Extract (2009)

If you like Jason Bateman movies, you will like this one. Of course, funny, but the subject matter is sometimes off color, but what's new.

One of the few movies of today that shows real human behavior, Instead of embracing and normalizing how dumbed down people are today, Instead this movie makes fun of it, like movies should. Because this new dumbed down generation is not trendy it is just pathetic and lost. I also love the humor in all of Mike Judges movies, Not many people today can make a comedy anymore without dragging in Joseph Goebbels styled politically correct propaganda. It is just straight up humor. I was actually surprised how well Ben Affleck did in this movie. I also love the sweat pants joke, LOL Well this is my review with me trying to get it's full ten lines, I do not feel you have to babble on about nonsense just to describe how good or bad a movie is, But apparently this site thinks you have to do so.

It's all fun and games until somebody loses a testicle. Well actually it's still all fun and games even after such an unfortunate incident. Extract is a movie where the laughs keep on coming. It's another workplace comedy from Mike Judge whose earlier Office Space achieved cult classic status. Extract is just as deserving of such status. What goes on in Jason Bateman's extract factory is just as funny as anything that went on in Ron Livingston's office. Bateman plays Joel, owner of Reynold's Extract. He's looking to cash out, sell the company and enjoy an early retirement. Things are looking good for his business but life at home has its problems, Joel is stuck in a completely sexless marriage. The frustration there is really getting to him. His friend Dean has a unique suggestion for solving that problem, the type of suggestion that could only come from a guy who does a lot of drugs. But before we get to that there is the missing testicle. Not Joel's thankfully, but one of his workers, Step, who loses it in a quite unfortunate workplace accident. From here things start to unravel for Joel, both professionally and personally, in quite hilarious fashion.Initially Step is rather serene about his injury but he's soon goaded into suing Joel's company. Who's doing the goading? Cindy, the hottest little con artist you'll ever see. She sees dollar signs and she soon has both Step and the unwitting Joel wrapped around her finger. Cindy causes chaos for Joel, both at work and at home. The movie takes some rather bizarre, but very amusing, turns. The plot is a little silly to be sure but the plot only really serves to set up the jokes. And the jokes work throughout. This is a very funny movie. Bateman is more or less the straight man, all the action swirls around him. But he has his funny moments too. And the rest of the cast absolutely nails it. Mila Kunis as Cindy and Clifton Collins Jr. as Step are excellent. Kristen Wiig is a little underused in playing Joel's wife but every opportunity she does get she makes the most of. Dustin Milligan plays the world's dumbest gigolo and David Koechner the world's most annoying neighbor. Both are very funny, especially Koechner as he plays a guy who is just totally oblivious to how annoying he is. There's also J.K. Simmons bringing some dry wit to the role of factory manager Brian. And absolutely stealing the show is...Ben Affleck? Yes, Judge has given Affleck the chance to remind the world that he can be really, really funny. And Ben hits it out of the park, he's simply perfect in his portrayal of Dean, Joel's friend, bartender and wannabe drug dealer. Dean is an idea man, he's got lots of ideas, all of them terrible. To say that Dean's advice leads Joel down the wrong path would be an understatement. But it's a hilarious path. All kinds of shenanigans take place in this movie. Workplace shenanigans. Relationship shenanigans. And Judge, helped by his outstanding cast, makes it all work. Extract has not come to be as beloved as Office Space. It's not a cult classic. It is a hidden gem.

In a star studded lineup, the film follows Joel (Jason Bateman), the proud owner of an extract company he built from the ground up. Life seems to be going as per normal, when issues begin to arise and spiral quickly out of control from all aspects of his life. The film also focuses on Cindy (the stunning Mila kunis) who's life of petty crime intercepts Joel's and his company through a series of events leading up to it. The film was not only written by Mike Judge, but also directed by him. In no disrespect to Mike, its a very simple and slow paced movie, with no twists and turns, action or fancy shots; but on the same token, doesn't require any for it to still be an enjoyable watch. I feel Mike's aim was to relate with the viewer, as it follows a normal guy, who OK, does drive a nice car, has a big house and owns a successful business - which not all of us have the privilege to boast - but nonetheless falls into difficult times through no fault of his own.There's not too many people who haven't been in a relationship that at some point has soured and lead to temptation, nor has someone not been exposed to wrong doings by others. And everyone's had or unfortunately still has an annoying neighbour, played very amusingly by David Coechner (better known as Champ Kind in Anchorman.)It times like this when we turn to our friends, which in Joel's case was to Dean (Ben Affleck) who although polar opposite in his outlook on life, provides some strange but tangible advise that seems to only make things worse at first. If you're expecting a clean cut Ben Affleck in this film, then you'll be mistaken. Think long hair, a beard and a hippie personality and you'll be closer to the mark.Although slow and somewhat predictable, it provides a generous amount of subtle humour throughout, which at times will simply put a smile on your face but at others will have you in stitches of laughter. Combined with a down to earth story line (which ends in true Hollywood fashion) will leave you in good spirits after a pleasurable 92 minutes of viewing. The eye candy provided by Mila doesn't go a miss either!