MOVIE REVIEW: CARRY-ON

 

A young airline security guard is blackmailed by a mysterious passenger who threatens to smuggle a dangerous package onto a plane on Christmas Eve.

Director: Jaume Collet-Serra

Cast: Taron Egerton, Sofia Carson, Danielle Deadwyler, Jason Bateman

Release Date: December 13, 2024

Genre: Action, Crime, Mystery, Thriller

Rated PG-13 for strong violence, bloody images, some language and suggestive references.

Runtime: 1h 59m

Review:

Carry-On is an old school potboiler in the vein of Die Hard that takes full advantage of strong performances from Taron Egerton and Jason Batman engaging in a tense game of cat and mouse.  Jaume Collet-Serra confidently sets up the premise after quick introductions to the main characters before he moves right into the meat of the story.  The story itself will never be considered smart by any extent, but it does a solid job of keeping your attention especially as the stakes get progressively higher.  He consistently maintains a steady rhythm to the tension even as the script takes increasingly ludicrous twist and turns.  Taron Egerton brings his likeable everyman energy to the proceedings which works perfectly for the central role.  Egerton is able to give his character a believable sense of being out of his depth initially before rising to the occasion.  He's able to bring a sense of authenticity to the role that probably doesn't come through in the hands of a lesser performer.  Jason Batman is clearly relishing his role as the seemingly omnipotent ringleader.  His measured, controlled diction and delivery are perfectly suited for his role as the mastermind.  He can imbue his character with a cold, calculating, detachment that gives him a palpable sense of danger throughout.  The two don't share many scenes together but their verbal interchanges pop and ultimately make the film work.  Danielle Deadwyler makes the most of her screentime as an FBI agent on the trail of Bateman that leaves you wishing the film had given her a more prominent role.  She is given a particularly fun action sequence set to Wham's Last Christmas which is sure to be one of the more memorable moments in the final act.  That final act does stretch out longer than necessary which ultimately keeps Carry-On being truly memorable.   

B

Cindy Prascik's Review of Air

 

My dear readers, with continued apologies for my sporadic content, here I am pleased to share some thoughts on Ben Affleck's Air.

Hoping to compete with the biggest names in its field, a shoe company courts a future superstar as the face of its brand.

Spoiler level here will be mild for the film, with no accounting for what a reader might know of actual events.

Air isn't the sort of film that's going to set the world on fire, but it's an engaging story, well told and well acted. As the shoe company's brass and bolts, the reliably watchable trio of Matt Damon, Jason Bateman, and Ben Affleck carries the movie effortlessly. Viola Davis nearly steals the whole show as the mother of the athlete they court to represent their company. The broad popularity of the titular product makes it unlikely anyone's watching Air without knowing how it turns out, but the movie manages to maintain tension all the same (a feat Affleck also achieved admirably with Argo). Rounded out with a stellar 80s soundtrack, Air is the most enjoyable movie I've seen in a good, long while.

Air clocks in at 111 minutes and is rated R for language.

It won't be the talk of awards season, but Air is a satisfying exercise elevated by a familiar and likeable cast. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Air gets eight.

Air is now streaming on Amazon Prime.

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: AIR

Sonny Vaccaro and Nike pursue basketball rookie Michael Jordan, creating a partnership that revolutionizes the world of sports and contemporary culture.

Director: Ben Affleck

Cast: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Marlon Wayans, Chris Messina, Chris Tucker, Viola Davis

Release Date: April 5, 2023

Genre: Drama, Sport

Rated R for language throughout.

