Office Space (1999)
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Office Space Movie Review
Office Space is a 1999 satirical black comedy film directed by Mike Judge and starring Ron Livingston. It is easily one of the best comedies of the nineties.
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“No way! Why should I change? He’s the one who sucks“
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Peter, a software engineer, is tired of his boring job and makes a vengeful plan with two of his friends to plant a virus in his company’s system. The message in this movie is fantastic. As a someone who has never had a corporate job nor do I plan to ever do one, I found the critical portrayal of it tremendous and highly important.
So many people bury their heads in the sand as they just try to live by, but there is no need for this really. There are so many better options out there than to live like this. Everything that they portrayed here rings true and it should be required viewing for everybody who is dissatisfied with their current job.
Satirizing the dumb accounting and programming that are dealt with in these companies, the film meticulously showcases the many different flaws within this system, in particular focusing on the smug, inhumane boss played so effectively by Gary Cole. This character was easy to hate as he represents so many horrible bosses in these companies.
Ron Livingston really surprised me here. This is his most iconic role of course as he delivered such a strong performance as such a terrific, wonderfully written character. The highlight in the film is when Peter suddenly becomes content and carefree, resulting in many hilarious moments where he acted like a badass at work.
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The ending itself was the weakest point in the movie that is otherwise superbly scripted, but they did wrap things up a bit too neatly and unsatisfactorily. It was always intended to be a crowd-pleaser, so I did expect that it would go the safe route, but still I’d hoped for more.
Jennifer Aniston was also wonderful as this very likable, smart girlfriend of the protagonist. The two hit it off instantly and their dynamic was fun and full of great possibilities for both of them. The film depicts through these two how often times the bright, great people get pushed aside unfortunately.
Milton was also hilarious as this very nervous, but timid dude who ended up putting the entire building on fire in a highly satisfying, hysterical outcome. He is the most believable character here, which is very unfortunate. Michael Bolton being annoyed that he shared his name with a famous singer was another standout running gag while Samir himself was very likable and fun. The main trio was excellent and easy to love.
Office Space is at its best in the second act. This is where all of the best jokes come in. The red stable became instantly iconic for a reason. Many characters steal the show throughout in a rare occasion where not one character is the star, but most are. It’s a shame that most of these actors never got to do much after this movie as they were all great here.
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The film’s dialogue is particularly strong with so many great one-liners and hilarious running gags. The movie is populist for sure, but that is its strength as everybody can relate to some degree with these characters and their job dissatisfaction, making the movie truly timeless.
