“A FLAVORFUL FILM”
Starring: Jason Bateman, J. K. Simmons, Mila Junis, Ben Affleck, Kristin Wiig and Clifton Collins, Jr.
Directed by: Mike Judge
MPAA Rating: R for language, sexual references and some drug use
Genre: Comedy
Release Date: December 22, 2009
This fun film gets off to a quick start with some very comedic scenes. I enjoyed Extract more on DVD than I did in the theater. Why you ask? First you don’t need the big screen to enjoy Mike Judge’s style of comedy and you can repeat those scenes that make you laugh. The bonus features are quite good so make sure you check them out.
Joel Reynolds (Jason Bateman) is sitting pretty. With a beautiful wife, a comfortable home and the almost finalized acquisition by General Mills of the culinary extracts business he has built with his loyal lieutenant Brian (J.K. Simmons), Joel seems to have it all. Except his wife is about as interested in him as she is in her career (supermarket coupon design), his employees want a piece of the pie and the sweet young thing with designs on him (Mila Kunis) is really a wily con-artist. On the advice of a drug-addled confidante (Ben Affleck), Joel cooks up a scheme to cheat with impunity by hiring a gigolo to seduce his wife—only to discover the young object of his affection is behind a lawsuit by long-time employee Step (Clifton Collins, Jr.) that will scotch the General Mills deal and leave Joel penniless. The best-laid plans unravel with hilarious results in this off-the wall comedy about life in the not-so-fast lane.
Bateman is at his dead pan best in Extract and his support cast does move the above average plot along. Bateman’s interaction with Kunis is a hoot while Collins, Jr. as the injured employee who’s looking for a windfall, sets off his fun antics. The only downside is Affleck who shows up in the film with a weak performance.
Although this isn’t Mike Judge’s best film, as I liked Office Space a lot better, Extract does entertain. I could see a lot of King Of The Hill humor in Extract, another of his better vehicles to show his comedic genius.
Check out the Bonus features that include Mike Judge’s Secret Recipe featurette where you can find the ingredients of a classic Mike Judge film. Go straight to the factory floor to uncover the writer and director’s secrets. From shooting in a real working factory to the unique cast of characters and situations, Mike Judge always seems to have the right recipe.
Extract is rated R for language, sexual references and some drug use so it’s not a good film to watch with youngsters present.
FINAL ANALYSIS: A good film but not the top choice of Mike Judge’s movie menu. (3.5 of 5 Palm Trees)