Review of Extract (2009) by Tadd R — 21 Jun 2011
Close to being a great film but...not. Mike Judge is masterful at sustaining a dry comic tone and coming up with humorous details and situations, but just has no idea how to sculpt an overall plot arc. "Office Space" had the same problem. All of the script's subplots resolve in a mediocre puff of smoke, and I can think of at least three ways I could improve the ending. And Judge still writes about love and romance like it's something from outer space -- hard to believe this man is married. Emotionally detached much?
Jason Bateman is essentially revisiting Michael Bluth -- the voice of sanity under duress, always trying to remain tactful. Kristen Wiig (wow, she really is an underrated beauty) is wasted in a thankless role as his vacant wife, but Gene Simmons (of KISS, yes) slays as a bullying lawyer. David Koechner also has the best part of his modest career, playing an annoying neighbor whose nuisance banter is an echo of the awkward, aggravating conversations in "Office Space.".
This review of Extract (2009) was written by Tadd R on 21 Jun 2011.
Extract has generally received mixed reviews.
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