Cinema Crazed

2009

Rated: R for language, sexual references and some drug use

Genre: Comedy Drama

Directed By: Mike Judge

Running Time: 1:32

Review by: Momar Van Der Camp

Review Date: 9/13/09

EXTRACT

Ben Affleck is the bomb in Extract. Seriously. I love the hell out of Ben and I always have and always will, but man is he just insanely funny in this movie.

When he comes on the screen, he just commands it. He just looks so odd with that long hair and beard and as thin as he does, that he looks so different and so out of the ordinary that you have to wonder what he’s going to do.

And then he opens his mouth and talks about drugs and drinking and he’s hilarious. He’s Lawrence from Office Space and he’s awesome. He’s not the main draw of the movie, but when he’s there, you have to do nothing else but laugh.

Put him in the same room as Bateman and you’ve got comic gold. It’s strange to see them play against each other as Bateman is dry and Affleck is more obscene, and you just get to see some serious awesome.

Clifton Collins Jr. and JK Simmons round out the principal male actors, and I’m starting to love Collins. After Crank 2, he’s really hitting his stride of goofy weirdoes. And JK Simmons can do no wrong. He’s not afforded much to do here, but when he’s on screen, he’s just right.

David Koechner as the creepy, talkative neighbor is a sight. He’s not overplaying his hand like so many of his more recent roles have done, he’s a very Milton-esque character.

Mila Kunis isn’t given much to do, same with much of the rest of the cast, but they each get their own small moments.

Not nearly as good as Office Space but it certainly tries hard to meet that. The worst part about the film is just the lagging moments where not much happens.

There’s a lot of back and forth and moments where nothing happens, and it drags in certain parts where Bateman and Wiig play not-so happy home life.

The absolute worst thing I can say about this movie is that it tries a bit too hard in certain spots to be Office Space. It’s as if Peter became the boss, Lawrence ran a bar, and Milton moved in next door.

It just seems very familiar.

It doesn’t overstay it’s welcome like certain Apatow movies and it actually has characters that grow and change as the movie goes forward unlike certain Apatow movies and it actually has comedy unlike certain Apatow movies. It’s a film to watch if you want to watch a comedy by people who know what comedy is supposed to be. Funny.

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