Peter Gibbons (Ron Livingston) works for Initech - he hates it - every day is worse than the day before. If you know how that feels then this movie of revenge on his employers is a treat.

His friends Samir Nagheenanajar (Ajay Naidu) and Michael Bolton (David Herman) help him in this live action, and yet cartoon-type, parody of office cubicle life.

Frustrated office worker-geek alert from the start. Brief moments of photocopier error codes. Some strong office language. Annoying sounds from annoying people.

"I have worked in that office. In my life that stupid bumbling guy who moans about everything was called John. Spot on."

"I am an administrator of a medium sized company. You really must understand how important it is to have plastic covers on reports. Research shows that reports with plastic covers are 15.72% more trusted than ones without."

"The traffic jam at the start of this movie made me cry."

"Perhaps not recommended after a stressful day at the office, this movie could kick off your facial tick again... "

"Drugs really are the only way to survive office cubicle life. Or endless cups of coffee."

The computer virus scam, which is designed by our heroes to steal the fraction of a cent off millions of transactions, is stopped. Our heroes ready themselves for prison...

However, the office burns down so all the evidence is destroyed... They all live happily ever after - our hero works in construction with his neighbour - and, yes, Gibbons gets the girl (Joanna (Jennifer Aniston)).

If you have ever worked in an open plan / cubicle office then you will most likely have met most of these characters. Possibly you have drunk beer with them. Heaven forbid even been on a fishing trip with them... If you are like this cynical old fool, you will also be able to put the names of real people you have worked with (who are worringly similar) to the characters in this movie...

All the characters are cartoon-like in dimension, however that's OK here. Yes, it's true, I couldn't stop thinking of the newspaper strip Dilbert, but that's only because Dilbert spoofs the same subject.

This movie really delivers in the first half, and, whilst the second half is less good, it is watchable. This is an OffCom (as opposed to a SitCom or a RomCom). It is highly entertaining in a live action cartoony kind of way, welcome to the hell that is office life baby...

"Take this job and stuff it."

"It's good to be a gangster."

A post-it note sandwich.

In the health and safety approved position of typing with both hands resting on wrist-rests in front of the keyboard - both feet evenly pressured on the ground, computer monitor at eye level.

This movie is really well served with it.

Middle management performs an interface function between those who want something done and the doers.

Sometimes middle managers ask the doers how long things will take to do, or attempt to get agreement from the doer to a timetable if the doer can't do the thing while the middle manager stands there waiting for it.

Middle managers are seen as superfluous to requirements by most doers and sometimes people who want something done really quickly go straight to the doer once they have their phone number or e-mail address, completely bypassing the middle manager without any apparent downside.

Any feeling of power you may have as a doer is completely non-existent, however, as middle managers have enough spare time to plot your downfall while you are doing things.

8

A real classic of its type. Perhaps only really of interest to those who have ever worked in cubicles for a living.

April 26, 2004