Paragraph Movie Reviews: Extract

If you don't have plans to see this movie, you can check the spoilers here and then come back.

Dull and disappointing, this rote comedy sucks the life and energy out of what should be an excellent cast. Nobody suffers more than leading man Jason Bateman whose normally hilarious brand of sober comedy has nothing to play off and he instead comes off exhausted and uninterested. The story of Bateman as a small business owner not necessarily unhappy with his marriage or station in life but more just bored goes nowhere fast and then just stays there for an hour and a half. Mila Kunis and J.K. Simmons show sparks of life as a grifting con artist and Bateman's business partner respectively, but both are wasted with screen time probably totalling a combined ten minutes. The same can be said for the underrated Clifton Collins Jr. as a factory worker with a heart of gold who gets his balls blown off in an accident. Kristen Wiig shines a bit in the latter half as Bateman's similarly disinterested wife, but this doesn't overcome her near-absence in the first hour. The true shining star of the film is Ben Affleck, who really seems to be relishing his role as a crackpot hippie bartender who tries to help Bateman out; he accounts for most of the movie's best bits (and there are a few). Actually, Dustin Milligan is pretty funny as well as a moronic would-be gigolo, but when Dustin Milligan of 90210 fame is one of your comedic big guns, you should know your movie is in trouble. Gene Simmons is scary looking, but not much else. Writer/director Mike Judge tries to graft on some heart and some dark comedy in various places, but it's a forced, awkward fit; "Extract" is ultimately a flick that leaves you wondering with such great talent involved, what exactly went wrong.