Extract



Extract is a movie released in 2009, written and directed by Mike Judge of Beavis and Butthead and Office Space fame. It stars Jason Bateman as Joel Reynolds, the owner of a vanilla extract factory and nice guy everyman. His frustrations are mounting, partially the result of a handful of incompetent workers at his factory, but mostly because of his marriage having fallen into a sexual rut.

One day, an industrial accident leads to the injury of Step, the floor manager: specifically, he ends up losing a testicle. When the news of the incident hits the papers, it attracts Cindy, a young, attractive con-artist, played by Mila Kunis. To track down Step, she gets herself hired at Reynolds Extract, then arranges to meet and subsequently flirt with Joel while searching for information on Step. She succeeds, arranges a chance meeting with Step, and starts dating him in order to manipulate him into suing the company for more money.

Meanwhile, Joel keeps thinking about how Cindy was flirting with him. He discusses this with his old friend Dean, a perpetually drugged-out bartender played by Ben Affleck. Dean encourages him to initiate an affair with Cindy, but Joel is certain he'll feel guilty if he does. After giving Joel a mystery pill, Dean comes up with the crazy idea for Joel to hire a gigolo to have sex with his wife, so he won't feel guilty about having sex with Cindy. Joel, heavily intoxicated, plays along. As expected, the plan does not take place quite as expected.

The movie seems to have met with lukewarm reception, although it does have a fan base. It did at least break even between the box office and DVD sales. Only time will tell if it eventually reaches Cult Classic status, as seems to be the pattern with Mike Judge's movies.

This film provides examples of:
"Joel: Kind of makes you think, doesn't it, how fragile we all are? Especially our balls, they're just hangin' there, little sack, any minute could just be cut off forever."
 * Ambulance Chaser: Joe Adler, played appropriately by rock frontman Gene Simmons. He knows why a man with one testicle is the perfect client.
 * Brainless Beauty: Brad. The guy's level of stupidity is astonishing, but he is good looking, well-built, and above all, an amazing pool cleaner.
 * Creator Cameo: Mike Judge appears as one of the men on the factory floor. He and Rory are the voices of the mob when the workers start talking about a strike.
 * A Date With Rosie Palms: Dean suggests Joel does this to relieve his sexual tension. Joel can't, however, because the bathroom is next to the bedroom, and he doesn't want his wife to know what he's doing.
 * Drugs Are Bad: Inverted and played straight. Dean, a bartender and Joel's best friend, is portrayed as constantly under the influence, and advocates Xanax for everything. Dean himself never seems to be negatively impacted by his drug use. Joel, on the other hand, gets himself into trouble every time Dean talks him into taking something, whether it be one of Dean's pills or a few hits off a six-foot bong.
 * Gold Digger: Cindy. This is her primary role in the movie, although she has a few other cons that are shown before she is hired at Reynolds Extract.
 * Gossipy Hens: Two of the women on the assembly line at Reynolds Extract spend most of their time talking about how nobody else is doing their jobs except them. Early in the movie, one of them decides she won't do her job because "nobody else" is doing theirs; this is what sets off the chain reaction leading to Step's loss of part of his manhood.
 * These characters also become a case of a Karma Houdini as they never get called out on it and.
 * Groin Attack: Pretty much the entire plot is kicked off by Step Wilkenson, the floor manager, losing a testicle.
 * Intoxication Ensues: Dean gives Joel what he thinks is a Xanax, because it will make him "feel good." Later, Dean realizes it wasn't Xanax, believing it might be "Special K" (a horse tranquilizer, probably ketamine). It's something of an Idiot Ball in pill form, as this is the main reason Dean is able to talk Joel into hiring a gigolo for his wife.
 * Karma Houdini: The two assembly line workers that cause the accident that sets up the plot.
 * The Nicknamer: Brian, the manager at Reynolds Extract, has a habit of calling every employee by a nickname. The only problem is his nickname for everyone is "Dinkus," with the possible exception of "Boy Genius" (aka "Forklift Dinkus"). He does get Cindy's name right, but there's a reason for that.
 * Oblivious to Hints: Joel and Suzie's neighbor, Nathan, falls squarely under this trope.
 * Pizza Boy Special Delivery: A variation of this trope takes place between Suzie and Brad, the "pool cleaner". There's even a flashback scene shot with a soft-focus lens, complete with deliberately cheesy acting and suggestive dialog.
 * The Scapegoat: Poor Hector. He's repeatedly blamed for stealing wallets and purses around the factory. Joel knows better, though.
 * Sexless Marriage: Joel and Suzie. If he doesn't get home by 8:00, she puts on the sweatpants--and that's the end of it. Joel laments that he's afraid they're becoming a "brother and sister couple."
 * Share the Male Pain: Some of the male characters engage in thoughtful, disturbed reflection while talking about Step's industrial accident.


 * Your Cheating Heart: Much of the plot is driven by this.
 * Zany Scheme: Dean's plan for Joel to hire a gigolo for his wife was not a good idea. To say the least.