I would like to take issue with some of the points presented in Templeton's review of Office Space. I understand why you are unhappy with the clear shallowness of the characters depicted in the film. However, I feel that a Mike Judge film is one of the last places a person should look for serious character analysis. In a satirical comedy like Office Space creating really accurate characters would be counterproductive. It would diminish the potency of the jabs at our white collar society, which I feel are the main points Mike Judge was trying to emphasize.
Each of the characters created did a very good job of conveying the extremes that people see in the "cubicle society." It is very important that these characters do emulate the extreme stereotypes, because otherwise the movie just wouldn't be that funny. For example, Michael Bolton rapping about a hardcore life that he could never know anything about is funny because it seems we all know at least one person like that. You know, someone who picked up rap because it sounded cool and other people were listening to it. Lumberg is dead on for the stereotypical office bureaucrat. Those generalizations are where the movie gains its strengths. Once again, I'm sure the actual bosses encountered in the workplace are great family man with more responsibilities than TPS Report coversheets, but in the scope of comedy, who cares. If you start making the characters realisitic in a movie such as this, you lose the comedy.
I don't disagree with the statements that Office Space is not representative of the actual white collar society, However, I believe that is a strength of the movie rather than a weakness. I guess what I'm trying to say is that critically analyzing the characters of the movie is like trying to discuss the merits of Skittles as fine dining.
Finally, I don't understand how an issue as serious as Colombine is ever referred to in a writeup about a comedic and unrealistic movie. I don't think for an instant that parents being forced to bury their children is amusing. I don't know, that could just be my opinion of when and where a strong dose of reality is necessary.