Runtime: 1h 51m

Air runs the gamut of sports underdog tropes as it dramatizes the truth story of how Michael Jordan and Nike started their legendary business relationship. Ben Affleck’s direction injects the film with a breezy, retro feel by using archival footage and music to place it firmly in a very specific place in time.  In lesser hands, this could have been a very bland and paint by the number dramatization that wouldn’t have been nearly as interesting as it is since we all know how it ends.  The film’s biggest asset though is its cast which is made up of likable actors led by Matt Damon.   The role of Sonny Vaccaro is perfectly suited for Damon’s talents since it requires an air of authentic sense of self-determination, drive, and vulnerability.   He delivers the kind of performance that makes some of the more grandiose and self-aware speeches hit with more emotional impact than they would in the hands of a lesser actor.  The supporting cast is made up of familiar faces like Jason Bateman, Marlon Wayans, Chris Tucker and Affleck who all share the kind of lived-in chemistry which make their interactions believable.  Chris Messina is fun even though he’s jarringly over the top as legendary sports agent David Falk.  Viola Davis and her real-life husband, Julius Tennon, play Jordan’s parents with the kind of levelheaded parental energy the roles call for.  Jordan himself is only shown from behind and has very minimal dialogue with archival footage from his career and life serving as most of his presence in the film.  The script smartly focuses the story on the Nike side of this story since Jordan is such a well-known figure.  There are moments, though, where the script rushes some of the behind-the-scenes machinations and relationships a bit too much to make you believe they would take such a massive risk.  These issues are sort of baked into the genre along with the predictability of it all, but Air does an impressive job of making it all so easy and engaging to watch.

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY

An office manager (T.J. Miller) throws a wild Christmas party in the hope of finalizing a deal with a big-time client (Courtney B. Vance). If the party is unsuccessful and the client gets away, the manager's boss and older sister (Jennifer Aniston) will close the branch and lay off all of the employees. Jason Bateman, Olivia Munn, and Kate McKinnon co-star in this holiday comedy directed by Josh Gordon and Will Speck. ~ Daniel Gelb, Rovi

Director: Will Speck, Josh Gordon

Cast: Jason Bateman, Jennifer Aniston, Olivia Munn, TJ Miller, Jillian Bell

Release Date: Dec 09, 2016

Rated R for Drug Use, Crude Sexual Content, Graphic Nudity and Language Throughout

Runtime: 1 hr. 45 min.

Genres: Comedy

Review:

Office Christmas Party is a film that’s never really as funny as it should be.  The cast is made up of a who’s who of talented comedians who can be really funny all on their own.  Somehow, the film never really meshes together the way it should have.  It’s funny in spots but never consistently enough to make it worth revisiting again.  The overall plot borrows heavily from Animal House and Project X but it never really finds its own footing.  When all the crazy antics are done it’s a surprisingly tame R rated comedy that’ll be easily forgotten by the time you left the theater.

C

MOVIE REVIEW: HORRIBLE BOSSES 2

Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis, and Charlie Day return for more employee revenge in this follow-up to the 2011 comedy. Sean Anders directs from a script by Anders and Jonn Morris. Having narrowly avoided prison following the antics of the previous film, Nick (Bateman), Kurt (Sudeikis), and Dale (Day) decide to go into business for themselves. When their breakthrough product, the Shower Buddy, catches the attention of a wealthy entrepreneur named Bert Hanson (Christoph Waltz) who offers to bankroll their initial production run, the eager inventors quickly move into manufacturing. Proudly filling Hanson's initial order before the deadline, they decide to surprise their key investor with the good news, only to get a nasty surprise: A shrewd businessman with a serious lack of ethics, Hanson announces that he is cancelling the deal. With no investors to keep the business afloat, the Shower Buddy factory will soon fall into foreclosure, allowing Hanson to scoop up the product at a fraction of the original cost, change the name, and reap the profits. Indignant, Nick, Kurt, and Dale hatch a plot to kidnap Bert's son Rex (Chris Pine) for a healthy ransom, paying a visit to criminal mastermind Dean Jones (Jamie Foxx) for a few pointers on the fine art of abduction. Needless to say, nothing goes quite as planned, and as the police launch an investigation into the elaborate crime, the hapless trio must once again race to stay one step ahead of the law. Jennifer Aniston and Kevin Spacey co-stars. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi

Director: Sean Anders 

Cast: Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis, Charlie Day, Chris Pine, Christoph Waltz

Release Date: Nov 26, 2014

Rated R for Strong Crude Sexual Content and Language Throughout

Runtime: 1 hr. 48 min.

