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Just kidding. It's not out yet.
OFFICE SPACE
If you work in a cubicle maze, like I do, you'll really like Office Space. If you work
in a cubicle maze inhabited with computer programmer types, like I did a few years ago, you'll
really, really like Office Space. Oh, but get this: even if you've ever
worked, you'll like Office Space! A word of warning: it declines in humor from
whence it begins, but I found it funny enough that I give it an overall good rating. Yes I do.
The laugh momentum carries you through to the end. Unless you're in a bad mood, then it might
not. Then maybe you should go see something depressing, like an Ingmar Bergman retrospective
at your local run-down art house.
Mike Judge wrote and directed Office Space. For the benefit of the completely
cave-bound, I can reveal that Mike Judge is responsible for both Beavis and Butthead
and King of the Hill. I hate Beavis, but I like King, so I guess I went
into this one with a sort of negated empty expectation. But Mike does a nice job in this,
his first live-action directorial effort. The humor is fun and some of it is rather original.
Dilbert may be a more creatively off-kilter world (the TV show seems a little wobbly, though,
doesn't it?), but Office Space has its own unique vibe and feel.
The main character is Peter, played by Ron Livingston. Ron played the guy in Swingers
who auditioned to play Goofy at Disneyland and didn't get the part. His character is pretty
much just as pathetic here. Throughout most of Office Space, Peter's meant to be a
very laid-back, blank-stared plain guy, and he does a great job of this. Ron is sort of
plain himself. Such good casting. But he's charming enough to elicit sympathy. I personally
liked Peter's numb-minded candor. It's exactly what so many of us have wished we could do.
Peter's two programmer friends, Michael Bolton (not né Michael Boliston or whatever
the hell it is) (played by David Herman) and Samir Somethingsomething (what is his last name?)
(played by Ajay Naidu) are two perfect nerdy side dishes. They are colorful, but not in any
sort of intrusive or even memorable way. They serve good comedic purpose.
Jennifer Aniston is the not-completely-useless female love interest, Joanna, who has
trouble with her Flair. You see, she's a waitress at a local TGI Friday's-type of restaurant,
and she chooses only to wear the minimum number of required Flair on her suspenders... I
won't say any more. It's nutty funny. I like Jennifer. Even in an unspectacular role
such as this—a Friend with Flair—she's funny. I wonder what she could do in a different
role, though?
Then there's Gary Cole. You know, he was that evil sheriff guy on American Gothic.
No? Oh, fine. He was also Mike Brady in the Brady Bunch movies. Anyway, he's a fantastic
moron boss here. He constantly carries a coffee cup, rarely looks his employees in the eye
when he's ruining their weekend plans, and has a monotonous, drone-like voice pattern that
reminds me of the din of a gyroscope losing momentum, only to be revved up again. UP and
down and down and down and UP and down and down... My God, it was frightening! And
very funny.
A nice surprise in the movie was Stephen Root. He's Jimmy James on NewsRadio, a very
funny and underwatched sitcom. On NewsRadio, Stephen is the rich, eccentric, and
unpredictable boss, whereas in Office Space, he's a sweaty, greasy, quiet nobody of
a person named Milton Waddams. He's hilarious. I understand this character was a recurring
one on Saturday Night Live, which I never watch because life is too precious. Mike
Judge wrote those sketches, and based this movie on them. I don't know who played Milton
in the SNL version, but I can't imagine they were as funny as Stephen.
I don't want to give away any of the jokes, because it would just make the movie that much
less surprising for you. But I think you should see it, if not in the theater, then on video.
Office Space is over-lit and flat, like many comedy movies, so it will look just
like an extended sitcom on your TV screen. It'll still be funny, though. I can't wait to
see what Mike Judge does for a follow-up. Maybe his next movie will be more consistent.
Did any of you see Family Guy on Fox after the Super Bowl in January? If you did,
you are lucky. If you didn't, please pray to Murdoch that they show the pilot again in
April, when the show starts its regular run (after The Simpsons). I watched a tape of
the pilot, and I laughed so hard, I'm still looking for my ass. It's got a Simpsons
freneticism to it, but it goes even farther with the politically incorrect jokes and the
tangential humor. It's the most solidly packed half-hour I've seen in a long time. I laugh
even now when I think of things like "Why don't you burn in hell?" and "Oh, yeah!" and "Mmmm.
Butter rum. My favorite." and "No. No." Give Family Guy a look if you can in April.
And, if you like it, join me in hoping it doesn't pull an Ally McBeal and come crashing down
from such a lofty beginning plateau.
—Steve
3/9/99
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©1999 Steven Lekowicz
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