Extract Movie Review

I was eagerly anticipating this movie as I’m a big fan of Jason Bateman’s understated comedic approach… and Mila Kunis’ understated hotness. And yet, neither could save this film. It was, in my opinion, just plain dumb. While writer and director Mike Judge usually does a great job depicting the humorous banality of everyday life in workplace and family, this script falls flat.

Bateman plays Joel who runs an extract factory (think vanilla extract, root beer extract, etc.) that he is trying to sell. Joel is a great character for Bateman. He looks at everyone around him like they are idiots, yet pulls off this sense of caring that comes straight out of his time on “Arrested Development”. Kunis plays Cindy, who gets hired at the factory and starts causing problems, both at work and at home. Dean (Ben Affleck) is Joel’s bartender buddy who seems as bizarre in this role as the advice he gives. J.K. Simmons (Spider Man’s J. Jonah Jameson) plays the plant foreman, Brian. His role is pretty funny, as is the one of ‘Step’ (Clifton Collins, Jr.) whose hilarious unfortunate accident is a focal point. In fact, if the movie had just been about Joel, Brian and Step’s life at the factory, it could have been comedy at its best. But throw in Joel’s wife Suzie (Kristen Wiig) and her almost funny sweatpants, and airhead ‘pool boy’ Brad (Dustin Milligan), and you have enough ‘plot’ to suck the life out of this endeavor.

Yes, there are some hilarious moments that will make you laugh out loud. But they are scattered among unfunny backdrops of plant worker stereotypes, infidelity and drug use. Even these last two subjects could have been funny (see The Hangover as a case in point), but instead of going all out for laughs, Judge tries to walk the line between making light of the situations and having an undertone of seriousness. And the line between the two ends up being a glass wall that lets you see what the movie could have been – but it never gets there.

Unfortunately, this ends up being a pointless movie with no redeeming qualities. And the ending leaves you wondering what the hell just happened… not only to the girl, but to the last two hours of your life. I can’t even figure out who the movie was geared towards. It seemed the theater was filled with mostly 20s, but the movie was mostly about a couple in their 30s, yet had jokes aimed at teens? Whichever way, I guess I’m just too old to get any of it.

I wouldn’t recommend this movie to anyone of any age. Save your money and watch some of Judge’s quality TV work like ‘King of the Hill’.