In a summer filled with a non-stop stream of romantic comedies, Extract is yet another so-so offering in this genre of films.

Joel Reynolds, played by Jasonn Bateman, owns a plant that manufactures  flavor extracts. The poor dude is bogged down by inadequate, self-serving employees

and a potential lawsuit, due to a worker losing one of his testicles (ouch!) in a bizarre accident at the plant.. At home, his marriage with wife Suzie, portrayed by Kristin Wiig, is equally as dismal, due to her refusal to spend some…er…”intimate time” with him. Joel just can’t seem to get a break.

Of course, there is the obligatory pal with bad advice common to films like this.  In this flick that character is named Dean and he is a stoned-out barkeep played by Ben Affleck. One of his boneheaded ideas for helping Joel is to talk him into paying some guy to come on to Suzie. Joel, in turn, is trying to get some lovin’ from hot employee Cindy (Mila Kunis). He cluelessly fails to realize she’s a major scam artist who has persuaded the “testically-challenged” injured employee to sue Joel’s company.

This is among several set-ups with comedic potential in Extract, but they enter more like a whimper than a bang. While there is a good, solid cast and Extract is quietly amusing, there is just not enough in it that gives it that special “oomph!” to make it stand above its competitors.

Justin Bateman, though always good in whatever I’ve seen him in on both the small and big screen, doesn’t quite have enough star power to get the box office numbers high for this flick. One can only wonder if Ben Affleck’s leading man days are over, as nothing he’s been in recently has stirred much enthusiasm.  Anybody remember his penchant for tanking every film he appeared in without Matt Damon? Others in the cast include Clifton Collins, Jr., J.K. Simmons, David Koechner, Destin Milligin and Gene Simmons.

Don’t get me wrong.  While not in the “A” category, Extract is not a horrible motion picture, but perhaps something you’d like much better if you waited to see it on cable.

40% Good! 60% Wack!

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