Genres: Comedy

Review:

While I enjoyed the original film, I was kind of disappointed it wasn’t an all out laugh fest.  The cast was great but I just felt the film was missing something.  I’ve rewatched it a few times and found it amusing but still lacking.  So while most people would say this is a pointless sequel, it kind of is, I was interested in seeing how the second go around would fair.  Thankfully the sequel delivered exactly what I was hoping for from the first film.  It’s a hilarious film that’s consistently funny with very few dead spots.  Bateman, Sudeikis and Day have much better chemistry this go around deliver hilarious performances all around.  We get extended cameos from Kevin Spacey, would have like more, and Jennifer Aniston, could have used less, which are solid but feel like they were tacked on to the original plot.  Chris Pine and Christoph Waltz are solid additions to the series with Pine bringing a douchtastic energy to his character which is perfect for the role.  Waltz on the other hand is rather underused, serving mostly as a plot mechanism and not doing much else.  It’s rare that a needless sequel surpasses the original film but that’s the case here.

A-

TV SHOW REVIEW: ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT SEASON 4

“And now, The Story Of A Wealthy Family Whose Future Was Abruptly Cancelled…”

Writer / Director: Mitchell Hurwitz & Troy Miller

Cast: Jason Bateman, Portia de Rossi, Will Arnett, Michael Cera, Alia Shawkat, Tony Hale, David Cross, Jeffrey Tambor, Jessica Walters

Release Date: May 26, 2013

Genres: Comedy

Review:

The return of one of my favorite comedies of all time had my sights set high, very high. Years of seemingly endless discussions about a possible movie seemed more like a death knell than anything else. Diehard fans rejoiced at the news that Netflix had picked up the series for a new season. The result is an impressively intricate plot with a puzzle like structure. It starts a little slow but rolls towards hilarity as it all comes together. Due to scheduling, Mitchell Hurwitz & Troy Miller had to devise a way to work with the cast members they had at any particular time. As a result, most episodes focus on one family member typically interacting with some but rarely the entire family member. It takes a little while to get used to but as you make your way through the episodes you’ll the genius in viewing the same situations from different point of views. It’s all lovingly crafted and even more self aware than it was before. The jokes are just as rapid fire as you remember with plenty of call backs to previous seasons and a bevy of new instantly quotable jokes. Some of the jokes reach a crazy level of meta comedy at play. The main cast slip back into their roles with impressive ease. The format allows each actor or actress to shine usually accompanied by returning recurring characters or new guest stars. The one drawback to the format is that if you don’t like a particular character you are kind of stuck with them for an episode or two. Since the episodes are so well written it’s never a big issue but some drag a tad more than others, George Bluth Sr.’s plot is a good example. I will warn you that the season does seem to have slightly darker twisted feel to it throughout which might take some people by surprise. Additionally, some of the budget restraints are apparent and even joked about. Even with these minor drawbacks, the season as a whole is a massive success. I was more than a little depressed when I reached the last episode of season 4. It was short lived of course because I knew I’d be watching the episodes again very soon.

A-

MOVIE REVIEW: HORRIBLE BOSSES

IN THEATERS

HORRIBLE BOSSES



Colin Farrell, Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman, and Charlie Day star in this workplace comedy about three frustrated employees who hatch a plan to kill their micromanaging bosses, only to find their murderous plot snowballing into disaster. Seth Gordon (The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters) directs a screenplay written by Michael Markowitz, Jonathan Goldstein, and John Francis Daley. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Seth Gordon

Cast: Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis, Charlie Day, Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Spacey

Release Date: Jul 08, 2011

Rated: Crude and sexual content, pervasive language and some drug material

Runtime: 1 hr. 40 min.

