looks, love, wealth, success, friendship or stability; everyone has something, but no one quite has it all. The film’s funniest moments are built on these characters. You know every one of them in your real life– a husband secretly wishing his wife would cheat on him first, a good friend who never quite came up in life or a racist old lady who can’t shut up. The flick’s appeal lies in the thick of them all, with Affleck rising to the top with extra and unexpected laughs.
Notable performances by pool cleaner/gigolo Brad (played by Dustin Milligan and better known as Ethan from the new “90210”) and plant manager J.K. Simmons only add to the film’s comedic appeal. Neighbor Nathan (David Koechner, or Champ Kind from “Anchorman”) also brings on the laughs with his awkward and drawn-out conversation, but his character’s, “Um…yeah”’s are disappointingly reminiscent of Judge’s “Office Space.”
Bateman’s career has seen a resurgence since his role as Michael Bluth in the critically-acclaimed “Arrested Development,” a short-lived Fox series with a cult-like following. Since the 2006 cancellation of the show, Bateman has starred in a string of hit films, including “The Break-Up” and “Juno,” but he can never quite shake his Michael Bluth persona– and his role in “Extract” is no exception.
Judge, on the other hand, isn’t famous for that much– “Beavis and Butt-Head” launched his career in 1993 and “Office Space” followed in 1999. But the writer/director has spent most of the past decade working on the Fox animated series “King of the Hill,” which may explain why we haven’t seen much of him in the theaters. But whatever the reason for the long wait, “Extract” is worth it.
That is perfectly summed up! I agree with pretty much everything that was written. Although I have to say I don’t mind that Jason Bateman usually plays the good guy. He’s impossible to dislike, even when he doesn’t always do the right thing…he makes up for it in the end. As for Mila Kunis, I have to say I was surprised that she could play the bad girl so well. The one who really surprised me was Ben Affleck. He really came through and was absolutely hilarious. The goofy hair didn’t hurt things either. All in all I give this movie 4/5 stars. Not quite “Office Space”, but then again, what is?