Office Space
Reviewed by Uncle Cliff (2006)

I was given a chance to see Office Space for free when it had a very brief run at the cinemas in 1999, and passed. After all, it was from Mike Judge, the creator of the one-joke Beavis and Butthead , a show I found more irritating than funny, regardless of the ‘satire' some people claimed it was.

Stupid, stupid me.

After discovering it on video it quickly shot into my hypothetical top three favourite comedies of all time. I probably watch this at least three times a year, maybe more. A film about a man who dares to dream of a life without work. How could I ever have thought I wouldn't love it?

Ron Livingstone is note-perfect as everyman Peter, who like all sane-minded people, loathes work, or rather loathes the corporate finicky management bullshit we all have to put up with on a daily basis, and like all winning comedies, the great main cast (including a hilarious Gary Cole as his boss) is supported by an assembly of quirky and riotous peripheral characters. Like the “Oh-face” guy, the “Jump-to-conclusions matt” co-worker, the two Bobs, “two chicks at the same time” next-door-neighbour Lawrence, mumbling Milton, and the too-chipper flair-loving Brian. Hell, even Jennifer Aniston is great here.

As with all great comedies, all you want to do is re-tell the jokes and quote the great lines as proof of its genius, but I shall refrain.

Office Space is a cult classic that completely deserves its status.

I still don't get Beavis and Butthead though.