Genres: Comedy

Review:

Horrible Bosses isn’t perfect but ultimately it’s a fairly good time, a testament to the strong cast assembled. Seth Gordon sloppily directs this film. His biggest fault is never finding a steady rhythm to the proceedings, after a strong start he just seems disinterested as he’s more than happy to leave all the heavy lifting to the cast. Luckily the cast is game. Bateman, Sudeikis and Day have wonderful chemistry together. They breathe life into a mediocre script. All three bring a certain kind of energy to the film and it works very well. The trio’s energy keeps the film alive throughout with Charlie Day being the real standout of the group. His manic energy is really something to behold, no shock to fans of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Colin Farrell has more of a cameo than an actual role. Kevin Spacey the primary antagonist here and he’s clearly having a ball. Jennifer Aniston delivers dirty lines with the conviction of a 3rd grader but she’s limited to a small role. Most of the jokes are fairly pedestrian which is kind of surprising considering the subject matter but it does find a solid footing in the second half but I don’t think it’s the kind of comedy that’ll hold up after repeat viewings as it never reaches the heights of 80’s film 9 to 5.

C+

Bluray quality; Video soft but sharp ; Sound is decent but unimpressive.

I was hand-selected to be a member of Blu-ray Elite, a beta program from Warner Home Video which has graciously sent me this free Blu-ray disc.

[Trailer] Horrible Bosses

From the look at this trailer it’s almost impossible to figure out how this film could disappoint.

An allstar cast, Jennifer Anniston thrown in there as well and according to chatter she might go topless...desperation anyone...

Anyway back to the movie, it looks like it'll be a more twisted version of the 80’s flick 9 to 5.

MOVIE REVIEWS: PAUL

IN THEATERS

PAUL


Two average sci-fi geeks get caught up in the ultimate interplanetary adventure after picking up an extraterrestrial during a road trip to Area 51 and becoming the targets of a nationwide manhunt. Graeme (Simon Pegg) and Clive (Nick Frost) are two British sci-fi geeks on holiday in America. After a trip to Comic-Con to meet their favorite author, Adam Shadowchild (Jeffrey Tambor), Graeme and Clive load up their RV and hit the road for a tour of some of the most famous UFO hotspots in the American Southwest. They know we're not alone in the universe, but they won't be satisfied until they get a firsthand glimpse of the famed Area 51. However, somewhere deep in the Nevada desert, the two UFO enthusiasts narrowly avoid crashing into a speeding car when they happen across a most unlikely hitchhiker. Paul (voice of Seth Rogan) is a pint-sized alien who has spent the last 60 years in Area 51. He's been cooped up in the care of the U.S. Government for far too long, and he's starting to get a little homesick. Though Graeme and Clive are more than willing to help their wisecracking new friend get back to his mother ship, Special Agent Zoil (Jason Bateman) of the FBI is closing in fast. And he's not the only one; in their race to get their new friend home, Graeme and Clive have also become unwitting kidnappers, and the enraged father of their not-so-unwilling captive, Ruth (Kristen Wiig), is determined to rescue his daughter at all costs. Sigourney Weaver, Bill Hader, Blythe Danner, and David Koechner co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Greg Mottola

Cast: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Seth Rogen, Jason Bateman, Kristen Wiig

Release Date: Mar 18, 2011

Rated R for Language, including sexual references, and some drug use

Runtime: 1 hr. 44 min.

