Forcefully 'Extract'-ed

The trailer for the movie "Extract" was hilarious. The basic points/the idea of the movie was summarized, along with funny scenes that I'm sure really helped at the box office.

The premise revolves around the going-ons at an extract plant, owned by Joel (Jason Bateman, "The Kingdom"). He learns to deal with the various characters that work there until a worker named Step is injured on the factory floor and the whole thing goes haywire. Joel had been planning to sell the plant that he had begun and created himself to General Mills, but with the injury and insurance issues, the sale is put on hold. Meanwhile, a criminal drifter named Cindy (Mila Kunis, "That 70's Show") sees the news of the injury, and hopes to uses Step as a pawn on her way to big bucks in a law suit. The attractive Cindy begins to work at the plant, and things also become complicated between Joel and his wife Suzie (Kristen Wiig, "The Brothers Solomon"). As you can imagine in a Mike Judge ("Office Space") directed film that things don't always go according to plan.

The movie itself is actually really funny. The storyline is pretty weak, but it holds the film together enough for some really hilarious parts. I thought the casting for this film was excellent, and that each character really plays their roles appropriately and extremely well. Ben Affleck steals the show as Joel's bartending, advice giving, drug-taking/dealing buddy Dean. Bateman is similar to his character in "Arrested Development," a role that really fits him. Wiig is funny if unspectacular in the role as his wife. Kunis is a sexy vixen on the lam and out to con people, a role she plays well too. KISS frontman Gene Simmons has a funny cameo as a sleazy ambulance-chasing attorney, J.K. Simmons ("Juno") has a small role as Joel's right hand man at the plant and David Koechner ("Waiting") nails his role as Joel's super-annoying, intrusive neighbor Nathan. The cast and performances themselves make this movie worthwhile in itself.

Like I said, it's not the most gripping storyline of all time and it's pretty predictable, but that's not the point of this film. The laughs are many and really funny, and the cast is great. If you liked "Office Space," you should like this one.

"Extract" is rated R for language, some sexual content and brief drug use.

7 out of 10 stars