'Office Space' is a white-collar comedy for cubicle-class

By Tam Notosusanto

JAKARTA (JP): Workers of the world, unite! And go see Office Space.

This film is an ode to those overworked, underpaid workers slaving away in cramped cubicles and performing pointless duties. Hanging onto what's left of their dignity and minuscule salaries, they have to grapple daily with job insecurity and evil superiors keen on making each working day a miserable one.

And if that description sounds distressing, don't be disheartened. Office Space is actually a comedy.

Just like Kevin Smith's 1994 flick Clerks, the TV series Working and the comic strip phenomenon Dilbert, this movie uses humor and satire to tell the suffering of low-level employees. The hero in Office Space is Peter (Ron Livingston), a young man working at a computer software company. Every day is a constant battle for him as he fights malfunctioning office equipment, gets harassed by various supervisors and slouches through the tedious, endless office hours. His only salvation is Joanna (Jennifer Aniston), a waitress at a nearby restaurant he has a crush on and who he can only see on his lunch breaks.

But Peter finds a way to break away from it all after a session of hypnotherapy with a psychiatrist. Suddenly he manages not to care: he does not show up for work, and when he finally visits the office, he walks around aimlessly and ignores his boss. Ironically, his new-found defiance impresses two consultants hired by the company to sift through all the employees before deciding which losers should be let go. Peter's ersatz brazenness wins him a promotion and a guaranteed career boost.

However, as Peter adapts himself to this new turn of events, he discovers something: his coworkers and good friends Michael (David Herman) and Samir (Ajay Naidu) are among those about to be downsized and their used to pay for the raise which accompanies his promotion. His loyalty to his friends prompts Peter to warn them, and together they plan revenge to get back at the evil software company.

Mike Judge, the movie's writer and director, keeps the film light, throwing in witty one-liners and sight gags that stay away from vulgarity and make the film utterly funny and enjoyable. The themes of vengeance and anger are approached so subtly and coated in such entertaining zaniness that they never seem disturbing.

A constant laugh-getter is Michael's last name, which is Bolton. Judge uses this gag to the hilt. A hilarious, dialog-free scene in which the three employees execute a fax machine in an open-field, mob-style, is the movie's most memorable moment.

Judge not only attacks the white-collar, yuppie bosses. He also flays the manager of the TGIF-look-alike restaurant Joanna works at, with his suffocating, inane demand for her to add flares to her uniform. Incidentally, Judge plays this small but essential part himself.

This movie certainly doesn't resemble any of Judge's previous creations: MTV icons Beavis and Butthead and the satiric TV cartoon series King of the Hill. But his drollness and wit are all here, along with his consistent defense of the deprived and oppressed.

And Office Space would not have been so effective without the comedic flair of the ensemble cast. Ron Livingston, who looks like a young Dan Akroyd, lights up the screen with his angst- ridden-laborer-turned-liberated-office-crusader. Wonderful comedic performances are provided by David Herman -- a dead ringer for John Ritter -- with his laconic Michael, and Diedrich Bader as Peter's airhead neighbor Lawrence.

Jennifer Aniston, the only "name" in the cast, gives a sufficient supporting performance. Although hers is only a complementary role, she fills it with the necessary strength and ardor. Her Joanna has apparent chemistry with Livingston's Peter, and the scene in which she gives her boss the finger will delight oppressed waitresses everywhere.

And lighting up the screen as the demonic boss Bill Lumbergh is Gary Cole, aptly cast for he played the devil himself in the short-lived TV series American Gothic. Cole's Lumbergh is an employee's nightmare and the only thing missing from the scenes he's in is the theme music from Jaws.

Milton, the constantly-abused, unintelligible comic strip antihero Judge created is also brought to life in this film. This always unfortunate employee is played by Stephen Root, the actor best known as the boss in the TV series NewsRadio.

Even though Office Space's conclusion is rather flat and a disappointment considering the wholesome fun delivered by the entire movie, this is still a thoroughly pleasant and enjoyable movie. It is a one and a half hour escape for all office employees before they return to their cubicles and misery. Before they return to real life.