Office Space (1999)

Peter Gibbons (Ron Livingston): [discussing the possibility of going to prison] This isn't Riyadh. You know they're not gonna saw your hands off here, alright? The worst they would ever do is they would put you for a couple of months into a white-collar, minimum-security resort! Shit, we should be so lucky! Do you know, they have conjugal visits there?
Samir (Ajay Naidu): Really?
Peter Gibbons: Yes.
Michael Bolton (David Herman): Shit. I'm a free man and I haven't had a conjugal visit in six months.

Peter Gibbons: [talking about the hypnotherapist he's about to see] Hey, he helped Anne lose weight.
Samir: Peter, she's anorexic!
Peter Gibbons: Yeah, he's really good.

Samir: No one in this country can ever pronounce my name right. It's not that hard: Samir Na-gheen-an-a-jar. Nagheenanajar.
Michael Bolton: Yeah, well at least your name isn't Michael Bolton.
Samir: You know there's nothing wrong with that name.
Michael Bolton: There was nothing wrong with it... until I was about 12 years old and that no-talent ass clown became famous and started winning Grammys.
Samir: Hmm... well why don't you just go by Mike instead of Michael?
Michael Bolton: No way. Why should I change? He's the one who sucks.

Peter Gibbons: What would you do if you had a million dollars?
Lawrence (Diedrich Bader): I'll tell you what I'd do, man: two chicks at the same time, man.
Peter Gibbons: That's it? If you had a million dollars, you'd do two chicks at the same time?
Lawrence: Damn straight. I always wanted to do that, man. And I think if I were a millionaire I could hook that up, too; 'cause chicks dig dudes with money.
Peter Gibbons: Well, not all chicks.
Lawrence: Well, the type of chicks that'd double up on a dude like me do.

"The ratio of people to cake is too big."
- Milton Waddams (Stephen Root)

Peter Gibbons: [about the plan to steal from Initech] Before we go any further, all right, we have to swear to God, Allah, that nobody knows about this but us, all right? No family members, no girlfriends, nobody.
Samir: Of course.
Michael Bolton: Agreed,
Lawrence: [from the next apartment through the wall] Don't worry, man. I won't tell anyone either.
Michael Bolton: Who the fuck is that?
Peter Gibbons: Uh, don't worry about him. He's cool.

At a glance: Writer/director Mike Judge (writer of Beavis and Butthead and King of the Hill) presents this small, funny movie about the typical office cublicle experience; the dialogue, situations, and quirky co-workers made it a fun day at the office.

Peter Gibbons (Ron Livingston) works in a typical cubicle of a typical Big Company, and spaces out through his day, trying to survive between interruptions from his 8 bosses about his 1 error with that TPS report. When a chance accident during his therapy session changes his outlook on life, he loses all desire to work and embarks on a different career path. Small, funny movie starts off as a humorous examination of our shared office experience (with some good ‘nosy neighbor’ riffs thrown in by Diedrich Bader as Lawrence), then becomes a little of a sitcom/crime caper – but it’s always a joy to watch, and the writing is has so many original quotables. Good use of rap music enhances certain scenes. Writer/director Mike Judge went on to write and star in the animated series King of the Hill, and to write/direct Idiocracy in 2006 (which, inexplicably, was not very funny at all). Note that this sometimes crude film is written by a boy and stars all boys (except for Jennifer Aniston, who is good in a small role); it may appeal more to boys, guys, and men for that reason. Rating: 3 of 4

Trivia (from www.imdb.com): The iconic red stapler coveted by Milton was created for the film by the prop department. They needed a bright enough color to be seen on film and chose red. After the film was released, Swingline began to receive requests from customers for red staplers. Having stopped offering red a number of years before, they made the decision to start offering the color once more.

"…wickedly satirizes the modern technological office in a film that has become a cult classic…"
- John A. Nesbit (ToxicUniverse.com)

"Plays like a live-action version of the "Dilbert" comic strip. A smart, funny satire."
- Christopher Smith (Bangor Daily News [Maine])

"…the movie suffers from mild aimlessness and editorial confusion, and it does, those are relatively small speed bumps to endure for such a canny and quick-witted affair."
- Scott Weinberg (DVD Clinic)