King of the Hillcreator Mike Judge’s 2009 comedy featuring Ben Affleck was forgotten soon after release, but the 16-year-old movie has now become a streaming hit in the US. Judge’s animated 1990s MTV showBeavis and Butt-Headoffered a less-subtle form of humor than the creator’s later live-action Affleck collaboration, but it certainly made more of a lasting impression, getting a reboot in 2022.
The original success of Judge’s giggling, music-video-mocking slackers led to his big network breakthrough, the animated FOX comedyKing of the Hill, which itself opened the door for him to embark upon a movie career.1999’sOffice Spacewent on to bea cult classic,while Judge’s 2006 filmIdiocracyhas become a cultural touchstone, thanks to its uncannily prophetic depiction of a future society slowly sinking into a mire of environmental destruction, runaway consumerism, anti-intellectualism, and general apathy.
Mike Judge’s Extract Lands In Paramount+’s Top 3 In The United States
The Idiocracy Follow-Up Barely Made An Impression In 2009
Judge’s forgotten follow-up toIdiocracywas a movie calledExtract, a workplace comedy starring Jason Bateman and Mila Kunis that’s seeing belated success, as it’s now rising up the charts on Paramount+. The newly-christened streaming hit made just $10.8 million when it was released in 2009, on a budget of $8 million. 62% of reviews forExtractare positive, according toRotten Tomatoes, making it a modest critical success.
Judge has not directed a live-action film since 2009’sExtract.
But the neglectedExtractappears to be undergoing a rediscovery via streaming,as the movie has recently been hanging out in the top 3 on the Paramount+ charts, peaking at #2 (viaFlixpatrol). The recent releaseNovocainehas been holding down the top spot during the same span, blocking Judge’s 2009 movie from hitting #1.
Our Take On Extract’s Streaming Success
The Comedy Is Worthy Of Rediscovery (And A New Title)
Extractdirector Judge’s humor is often not accessible to wide audiences, and sometimes even flies over the heads of critics, who occasionally dismiss his projects as vulgar and unintelligent.Beavis and Butt-Headwas derided in its time, but is now seen as a brilliant exercise in blunt cultural critique. Judge’s moviesOffice SpaceandIdiocracyboth made little impression at the box office upon release, but both grew in stature over time,and are now enshrined among the best comedies of recent decades.
Judge’s 2009Idiocracyfollow-up serves as a companion piece toOffice Space, delving again into the workspace, but this time looking at things from the perspective of ownership. Having the owner of a company be the main character perhaps leftExtractfeeling unrelatable, especially compared toOffice Space, which focused on software workers weary of their boring jobs. Also, the titleExtractis a little head-scratching and odd, a possible deterrent to theatergoers giving it a chance.
Extract
Cast
Extract is a 2009 comedy film directed by Mike Judge. The film stars Jason Bateman as Joel Reynolds, the owner of an extract manufacturing plant facing personal and professional problems. As Joel navigates unfortunate incidents at his workplace and marital issues, he contemplates drastic measures to resolve his crises. The film features an ensemble cast including Kristen Wiig, Mila Kunis, and Ben Affleck, exploring themes of frustration and moral dilemmas in suburban life.
