Product: Office Space (1999)
Rating: 4.0
Very Funny, But Possibly Overrated
After being pestered my many people for years to see this movie, I have finally gotten around to it. The thing I guess I should say first is that while this is definitely a very funny movie, I think that it is somewhat overhyped. I don't want people to think that it doesn't deserve most of the praise it receives, for it is very enjoyable and very accurate. However, it isn't as groundbreaking/defining as many people make it out to be. Still, it's a fun movie that everyone should see at least once.Peter Gibbons (Ron Livingston) is a mid-level corporate drone working for a generic software company, and it doesn't look like he's going anywhere in life. His best friends Michael Bolton (David Herman), who has no relation to the singer, and Samir Nagheenanajar (Ajay Naidu), who is tired of Americans being unable to pronounce his name, are also employed at Initech, and have similar outlooks for the future. The three spend their days hitting the printer that always jams and going to Chotchkie's, a TGIFridays-type restaurant that employs the beautiful Joanna (Jennifer Aniston), who Peter constantly pines for. The other people in Peter's life include Anne (Alexandra Wentworth), his girlfriend whom he believes is cheating on him, Lawrence (the underused Diedrich Bader), his construction worker neighbor, Milton (Stephen Root), a mumbling coworker whose only loves in life are his radio and his red Swingline stapler, and Bill Lumbergh (Gary Cole), his evil, soulless boss who makes him work on the weekends and always starts sentences with "Uh, yeah, what's happening?".When Peter is brought to see an occupational hypnotherapist, the doc does wonders for him. He is able to get Peter completely relaxed, but before he can wake Peter up, he keels over from a heart attack. Now, Peter hasn't a care in the world. He skips work, breaks up with Ann, and asks out Joanna. And amazingly, just when Lumbergh is going to fire him, two "efficiency consultants" (played by John C. McGinley and Paul Willson) observe Peter's behavior and believe that he just isn't being challenged enough at work, and they reccomend him for a promotion!Eventually, using his newfound apathy, Peter decides that they should make good on Michael's constant quips about how he could write a virus that could scam Initech for millions. Of course, things don't go as planned, and the results are of coures hilarious.This movie has often been lauded as being one of the greatest corporate satires ever made. While I believe that it does get many things right, I don't think that this is anything new. That doesn't prevent the movie from being funny, though. Lumbergh's whole schtick about his personality and mannerisms is one of the greatest characterizations I've seen in years. Furthermore, the whole Milton subplot where he is constantly being relocated by Lumbergh is fun just to see what Milton will mumble next. I also now understand a lot of the things that I've heard people say in regards to this film (the case of the Mondays things is the most prominent).Overall, this is a film that most people, especially those who work for corporations like Initech, should see at least once. My biggest gripe was the use of a lot of rap music, which I don't particularly care for, so if that's the biggest problem, that's not bad at all. While it may not deserve all the hype it receives, there is still a lot of good to be said for Office Space.