Office Space

Dont ever steal Miltons stapler

i suspect everyone can relate to the dynamics in this movie. There were a few times i found myself saying Oh no he dinnint! LOL This movie is a keeper.

How much we like a movie often depends on how closely we can relate it to our own lives or how far it allows us to escape from our own lives. Office Space is that rare movie that meets both these needs. Everyone who has worked in an office will relate to someone in the movie. This brilliantly low-key and low-budget film manages to mock life as a corporation myrmidon in America in just about every possible way. Have you been downsized? Youll love Office Space for its brilliant take on consultants. Have you lived in Dallas, Texas, the capital city of Generica? Youll love Office Space for its acerbic portrayal of life as an apartment rat. Have you been the pawn of intraoffice political power struggles? Youll love Office Space for the character Milton played by Stephen Root. The only people who wont love Office Space are those with IQs in the sub-100 range and corporate vice presidents. Sorry Lundbergh but I accidentally wiped my butt with the TPS reports.

Great satire on the cubicle life, and really a kind of modern take on Modern Times. I cant help but think that the traffic jam at the beginning, and the close up of the watch at the start of Peters work day were homages to Charlie Chaplins opening scenes in Modern Times. Even if they werent, this movie really captures the helplessness of this kind of work and the emptiness of the kind of fake business culture that so many companies try to create. Gary Cole is spot on as the passive aggressive manager, and the two consultants are hilarious. My only complaint is Mike Judges occasional leap into his Beavis and Butthead period when corn-hole jokes and other kind of teenage potty humor ruled the day. Fortunately, most of the jokes in this movie are clever, and its depiction of modern alienation holds up after 16 years.

After a breif run at the theaters, Office Space has found a renewed and vibrant life on video tape. It seems that everyone I talk to -- no matter what their age, background, or current job -- considers this film to be a personal favorite, a film that they can especially relate to. The reasons are pretty obvious. Everyone hates their job. Everyone feels that theyre working for idiots who fail to understand just how special and unique their neglected employees truly are. This is something that we all have in common, whether we work for a retail chain or a fortune 500 company. This is also a feeling that Office Space manages to perfectly capture. Taking place in Houston in waning days of the 20th Century, Office Space stars Ron Livingston as an affable computer programmer who has found himself stuck in a dead end job that requires him to spend countless hours looking over a code to make sure that various computers are Y2K compliant. Its a job that makes little sense to him but one that hes expected to devote his life to. His coworkers are all incredibly (and realistically) annoying. Who hasnt had to deal with someone like the Looks Like Somebodys Got a Case of the Mondays! woman? His bosss (a hilarious Gary Cole) blandly friendly manner brings new meaning to the term corporate evil, while over in the next cubicle, pasty-faced Milton (Stephen Root, also hilarious) mutters about burning down the building. Finally fed up, Livington first seeks help from a hypnotherapist, pursues a relationship with a waitress (Jennifer Anniston who is sweetly likeable here but doesnt have much to do) at a generic Chilis-like establishment, and finally engages in a plan to embezzle money from the company. Obviously, the plot is a little bit ragged and at times, it seems as if director Mike Judge and his actors made up the plot as they went along. But no matter, the films quality is not to be found in the plot as much as in how it captures the small, realistic details that makes everyone hate their job. From the pointless memos to the corporate stooges, Office Space captures them all and sends them up in such a savagely hilarious way that the film serves as a wonderful catharsis for anyone whose just finished a hard day at work. Office workers will especially appreciate the scene in which Livingston and two recently laid off co-workers take revenge on an irksome xerox machine. (If not for the fact that children might be reading this review, Id quote the rap song that plays over this scene but lets just say that its impossible not to cheer as our workers get their revenge.) Judge, best known as the creator of Beavis and Butthead, directs in an offhand, almost casual manner. Theres a relaxed air about the whole affair and you get the feeling that everyone involved in the film was having a good time. Luckily, the feeling is infectous. The film is also well-acted by everyone involved. Along with Cole, Aniston, and Root, good supporting work is given by Deidrich Bader who plays Livingstons redneck neighbor. Ron Livingston is the perfect everyman lead for this film and gives a totally winning and likeable performance. With its portrait of mindless office jobs, Ikea-furnished apartments, and overly intelligent people struggling to find some way to establish some sort of individual identity in a corporate culture, Office Space at times plays like the gentler, slightly more juvenile cousin of Fight Club. Whereas Fight Club battled modern culture through violence, Office Space battles modern culture through practical jokes and whoppee cushions. Both films are must sees for anyone who has ever hated having to make a living.

The movie is somewhat dated but is entertaining and has a good storyline that keeps the movie on track. I especially like the assortment of characters in the movie, because without their uniqueness the movie would not be nearly as good.

Not usually into comedy movies, but I found this one funny. If youve worked in an office you can relate with at least some of the characters.

Good movie, great cast.

This is a classic! When I finish filing my TPS reports, I will write a longer review. Its a great story with charming actors who do a wonderful job. I watch this every few years and I love it every time!

A classic! If youve ever worked in corporate America and/or in a cube farm, with 5 levels of managers above you about whom you honestly have no idea what they do all day, then youll find yourself in one of these cubes and characters. So if you like Dilbert, youll love this movie. Bonus: youll finally get all the TPS Report jokes!