Office Space (1999)
Coming Out at 19 February 1999 in theaters.
Comedy
Office Space is black comedy film written and directed by Mike Judge. It satirizes the consistent work life of a typical mid-to-late-1990s software company, focusing on a handful of individuals weary of their jobs. It stars Ron Livingston, Jennifer Aniston, Gary Cole, Stephen Root, David Herman, Ajay Naidu, and Diedrich Bader.
Office Space was filmed in Dallas and Austin, Texas. It is based on Judge’s Milton cartoon series and was his first foray into live-action filmmaking and his second full-length motion picture release, following Beavis and Butt-Head Do America. His 2009 film Extract is also set in an office and was meant to be a companion piece to Office Space. The film’s sympathetic depiction of ordinary information technology workers garnered a cult following within that field, but it also addresses themes familiar to white-collar employees and the workforce in general. It was a box office disappointment, making $12.2 million against a $10 million production budget. But after repeated airings on Comedy Central, it sold well on home video, and has become a cult film.
Several aspects of the film have become Internet memes. A scene where the three main characters systematically destroy a dysfunctional printer after being laid off has been widely parodied, by Family Guy, Smosh, Ted Cruz’s presidential campaign, and many amateurs. Swingline introduced a red stapler to its product line after the Milton character used one painted that color in the film.
Director: Mike Judge
Writers: Mike Judge
Stars: Ron Livingston, Jennifer Aniston, David Herman, Ajay Naidu, Diedrich Bader, Stephen Root, Gary Cole
Cast
| Ron Livingston | … | Peter |
| Jennifer Aniston | … | Joanna |
| David Herman | … | Michael Bolton |
| Ajay Naidu | … | Samir |
| Diedrich Bader | … | Lawrence |
| Stephen Root | … | Milton |
| Gary Cole | … | Bill Lumbergh |
| Richard Riehle | … | Tom Smykowski |
| Alexandra Wentworth | … | Anne |
| Joe Bays | … | Dom Portwood |
| John C. McGinley | … | Bob Slydell |
| Paul Willson | … | Bob Porter |
| Kinna McInroe | … | Nina |
| Todd Duffey | … | Chotchkie’s Waiter |
| Greg Pitts | … | Drew |
| Michael McShane | … | Dr. Swanson |
| Linda Wakeman | … | Laura Smykowski |
| Jennifer Jane Emerson | … | Female Temp |
| Kyle Scott Jackson | … | Rob Newhouse |
| Orlando Jones | … | Steve |
| Barbara George-Reiss | … | Lumbergh’s Secretary |
| Tom Schuster | … | Construction Foreman |
| Rupert Reyes | … | Mexican Waiter |
| Jackie Belvin | … | Swanson’s Patient #1 |
| Gabriel Folse | … | Swanson’s Patient #2 |
| Jesse De Luna | … | Cop at Fire |
| Mike Judge | … | Chotchkie’s Manager |
| Justin Possenti | … | Spectator |
| Jack Betts | … | Judge |
| Charissa Allen | … | Jogger |
| Josh Bond | … | Initech Security Guard |
| Bob Crain | … | Sleepy Office Worker |
| Natalie Denning | … | Initech Employee |
| Gareth B. DePutron | … | Office Worker |
| Samantha Inoue Harte | … | Initech Employee |
| R.C. Keene | … | Rush Hour Driver |
| Mark Kubiak | … | Initech Employee |
| K. Todd Lytle | … | Rush Hour Driver |
| David Sharp | … | Rush Hour Driver |
| Fabian Watkins | … | Pedestrian |
| Jared B. Wells | … | Driver in traffic |
| Heath Young | … | Spectator |
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