Genres: Comedy, Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Review:

Paul is kind of a difficult film to review, mainly because of Pegg & Frost previous cinematic gems. Their first outing without Edgar Wright in the director’s chair is still lots of fun filled with scifi allusions and nods and winks but it feels like it’s missing something. It’s strangely broad and unfocused, Pegg & Frost are allowed to fade into the background way too often. Director Greg Mottola seems unsure of how do deal with the script and actors so he just plays it safe for the most part. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are always fun to watch on screen and this is no different. Seth Rogen does solid work as the voice of titular alien but in all honesty he’s pretty much playing a character we’ve seen him play countless times and it’s kind of hard not to think of Roger from American Dad! as you watch Paul’s antics. Jason Bateman mastered the art of playing the straight man and it’s a bit of a shame he’s not allowed to stretch his comedic legs a tad more. SNL players, Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader have a bit more to do and they’re both good fun in their roles. Paul isn’t quite up to Shaun of the Dead or Hot Fuzz standards but it’s still a fun and capable comedy.

B-

MOVIE REVIEWS: PRECIOUS, BOONDOCK SAINTS 2 & COULPLE’S RETREAT

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

On DVD


PRECIOUS



Monster's Ball producer Lee Daniels follows up his 2005 directorial debut, Shadowboxer, with this adaptation of author Sapphire's best-selling novel about an overweight, illiterate African-American teen from ..Harlem.. who discovers an alternate path in life after she begins attending a new school. Clareece "Precious" Jones is only a teenager, yet she's about to give birth to her second child. Unable to read or write, Clareece shows little prospect for the future until discovering that she has been accepted into an alternative school. There, with a little help from a sympathetic teacher (Paula Patton) and a kindly nurse (Lenny Kravitiz), the young girl receives something that most teens never get -- a chance to start over. Mo'nique co-stars in an inspirational drama featuring the debut performance of screen newcomer Gabourey "Gabbie" Sidibe. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Director: Lee Daniels

Release Date: Nov 06, 2009

Rated R for child abuse including sexual assault, and pervasive language.

Runtime: 1 hr. 49 min.

Genres: Drama

Cast: Gabourey Sidibe, Lenny Kravitz, Paula Patton, Mo'Nique, Mariah Carey.




Review:




First and foremost this film’s plot is something that’s probably already done on Lifetime at one point of another. Had the director not been able to get such wonderful performances from his cast, this film probably would have come and gone with little notice. Daniel’s direction is fairly rudimentary only occasionally does he give the film some creative flair. Lee Daniel’s real strength lies on his ability to pull out such strong performances from his much praised and awarded cast. It’s a truly impressive feat that elevates this film. Gabourey Sidibe comes across as authentic throughout, so much so that it feels like a documentary at times. Mo’Nique is just terrifying throughout, he character just seethes with anger and self pity. Paula Patton has been mostly overlooked but she provides a steadiness to the film, her performance is easy to overlook but it shouldn’t be. Mariah Carey is just as effective, shedding nearly all of her pretension and glam for a grounded performance. Precious is a difficult movie to sit through and probably not one you’d be quick to revisit. It is an actor’s movie through and through and the entire cast delivers stellar work deserving of all the praise.



B+





BOONDOCK SAINTS 2: ALL SAINTS DAY




Boondock Saints, the 2000 crime picture renowned for the unique story of the fast rise
and fall of its egomaniacal filmmaker, Troy Duffy, as well as the cult following that appeared later on home release, gets the sequel treatment with this follow-up. Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus reunite as the vigilante MacManus brothers, with Billy Connolly returning as Il Duce. Duffy once again directs from his own script, with Clifton Collins Jr., Julie Benz, and David Della Rocco filling out the rest of the cast. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide

Director: Troy Duffy




Release Date: Oct 30, 2009




Rated R for bloody violence, some nudity and language




Runtime: 1 hr. 27 min.




Genres: Action




Cast: Sean Patrick Flanery, Norman Reedus, Billy Connolly, Clifton Collins, Jr., Julie Benz.



