If you want to be part of the cult that will give this comedy a “cult” following, then this film is for you to get on the bandwagon with. In this subtle yet relatable comedy, we see Jason Bateman’s character, Joel Reynolds, the owner of an extract factory, struggle to figure out the differences between doing the right thing and doing the wrong thing because being a victim of temptation feels so right because it is so wrong.  If you’re a fan of Mike Judge (Beavis and Butthead, King of the Hill, Office Space), then this film is for you. We witness hilarious interactions between Joel and many other quirky characters that challenge the idea of his strong morals.

The logline states:

“His employees are rebelling, and his wife may be having an affair. No one life was going to be easy.”

The quirky characters in this film star Kirsten Wiig as the lonely housewife, Mila Kunis as the sexy con artist, Ben Affleck as the philosophical bartender, T.J. Miller as the goth-rocking metal head who plays in a lot of bands, J.K. Simmons as the ignorant assistant manager, Gene Simmons as the lawyer and David Koechner as the irritating neighbor. Jason Bateman plays the only regular character, and he does a beautiful job balancing the film with all of these hilarious characters providing the movie with his passive aggressive portrayal of a successful business owner.

Now, that is a winning comedic cast if I ever saw one.

There are a lot of storylines that come together in the film. Cindy, played by Mila Kunis, is a sexy drifting con artist who looks to make her next fortune. While Jason Bateman’s character, Joel, is about to sell his company. When a factory accident happens injuring Joel’s best employee, he is on the verge of being sued. Cindy decides to date the injured factory worker and helps him hire a lawyer to help him sue the extract company so she can reap his rewards.  She also applies as a temp worker in the extract factory so she can meet the injured employee. This is where she meets Joel and charms him to death, making him want to cheat on his wife. Joel then gives Cindy a job based on her looks and passion for “extract.” Being tempted by Cindy’s charm, Joel vents to his philosophical bartender, played by Ben Affleck, about his feelings. This is where he consults Joel to hire a gigolo to see if Joel’s wife will cheat on him so that he can get a free pass at Cindy. The hilarity continues to ensue as the story unfolds.

Cindy and Joel mirror each other very well in the film. Joel represents all that is good but yet wants to do wrong whereas Cindy is the complete opposite, trying to do right but doesn’t know how. This comedy teaches us that doing the right thing and being truthful prevails over time, whereas being a lying deceptive cheat may only have short term benefits that bite you in the long run.

This is a great date night, family night, bro night film to watch. Its humor is something only the mind of Mike Judge can create and execute. The characters are loveable, making the film so engaging. This is a phenomenal low-key film that is really fun to watch.

​That is why I am going to make a bold prediction saying that this film is going to be a cult classic, so jump on the bandwagon before everyone else does!

Remember,

“The Zos Knows”

-David Zosel 

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