Essentials: Office Space

Year: 1999 (USA)
Genre: Comedy/Workplace Comedy
Directed: Mike Judge
Stars: Ron Livingston, Jennifer Aniston, David Herman, Ajay Naidu, Diedrich Bader, Stephen Root, Gary Cole, Richard Riehle
Production: 20th Century Fox

Remember the midafternoons and evenings when there was nothing to do so instead of doing something productive with your time you sat back and watched the umpteenth presentation of Office Space (1999) on Comedy Central? Those were the days before The Office was imported from Britain and Mike Judge's other magnum opus, Idiocracy (2006) made its way into our hearts and heavy syndication. Yes indeed there was a time a while back when Office Space was virtually worshipped by office drones who sat chained to their desktops, alternating dead stares between the computer screen and a Dilbert panel.

First world problems

In case you have lived under a rock for fourteen years, here the gist of Office Space. Peter Gibbons (Ron Livingston), an unhappy computer jockey, is simply overwhelmed by the dreariness of his job. He sits in a cubical all day, is hassled by seven different bosses and suspects his girlfriend is cheating on him. He only solace are his equally unhappy coworkers Michael (David Herman) and Samir (Ajay Naidu) and the hopes of catching a glimpse of Joanna (Jennifer Aniston) the cute waitress at the local Applebee clone. Things however get complicated when he visits an occupational-hypno-therapist who calms his nerves a little too much for his own good.

Since 1999 (the year Office Space was released), the economy has upended and soulless collating and secretarial labor seems like a distant memory. Many of us today aspire to get a job that would afford us a single room apartment for fifteen minutes of real, actual work. Still, Office Space remains to many, classic comedy cinema. A movie so clear and specific in its satire yet so universal.



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I discovered Office Space probably the same way you did; I heard things here and there and my curiosity led me to Blockbuster for a two-for-one rental. At the time I was too young to have a job yet I still understood the film's caustic, all-to-real satire. It reaffirmed what I imagined adulthood was like back then, a life of quiet desperation.

As an adult who has worked a total of seven different jobs of varied responsibilities, I can tell you with a straight face that I have never worked in a place like Initech, yet there were aspects of Initech in all the places I have worked. I have worked in places where I had to slave away for a real chode of a boss, prepare reports for not well understood reasons and dealt with faulty tech. In that respect the troubles of our protagonist Peter are my troubles only in quick succession.

But lets not forget the troubles of his coworkers. Both have last names that are meant to evoke laughter and both deal with their own little problems. Problems that ultimately culminate in a pink slip and an escorted exit from the premises. Also for note are other supporting cast members, especially Stephen Root in a scene stealing role as the squirrely Milton.

Director Mike Judge has such a keen sense of savage satire that its a crime he hasn't gotten the reigns for a large budget comedy. The best exposure he's gotten at your local Cineplex was in 1996 with Beavis and Butthead Do America. I guess one shouldn't complain too much given his straight to video success, the aforementioned Idiocracy.

Office Space is a brilliant experience. It's smart, funny and brutally true to the day-to-day experiences we face. If you haven't seen it, grab your fifteen piece of flair and find it on Netflix. If you've seen it and you're not a fan, go home and kiss your Swingline.

Final Grade: A