Review:



The original Boondock Saint’s was a movie I really wanted to love and just couldn’t ever warm up too for some reason. The entire thing seemed terribly derivative and amateurish. That’s not to say that Duffy’s film didn’t have a few inspired moment but it just seemed lacking and I still can’t quite understand the fascination with it. Duffy seemed to have some interesting concepts but his prowess as a writer and director seemed lacking. I was expecting Duffy’s follow up would be something akin to Sam Raimi or Robert Rodriguez follow ups to cult hits. Sadly, Duffy seems stuck in the mud. The sequel gives us a more steady directorial hand but the writing borders on horrid various times throughout the proceedings. The characters are all underwritten, the plot generic and the attempts are humor are terribly sophomoric. Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus return do the best they can with the roles but they seem more like an after thought for some reason. Julie Benz, working with one of the worse Southern accents in recent memory, is never believable. Her character’s spot as William Dafoe’s replacement here doesn’t work and she simply becomes grating as the film proceeds. Clifton Collins Jr., who’s usually solid in manic character’s, is generally wasted and generally seems disinterested as he utters some terrible dialogue. This is something that kind of a recurring theme throughout as the actors lack any energy or conviction. Duffy doesn’t seem capable of getting strong performances out of his cast, it was a problem that plagued the first film and is equally problematic here. Billy Connolly seems to be the only one actually trying and he’s got the least screen time of anyone. Once the film ends, I was left with the same feeling after watching the first one. I wanted to like it a lot more than I did. The ideas could be interesting and witty but they are executed so poorly that it’s hard to enjoy it.




C-





COUPLE’S RETREAT




Their relationship in danger of dissipating, a couple racing to salvage their marriage invites three other couples to join them at a tropical island resort. Upon arriving at the island paradise to enjoy some carefree fun in the sun, the other couples are disturbed to discover that participation in therapy sessions is mandatory if they hope to remain at the resort. Peter Bilingsley directs a comedy penned by Jon Favreau, produced by Vince Vaughn, and pairing the two Made collaborators onscreen with co-stars Jason Bateman and Faizon Love. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Director: Peter Bilingsley




Release Date: Oct 09, 2009



Rated PG-13 for sexual content and language




Runtime: 1 hr. 47 min.



Genres: Comedy



Cast: Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman, Faizon Love, Jon Favreau, Malin Akerman.



Review:



Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau have written some strong comedies in the past which makes this totally inert and neutered film a real head scratcher. Peter Bilingsley, Ralphie from A Christmas Story, provides fairly generic direction throughout and does a nice job of capturing pretty vistas once they move to the island. His pacing could use some work as the film seems to have very little flow or momentum. It doesn’t help that the script provides some of the blandest and most generic types for each of the couples. All of them are instantly recognizable and they wouldn’t do anything that surprises you throughout. It’s a real shame considering the comedic talent on hand. The cast just goes through the motions, only rarely delivering more than slight chuckle. Making matters worse this film is overly long, so much so that once we get to the final act you just want it to be over because the laughs have long since disappeared.



D

Movie Reviews: UP IN THE AIR

Sunday, January 03, 2010
Movie Reviews: UP IN THE AIR
IN THEATERS

UP IN THE AIR

From Jason Reitman, the Oscar® nominated director of “Juno,” comes a comedy called “Up in the Air” starring Oscar® winner George Clooney as Ryan Bingham, a corporate downsizing expert whose cherished life on the road is threatened just as he is on the cusp of reaching ten million frequent flyer miles and just after he’s met the frequent-traveler woman of his dreams.

Cast: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman, Danny R. McBride

Director: Jason Reitman

Opened December 4, 2009.

Runtime: 1 hr. 49 min.

