Film Review: Extract
Written by Russ Crandall   
Sunday, 28 February 2010 13:30


Lawd, I hate this kind of comedy. You know, those movies where we're supposed to think it's funny to place the protagonist in a series of unfortunate events that spin out of control and make the him look like an asshole. Maybe it's because I unknowingly project myself into every leading character, but this shit just drives me up the wall. It's the reason I couldn't ever watch What About Bob? or Meet the Parents more than once. Sure, I get it; the protagonist makes some sort of stupid initial decision and the rest of the film is "punishment" for acting out against social or cultural norms. I've taken a film class or two. But goddamn if I don't get irked by these downward-spiral films.

Extract is the latest Mike Judge movie (you know, Office Space!) and it stars that guy from Teen Wolf Too and some other shit. He owns an extract factory, he's going through some sexual dysfunction with his wife, and he's friends with Ben Affleck (who's a bartender). These three factors drive the film into my previous-bitched-about subplot, in which things go haywire for our hero. But unlike the few films that get this "downward spiral" mechanic right (see: just about every Coen Brothers film), this slow descent into unhappiness is neither graceful nor deserved, and it never feels like it ends satisfactorily for the characters, and the viewer.

Granted, this film may be the deepest thing associated with Mike Judge ever (we are talking about the guy that made Beavis and Butthead and Idiocracy after all). It deals with death, dismemberment and a failing marriage; but in the end, I can't help but feel that Mr. Judge should stick to shallow and mildly vulgar comedies. Those were at least entertaining.

Best line: "I'd be the laughing stock of the grindcore community!"
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