PAGE22 THE RETRIEVER WEEKLY FEATURES March 2, 1999 Glib, Funny Office Space: Take This Job and Love It

20th Century Fox JAMIE PECK Cubicle Couple: Jennifer Retriever Weekly Staff Writer Aniston and Ron Livingston star in Mike Judge's Office Space, "Beavis and Butt-Head" and "King of the she as a waitress fed up with Hill" creator Mike Judge -goes live-action in chain regulations and he as a 1 Office Space (*** 12 out of four), and the white-collar software designer end result is more animated than either of his who gets a sudden case of the respectively overhyped and overrated TV don't-cares. projects. It could be that Judge's shrewd sense of social satire feels more at home has a lot of fun as Peter's evil over­ played out by actual people instead of seer, peppering his lines with hilari­ crudely-rendered doodles, or perhaps it's just ously absent-minded yeeeeahs and that Office's hook is a can't-miss ribbing of mm-hms, while Jennifer Aniston of the daily occupational grind - something "Friends" is adorable as the object of that almost everybody everywhere can relate Peter's affection, an oft-scolded wait­ to. Whatever the ultimate reason, this lively ress at a T.G.I. Friday's-like eatery. gutbuster appears to indicate a promising for­ Their romance is largely superfluous, mat change for the occasionally lauded (and but Office Space does use theAniston occasionally controversial) auteur. It's ironic role to observe the parallel travails of to note, then, that the film is based on the those in the service industry. cartoon "Milton" shorts he created for "Sat­ Also giving their all are David urday Night Live." Herman, Ajay Naidu and Stephen The hero of Office Space is Peter Gibbons Root as assorted colorful Office lack­ (Ron Livingston), a stressed-out software eys, and this last actor gets to steal engineer at a fairly ambiguous corporation him and keeps on walking. You go, boy. what with the comic strip "Dilbert" and the scenes as the real-life version of Judge's called Initech. Aggravated by performing in­ Needless to say, much of this white-collar sitcoms "Working" and "The Drew Carey "Milton" character, the frequently put-down sipid tasks, omnipresent middle-management comedy is going to elicit smiles, chortles and Show," but the numerous bullseyes here are black sheep of Initech. These subordinates, and the looming threat of downsizing, he even cheers from viewers who can say, "Been innovative even if the target is not. along with Livingston, attempt to strike back seeks help from a hypnotherapist. But when there, wish I'd done that." Office Space paints Though Judge's clever writing and appro­ at their superiors in wildly different ways the doctor keels over mid-session, leaving his such an amusingly dead-on portrait of office priately understated direction are key factors (steering towards a pitch-perfect, if slightly patient in a calm, Zen-like trance, Peter sud­ life that many of the jokes and sight-gags­ in making Office Space the success that it is, disappointing, ending), but it's Peter Gibbons denly finds himself trapped in an agreeable ranging from en-route rush hour to hungry a terrific cast also contributes undeniable who gets the ball rolling. Watching Office state of perpetual relaxation. Irritation and fax machines to cramping cubicles- are ir­ strength to the final product. Livingston, Space may cause a stirring in the hearts of hatred are replaced by ease and indifference. resistible in a unanticipatedly honest way. whose sole noteworthy credit was back in many viewers experiencing job-related ruts When the boss (The Brady Bunch Movie's (Incidents of mass exaggeration number sur­ 1996's Swingers, makes a perfectly unfazed similar to Peter's. If they follow suit, expect Gary Cole) steps in his way to chat about his prisingly few.) OK, so maybe poking laughs leading man, his delightfully deadpan facade the unemployment rate to skyrocket, but dam recent apathetic streak, Peter just zips around at the workplace isn't the most original idea, ranking as the movie's main attraction. Cole if it won't be empowering! EVENING & SATURDAY CUSTOMER SERVICE Sour Jawbreaker Bungles Black Comedy REPS NEEDED! JAMIE PECK Retriever