Only a couple of years into the syndication of his two most famous projects, Beavis and Butthead and King of the Hill, comedian Mike Judge tackled live-action laughs with Office Space, one of the most endearing and relevant comedies of the 1990s.
We follow mindless office drone Peter (Ron Livingston), who gets by each day by doing the bare minimum at his tedious job while thinking up ways to patch things up with his estranged wife. When the couple's hypnotherapy session goes awry courtesy of the therapist dying of a heart attack, Peter is left in a state of eternal calm. Realising it's time to get one over on his insufferable boss, he recruits gangster rap loving white boy Michael (David Herman) and easily-angered foreigner Samir (Ajay Naidu) to teach the IniTech brass that greed isn't always good.
The film hits the perfect note between comedic exaggeration and grounded reality, as things may start to feel a little too real for anyone stuck in the same dead-end job as Peter. Creeping around in the background of almost every scene are the tiny idiosyncrasies that make the typical workplace that little less bearable on an everyday basis. The rhythmic ringing of phones, monosyllabic conversations around the water cooler and endless amounts of menial tasks give Office Space a true sense of, well, space, and make our connections with its poor inhabitants all the easier.
Most of the comedy may come from just how real everything feels, but don't underestimate the bit parts played along the way. Surrounding Peter's trio are a host of funny but fleshed-out side characters, including Peter's love interest Joanna (Jennifer Aniston), unfortunate office punching bag Milton (Stephen Root), world-weary and naturally cynical Tom (Richard Reihle) and passive-aggressive, scene-stealing boss Lumbergh (Gary Cole). Simply put, Office Space has something for everyone. And who knows, you might just hate your job a little less when it's over.
*There's nothing I love more than a bit of feedback, good or bad. So drop me a line on jnatsis@iprimus.com.au and let me know what you thought of my review. If you're looking for a writer for your movie website or other publication, I'd also love to hear from you.*
We follow mindless office drone Peter (Ron Livingston), who gets by each day by doing the bare minimum at his tedious job while thinking up ways to patch things up with his estranged wife. When the couple's hypnotherapy session goes awry courtesy of the therapist dying of a heart attack, Peter is left in a state of eternal calm. Realising it's time to get one over on his insufferable boss, he recruits gangster rap loving white boy Michael (David Herman) and easily-angered foreigner Samir (Ajay Naidu) to teach the IniTech brass that greed isn't always good.
The film hits the perfect note between comedic exaggeration and grounded reality, as things may start to feel a little too real for anyone stuck in the same dead-end job as Peter. Creeping around in the background of almost every scene are the tiny idiosyncrasies that make the typical workplace that little less bearable on an everyday basis. The rhythmic ringing of phones, monosyllabic conversations around the water cooler and endless amounts of menial tasks give Office Space a true sense of, well, space, and make our connections with its poor inhabitants all the easier.
Most of the comedy may come from just how real everything feels, but don't underestimate the bit parts played along the way. Surrounding Peter's trio are a host of funny but fleshed-out side characters, including Peter's love interest Joanna (Jennifer Aniston), unfortunate office punching bag Milton (Stephen Root), world-weary and naturally cynical Tom (Richard Reihle) and passive-aggressive, scene-stealing boss Lumbergh (Gary Cole). Simply put, Office Space has something for everyone. And who knows, you might just hate your job a little less when it's over.
*There's nothing I love more than a bit of feedback, good or bad. So drop me a line on jnatsis@iprimus.com.au and let me know what you thought of my review. If you're looking for a writer for your movie website or other publication, I'd also love to hear from you.*