FilmSkool — a free film school
Extract
The owner of a factory that produces flavor extracts, Joel Reynold seems to have it all, but really doesn't. What's missing is sexual attention from his wife, Suzie. Joel hatches a convoluted plan to get Suzie to cheat on him, thereby clearing the way for Joel to have an affair with Cindy, an employee. But what Joel doesn't know is that Cindy is a sociopathic con artist, and a freak workplace accident clears the way for her to ruin Joel forever.
2009 · Directed by Mike Judge · 92 min · Comedy · Screenplay in the scene database · 3 frames
Tagline
Sticking it to the man has never looked so good.
Plot
Joel Reynolds is the owner and founder of Reynolds Extract, a flavoring extracts company. Although his business is successful, his marriage to Suzie lacks passion. He is also often accosted by his annoying neighbor, Nathan. One day, a series of mishaps at the factory lead to employee Step losing a testicle. Cindy, a con artist, reads a news story about the accident. Hatching a get-rich-quick scheme, she gets a temporary job at the factory, manipulating Joel into giving her more information about Step. She also begins to commit petty thefts from her co-workers, who openly accuse each other of the thefts. Although Step initially decides not to sue the company, he changes his mind after a meeting with Cindy, which she sets up in order to meet and flirt with him. Under Cindy's influence, Step hires attorney Joe Adler.
Joel believes Cindy's manipulations are genuine attraction to him, and entertains the idea of an affair with her; however, he still loves his wife and wants to avoid actions that would leave him with regrets later. While visiting his friend Dean and complaining about his situation, Dean suggests that Joel hire a gigolo to seduce Suzie, so Joel can then have a guilt-free "revenge" affair. Joel initially balks at the idea, but he agrees after his judgment is impaired due to ingesting a ketamine tablet that Dean mistakenly told him was Xanax. The friends hire Brad to seduce Joel's wife into an affair, while Brad is posing as the pool cleaner. The next morning, Joel sobers up, realizes what he has done, and tries to stop Brad from going to his house; by then, Brad and Suzie have already begun an affair. Brad falls in love with Suzie and wants to run away with her. After smoking marijuana with Dean and his friend Willie, Joel attempts to call Cindy but soon realizes that he is calling Willie's number. Just then, Cindy walks into the apartment. Willie discovers Joel's intentions and punches Joel in the face.
Joel meets with Adler and his associates to discuss the terms of the settlement for Step. The workers, believing that the meeting is about a buy-out of the factory by General Mills, organize a strike. Frustrated by Adler's uncompromising negotiating style and the growing disrespect from his employees, Joel storms out and goes home—where Suzie admits her affair with Brad. Joel admits to Suzie that he hired Brad and Joel and Suzie argue.
Plot summary from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA.
Crew
- Screenplay: Mike Judge
- Cinematography: Tim Suhrstedt
- Edited by: Julia Wong
- Music: George S. Clinton
- Production design: Maher Ahmad
- Produced by: Michael Rotenberg, John Altschuler
Cast
- Jason Bateman as Joel
- Mila Kunis as Cindy
- Kristen Wiig as Suzie
- Ben Affleck as Dean
- J.K. Simmons as Brian
- Clifton Collins Jr. as Step
- Dustin Milligan as Brad
- David Koechner as Nathan
- Beth Grant as Mary
- T.J. Miller as Rory
Production
- Country: United States of America
- Language: English
- Studios: Miramax, Ternion Pictures
- Budget: $8,000,000
- Box office: $10,848,783
- Themes: adultery, infidelity, thief, business, manufacturing, industrial accident, duringcreditsstinger, sexless marriage, con woman, misfortune
Own the film
FilmSkool earns a small commission from qualifying Amazon purchases, at no cost to you.
More by Mike Judge
On this film
This is the plain index, shown because JavaScript is off. Every lesson here is a free video published by the channel credited on it and plays through that channel's own embed — FilmSkool hosts nothing.