Office Space

Hey remember this classic nineties gem of office life and computers that looked more like a lunchbox rather than a sheet of paper. Neither do I. And why should I considering I was only three years old at the time of it's release. But that being said, surely in my more mature years I can relate to the characters attitudes and misfortunes. I can't even do that. I'm sorry for all those fans of this movie that have given it such a renowned cult following, but this film is just too unfocused, slow and alien for my money. By alien, I mean I cannot relate to or fathom the boredom of office work, let alone become in engaged in the main character's story. I'm still being educated and there are times when I like my day at school, others I do not. Similarly, the jokes can be very funny or they go right over my head.

Now the for the story: Essentially, Peter (played by Ron Livingston) is tired white-collar employee of a company...quite honestly I have no idea what they do, and is taken to a hypnotherapist where he receives a new outlook on life. This leads him to go against the wishes of his superiors and to the shock of his co-workers, is decently rewarded. All the while, consultants are brought in to outsource and downsize the employee's. All are terrified, especially Peter's friends Samir Lastnameunpronounceable, Micheal Bolton (Swear to god) and Milton who was actually fired years earlier and was never told. Other colorful characters include Peter's couch potato neighbor Lawrence, exasperated waitress Joanna (Jennifer Aniston) and the funniest person on film Bill Lumbergh. To get revenge on these actions, Peter and his friends plot salami-slicing, whereby fractions of cents from individual accounts are scrapped off and left to accumulate for a number of year's.

To tell the truth, I actually do like some of the lines in this film and there are some especially memorable moments, but I feel it doesn't offer much more than a few good jokes and some pretty bland (or annoying) characters. The only two characters I like are Peter, whom I sympathize with. He is so annoyed by the repetitive nature of the office life and the lack of respect he think's he deserves. He does deliver some of the best lines in the film, but the best character in my opinion is Lumbergh. This is the typical dooshebag boss. Pretentious, condescending and obnoxious, he delights in making his employee's work weekends and getting those new reprint cover slip fax files (I have no idea). How would one describe him, try thinking of the Dude's more successful, less cool brother, their delivery is so deadpan it's hard not to enjoy it. I also must point out the hilarious running joke of the faulty copy machine/printer. It's punchline is one of the most over the top moments in satires and that's saying something. When you see it, can you think of a familiar Family Guy joke. 

But really other than that, the film is sometimes a bore or is annoying. Some of the characters can get a chuckle, but some of the jokes are just dead on arrival. I mean, does office life in the nineties seem like, the necessary point of the nineties that need to be satirized. This is decade that brought Scream, Happy Gilmore and Big Lebowski, how did office life become the thing to satirize. As I said before, the characters are very bland and poorly developed. I'm not expecting Shakespeare, but the one thing that makes a comedy memorable is it's writing. In my opinion, what would have been funnier, if all the employee's were getting revenge on the boss, if we took a look at a lot more employee's and if the character's were all based in one workplace as opposed to two or three. So unmemorable characters and poorly written script aside, would I recommend this film? Well, for those who love The Office or actually did work in an office, I think they will love it. However for most other's, it may just bore you or you just don't get the joke. 

I definitely see where the cult following has spawned. I feel so tired on the weekends, I feel as though I can do hardly anything, but lie around in my bed. In fact this film has inspired many to quit their job's as they weren't satisfied, that's a lot of pressure on the actor's and director's shoulders. I doubt I would ever go as far to get revenge on my boss as these guy's, but that is where the biggest laugh comes from. So enjoy your film all you like, I need to leave you now. I have a Loooooooooong week ahead of me and my teacher need's me to come in to work on my Saturday mornings!