Office Space
1999. Written and Directed by Mike Judge.
We're over at Mike and Angie's for the weekend and when they realized I had never seen Office Space, they decided we should watch it after the kids went to bed. I had interest in the movie, and my sister had recently shown me several clips from the film, but never got around to watching it. They were right, I did need to see it. I had a great time. It follows a guy who hates his job so much that each new day he has to work constantly replaces the worst day of his life, until he decides not to care about his job anymore. And not just to not care by doing as little as possible to get by, but to only show up when he feels like it or bring his newly caught fish into work to clean and gut. It is not a perfect film as there are stretches of mediocrity, but it can be absolutely hilarious. The jokes often hit home with that shared pain of reality as we recognize the very situations and frustrations from our own lives, both in and out of the office. My favorite character is Michael Bolton (played by David Herman), though Stephen Root's Milton is a close second. It is a cult film that has developed quite a following and I see why. I could certainly enjoy it tremendously through multiple viewings.
One of my favorite exchanges:
Samir: No one in this country can ever pronounce my name right. It's not that hard: Samir Na-gheen-an-a-jar. Nagheenanajar.
Michael Bolton: Yeah, well at least your name isn't Michael Bolton.
Samir: You know there's nothing wrong with that name.
Michael Bolton: There was nothing wrong with it... until I was about 12 years old and that no-talent ass clown became famous and started winning Grammys.
Samir: Hmm... well why don't you just go by Mike instead of Michael?
Michael Bolton: No way. Why should I change? He's the one who sucks.
That right there might tell you if you should see the film. If you don't go for movies that use phrases such as "ass clown," then you'll want to avoid. If it sounds funny, there's a lot more just as funny as what's above.
My Grade: A-
We're over at Mike and Angie's for the weekend and when they realized I had never seen Office Space, they decided we should watch it after the kids went to bed. I had interest in the movie, and my sister had recently shown me several clips from the film, but never got around to watching it. They were right, I did need to see it. I had a great time. It follows a guy who hates his job so much that each new day he has to work constantly replaces the worst day of his life, until he decides not to care about his job anymore. And not just to not care by doing as little as possible to get by, but to only show up when he feels like it or bring his newly caught fish into work to clean and gut. It is not a perfect film as there are stretches of mediocrity, but it can be absolutely hilarious. The jokes often hit home with that shared pain of reality as we recognize the very situations and frustrations from our own lives, both in and out of the office. My favorite character is Michael Bolton (played by David Herman), though Stephen Root's Milton is a close second. It is a cult film that has developed quite a following and I see why. I could certainly enjoy it tremendously through multiple viewings.
One of my favorite exchanges:
Samir: No one in this country can ever pronounce my name right. It's not that hard: Samir Na-gheen-an-a-jar. Nagheenanajar.
Michael Bolton: Yeah, well at least your name isn't Michael Bolton.
Samir: You know there's nothing wrong with that name.
Michael Bolton: There was nothing wrong with it... until I was about 12 years old and that no-talent ass clown became famous and started winning Grammys.
Samir: Hmm... well why don't you just go by Mike instead of Michael?
Michael Bolton: No way. Why should I change? He's the one who sucks.
That right there might tell you if you should see the film. If you don't go for movies that use phrases such as "ass clown," then you'll want to avoid. If it sounds funny, there's a lot more just as funny as what's above.
My Grade: A-
posted by Keith Allison at 10:02 AM
2 Comments:
Keith, had I realized you hadn't seen this until now, I would have tied you to a chair and propped open your eyelids Clockwork Orange style.
By the way, for some of us, it's not just recognizing the inanity of some things going on around us. Some of us _live_in that office. Me, for example.
At any rate, I'm glad you enjoyed it.
I am glad you finally got to experience this, and I am proud to be the one who made it possible...
Wait a second, are we reviewing Brokeback Mountian or Office Space???
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