Rate R for language and some sexual content

Genres: Romantic Comedy, Comedy Drama, Psychological Drama, Family Drama, Workplace Comedy

Review:

It’s truly shocking that Up in the Air is director Jason Reitman’s 3rd film. Reitman’s level of polish is something most directors aspire to when they reach their peak. Up in the Air perfectly captures the cultural zeitgeist, a snapshot in time, filled with all the disconnect and artificial appreciation we all live with day in and out. Specifically, air travel and hotel life is wonderfully replicated with all the shorthand that anyone with any sort of travel experience would be hard pressed not to grin throughout. Reitman is able to meld this with a poignant look at the corporate wasteland caused by downsizing, using non actors in snippet interviews, that has consumed the America’s business landscape over the past couple of years. It’s a tricky balance but it works well especially since this is a romantic comedy at its heart. Reitman’s director is top notch and his cast is equally up to task. George Clooney, doing his best work since Michael Clayton, displays a full range of his character’s persona. His character is confident and head strong but very self aware of his ideology’s paradoxes. Clooney doesn’t shy away from showing his vulnerable side and does so with great effectiveness here. Vera Farmiga does an equally impressive job matching Clooney jab for jab in their scenes together. She displays a great ability to be strong and sexy without falling into the standard pitfalls of this type of role. Doing a similar balancing act is Anna Kendrick who makes her mark on her role which could have faded into cliché in lesser hands. She makes her character funny but grounded in reality, making her seem like someone we’ve all run into at some point in our careers. Peppered throughout the film are strong character actors like JK Simmons, Jason Bateman, Danny McBride, Zach Galifianakis and Sam Elliott. They make what could have been quick throwaway moments into something more substantial. Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner adapted the script from Walter Kirn’s 2001 mostly stream of conscience novel of the same name and there are moments in the film that feel like they are starting to head into rom-com clichés but they throw you curve balls keeping you off balance. It’s a true testament to their efforts in giving the audience something fresh with substance.

A

Movie Reviews: EXTRACT

Sunday, September 06, 2009
Movie Reviews: EXTRACT
IN THEATERS

EXTRACT

Joel, played by Jason Bateman ("Juno," "Arrested Development"), is one step away from selling his flavor extract factory and retiring to easy street when a freak workplace accident sets in motion a series of disasters that puts his business and personal life in jeopardy.

Cast: Jason Bateman, Mila Kunis, Ben Affleck, Kristen Wiig, Clifton Collins, Jr., J.K. Simmons

Director: Mike Judge

Opened September 4, 2009..

Runtime: 1 hr. 30 min.

Rated R for language, sexual references and some drug use

Genres: Comedy, Workplace Comedy


Review:




Mike Judge’s 3rd film is an effective but unfocused effort that delivers plenty of laughs yet it leaves you feeling there could have been more. Judge returns to the mundane drudgery of the work place, which he wonderfully skewered in cult favorite Office Space, taking the management perspective this go around. His script is peppered with plenty of funny insights into America’s upper middle class making the laughs feel authentic and never contrived. Judge has always shown great talent as a writer as anyone who’s watched his terribly underrated King of the Hill and his criminally overlooked satire Idiocracy. His talent as a director isn’t quite as strong. His films have always had an unfocused meandering feel and Extract is no different. His direction makes you feel like you’re wandering through the story making you wonder where the story is going. It creates an odd feel for the film that makes it feel longer than its actual runtime. It’s not a fatal detriment mainly because Judge populates his film with fun characters played by an incredibly capable comedic cast. Jason Bateman plays his role perfectly and anyone who’s watched Arrested Development knows what to expect. He’s perfected his straight man routine and this role is tailor made for him. Ben Affleck as Joel’s best friend is great fun and he really seems to enjoy himself in this role. Affleck and Bateman’s interactions are some of the movies high points punctuated with a bong hit for the ages. The remaining cast members shine but not as much as they should considering the talent assembled. Kristin Wiig and Mila Kunis respective roles feel underwritten and don’t really give either actress a chance to shine. JK Simmons and David Koechner are giving running gags that are hit or miss in terms of effectiveness. Once the slightly abrupt finale hits you can help but feel charmed by Judge’s type of humor but it does feel like he could have hit a real homerun if he’d used his cast to its fullest potential.




C+