Product: Office Space (1999)
Rating: 5.0
Filled to the brim with flair; this is hilarity at its finest...
In my circle of friends there is no film quoted, referenced or talked about as much as `Office Space'. It is the collective favorite; the one film we can all agree on to have entertained us in every way possible. Not a week goes by that this film is not mentioned among us and not once do we pass up an opportunity to watch this movie, even if only in part. For instance, this film has been in rotation on Comedy Central for the past few months and in those past few months my best friend and I have watched this movie, in whole or in part, at least twelve times.Why?It's that good.`Office Space' is truly one of the richest comedies I've ever seen. From the very start to the very end it delivers laugh after laugh, each as genuine as the one preceding. That I think is the kicker. Each joke, each gag, each laugh is just as purely entertaining as the last one, none of them fall south or feeling forced. Each scenario is so real and so relatable that it all becomes all the more hilarious because we feel as though we've been here before. Who hasn't had the condescending and overbearing boss who just can't seem to take a hint? Who hasn't had the obsessive compulsive co-working who can't seem to get out of your way? Who hasn't had that one pesky piece of office equipment that just won't seem to work right? Who hasn't had that overachieving co-working that just won't seem to get out from under your skin?The point is that `Office Space' could be re-titled `Your Life' in the essence that it is so real and down to earth. Sure, parts are exaggerated, but are they really?The story revolves around Peter Gibbons, a man who loathes his little cubicle of an office space at his horror show of a job and only wants to be free of the responsibilities of adulthood. His girlfriend is obviously cheating on him and wants for him to grow up. His friends all hate their jobs as much as he does but like Peter are too chicken to take any action about it. This is all until Bob Slydell is hired to evaluate who is really pulling their weight within the company and start making some cut-backs. This all happens just about the time that Peter is hypnotized and placed under a spell of serenity. While his friends Samir and Michael are fretting over losing their job Peter is slacking off, showing up late (if at all) and doing his best to upset his boss Mr. Lumbergh. Then the three friends concoct a plan to end their worrying forever, but of course it's going to backfire.Ron Livingston is brilliantly cast as Peter. His laid back portrayal of Peter is marvelous. Ajay Naidu does wonderful things with Samir, but it's David Herman that steals this entire film with his neurotic and aggressive portrayal of Michael Bolton (yup, you heard me right). Supporting parts played by Jennifer Aniston, Diedrich Bader and Gary Cole are sure to entertain and leave an impression and of course Stephen Roots portrayal of Milton is sure to elicit plenty of laughs.What is really great about `Office Space' is that it's not just out there to bash corporate America but in actuality it attacks the work environment in general. Sure Peter and his corporate business woes are prominent here but we are introduced to Joanna, Peters love interest, and her struggle with her waitressing job at Chotchkie's, a restaurant chain in the vein of TGI Fridays. As she battles with her boss obsessed with `flair' and being compared to her co-worker obsessed with kissing up and being teachers-pet so-to-speak we see the ugly side of the workplace from a whole different perspective. It's such a well rounded comedy that you can't help but appreciate the irony.I can't think of enough good things to say about this hilarious satire. All I can say is see this movie again and again for optimum enjoyment and laugh your butt off. You deserve it. You work all week long and have little to show for it. It's about time you embrace your own misery and find all the humor there is to find in your puppet dance for the man.