Cast: Jennifer Aniston, Ron Livingston, Gary Cole, Stephen Root, David Herman, John C. McGinley, Ajay Naidu, Diedrich Bader, Paul Willson
Director: Mike Judge
Producers: Michael Rotenberg and Daniel Rappaport
Screenplay: Mike Judge based on his "Milton" animated shorts
Cinematography: Tim Suhrstedt
U.S. Distributor: Twentieth Century Fox
There's a reason why the core theme of Mike Judge's Office Space - satirizing the office work environment -- is rarely used as the backbone of a feature motion picture, despite an almost universal appeal. It's because, no matter how clever and incisive the script is, stretching this idea out to 90 minutes is likely to spread the humor too thinly. The material, which is funny as a result of familiarity, works well as a secondary element, but not as a driving force. That's why the best examples of the modern-day office comedy don't demand an extended attention span. Whether it's Scott Adams' "Dilbert" cartoon or Judge's own "Milton" shorts (upon which Office Space is based), less is often better, especially in this arena.
Office Space opens with a sequence that will draw wry chuckles from those who brave the rush hour commute every day. Peter Gibbons (Ron Livingstone) is sitting in his car on a highway in bumper-to-bumper traffic. A man in walker, painfully making his way along a nearby sidewalk, is traveling faster than anyone in a vehicle. Soon, cars in another lane begin to move, but Peter remains standing still. After a few seconds of frustration, he slips into the moving lane... just as it comes to a stop. Predictably, at that point, the cars in the lane he existed start going forward. After a few more ill-timed switches, Peter discovers that his progress (or lack thereof) can be measured in feet.
Office Space isn't smart only when it comes to the commute; it a has an insider's view of the politics, processes, and jargon of working in a large, controlled office space. Procedures and appearances are everything. Someone who does no work can be rewarded provided that he (a) stays nestled in his cubicle, (b) looks busy, and (c) fills out all his TPS cover sheets flawlessly and on time. Then there are the little things we're all familiar with: FAX machines that display a "paper jam" error when no paper is jammed anywhere, bosses whose smooth-talking voices threaten to induce instant catatonia, computers that take forever to shut down, and the use of Tetris as an antidote to the 9-to-5 blahs. If you have ever worked in an office, you will immediately recognize about two dozen tiny details that Judge only has to exaggerate slightly (or, in some cases, not at all) to generate the proper comic effect. In that respect, Office Space is like last year's Clockwatchers (an office comedy about the life of temps).
However, this is all just background detail. It keeps the movie interesting, but can't sustain it. Unfortunately, it's debatable whether the plot can, either. The three lead characters, Peter, Michael (David Herman), and Samir (Ajay Naidu), are software engineers for Initech, a company specializing in Y2K upgrades. One day, a couple of consultants (John C. McGinley, Paul Willson) show up at the workplace. The office boss, Bill Lumbergh (Gary Cole), introduces them as advisors designed to help the company run better. Everyone recognizes that layoffs (in corporate jargon, "a downsizing") are on the way. After visiting an occupational hypnotist, Peter decides that he's had enough of his job. He refuses to work on Saturdays and Sundays, takes time off for a lunch date with Joanna (Jennifer Aniston), a pretty waitress who works at a nearby restaurant, and generally does nothing. Instead of gaining him a trip to the unemployment office, however, his new attitude earns him this label: "a straight shooter with upper management written all over him."
So far, so good. It's there that the film starts to fall apart. The storyline takes a turn into crime caper territory, with our intrepid hero masterminding a scheme to embezzle small amounts of money from Initech's clients. Meanwhile, the romance angle, which starts with promise, is bungled. Jennifer Aniston, the charismatic "Friends" actress who has more screen presence than anyone else in the film, is wasted. Her character, Joanna, serves little purpose beyond acting as a conscience for Peter. Their interaction is developed over the course of a one-minute montage that bridges a first date with a steady relationship. To say that this aspect of the movie is unsatisfying is to understate the matter.
Most of the actors play their parts effectively. Ron Livingston brings an "everyman" quality to Peter, and David Herman and Ajay Naidu offer solid support as a typical nerd and a high-strung immigrant. Gary Cole is delightfully slimy as Lumbergh (one of the movie's comic high points is an imagined sex scene featuring him). Diedrich Bader plays Lawrence, Peter's next-door neighbor, who's always on hand to offer a few words of friendly advice (or to shout out that a woman on cable TV is doing a breast exam). And Stephen Root is Milton, an introverted worker who meekly accepts all the crap his bosses dish out.
The Office Space soundtrack boasts an interesting selection of gangsta rap numbers. Aside from selling CDs (always a major factor), this choice of music sets up an interesting visual/audio dichotomy between the impotent white-collar workers struggling feebly against the establishment and the violent language and attitude of the streets. While there may or may not be a message in such a musical approach, it definitely adds a sense of urgency to the proceedings.
Since creating "Beavis and Butthead" and "King of the Hill", Judge has been a hot commodity. This is his first live-action motion picture, and he brings his trademark irreverent sense of humor to the project. In a more concentrated form (perhaps truncated to 30 or 60 minutes), Office Space could have been a true pleasure. In its current incarnation, however, it fails to sustain its comic momentum or high energy level. The first half is fresh and funny, but it doesn't last. A lot about Office Space is good; unfortunately, too little of it has to do with the central plot.
© 1999 James Berardinelli