Out of the Redbox: Extract the movie

The formula for food movies is as set as sports movies. We are introduced to our hero/heroine who suffers from a flaw that is compensated for by his/her talent in the kitchen. A potential rival or love interest appears — all the better if they’re the same character — and hilarity or drama ensues typically with food flying and customers interjecting one-liners.

The good news for Extract — a Mike Judge comedy that had a cup of coffee on the big screen before coming to DVD at the end of 2009 — is that it breaks from the food movie formula. The sad news is that it shows why studios are hesitant to ditch the tale of a starstruck chef.

“Nobody cares about extracts, certainly not my wife,” says Joel — the protagonist ably played by Jason Bateman. His character is struggling with a potentially unfaithful wife and a disfunctional extract business that is hoping to sell. Neither seem destined to end well for the only person in the movie who seems to care about extracts.