Weekly Staff Writer $6.00/hr training pay Increase to $14.00 with Bonuses A clique of self-absorbed teen gals rules the hallways of a sunny California high Full time/Part time/Saturday shifts school in Jawbreaker(** out of four). They available must have great com­ accessorize, they socialize, and thanks to a munication skills, attention to de­ prank gone horribly wrong, they pulverize tail, & keyboarding skills one of their own by accident. You're on the right track if you're thinking Heathers, a Paid Training, Paid Holiday landmark 1989 black comedy that Jaw­ & Vacations Available breaker was intended to pay hilarious hom­ Call Patty Ramos at age to, but instead plays like a pale imitation 41 0-480-1550 of. Ten years after its release, Heathers still boasts a rabid cult following; judging from Monday- Friday the looks of things, this slick, stylish, silly 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. wannabe will be hidden under several layers of dust in the Blockbuster bargain bin long CR Dynamics-- Ellicott City before 2009 rolls around. To further the comparison quotient, sec­ TriStar Pictures tions of the movie also veer dangerously close Bitchin' a Ride: Popular high school snobs Julie Benz, Rebecca Gayheart and to Clueless and Very Bad Things, which is Rose McGowan accidentally off their clique's fourth member in Jawbreaker. This is a ironic because it is clueless and chock full of very bad things. Said deplorable act opens the "family," of course. Courtney allows Fern seems to have come from another film, Great Job! the film, as three members (Rose McGowan, to take the unintentional victim's place in McGowan deserves one. Her dynamite per­ Rebecca Gayheart and Julie Benz) of the their posse in exchange for her silence, and formance as a cold, calculating rhymes-with­ Water Taxi Mates aforementioned popular quartet surprise the the dull meek-into-monstrous makeover sub­ witch keeps this mess watchable. fourth (Charlotte Roldan) on the morning of plot that follows isn't the slightest bit inter­ Much of the problem seems to stem from her birthday: they don disguises, jostle her esting. Nor is the time devoted to the defec­ director Darren Stein's sloppy screenplay. Needed from bed, stuff the titular candy in her mouth tion of Gayheart's conflicted Julie. She turns The rules for successful dark humor state to Full or Part Time to keep her quiet, and toss her in the trunk of out to have a conscience. Not good. either ground it in disturbing reality or drench a car. Their intent is to take her out for a Given Jawbreaker's visual flair and deli­ it with cartoony meanness. It's immensely If you like boating, enjoy celebratory pancake breakfast, but the con­ ciously mordant set-up, this material could difficult to cater to both extremes, and that's people, and are dependable, fection melts in her mouth and sticks in her have been steered into flashy, funny "I Know precisely what Jawbreaker tries- and fails effervescent, lively, gregarious, throat, and she's DOA at the IHOP. Like, What You Did Last Semester" territory. But - to do. Take, for example, the final se­ whoops. after a satisfyingly loopy first quarter, it's quence, which is set at the big prom and con­ articulate, enthusiastic, honest, McGowan's fearless, nasty group leader clear that this Jawbreaker's center is purely tains obvious allusions to Carrie. Are we sup­ and drug free ... Courtney, described by somebody as "Satan sour. Once the body is discovered, Pam Grier posed to laugh at what happens? If so, that in heels," decides to make the crime scene shows up as a detective determined to crack violates the movie's more authentic elements Call Ms. Kane resemble an assault by a male rapist, but their the case, and the movie discards any humor- . and lets several characters off the hook just cover is promptly blown by class nerd Fern ous sensibilities it might have maintained up to finalize things on a cutesy, fantasy-oriented 410-563-3901 (Judy Evans Greer). What's a psychopathic until that point for unbelievable plot holes note. No wonder Jawbreaker ends up being senior· sexpot to do ? Why, welcome her to and unacceptable plot twists. But if Grier hard to swallow.