Office Killer (1997)

12% of critics liked it
(17 reviews)
46% of users liked it
(1,123 ratings)

Photographer Cindy Sherman, who often uses motifs from exploitation films in her work, pays witty tribute to slasher films in this satiric horror-comedy. Dorine Douglas (Carol Kane) has spent 16 years at the bottom of the totem pole as a copy editor for Constant Consumer magazine when, due to budget… More Photographer Cindy Sherman, who often uses motifs from exploitation films in her work, pays witty tribute to slasher films in this satiric horror-comedy. Dorine Douglas (Carol Kane) has spent 16 years at the bottom of the totem pole as a copy editor for Constant Consumer magazine when, due to budget cuts, she's downsized into a contract employee and forced to work out of her home. Dorine isn't at all happy about this, and when she's called back into the office to help obnoxious writer Gary (David Thornton) fix a glitch in his computer, she's not at all upset when he's accidentally electrocuted. Dorine brings Gary's corpse home to join her in front of the TV. When pushy publisher Virginia (Barbara Sukowa) orders Dorine and overly ambitious Kim (Molly Ringwald) to salvage Gary's story from his notes, Dorine snaps, and soon Gary has some company in Dorine's increasingly crowded home office. Office Killer also stars Jeanne Tripplehorn and Michael Imperioli as more of Dorine's co-workers. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 23 min.
Directed By: Cindy Sherman
Genres: Horror, Mystery & Suspense, Comedy

In Theaters: Dec 3, 1997 Wide
On DVD: Jun 4, 2002

Critic Reviews

Edward Guthmann, San Francisco Chronicle
It can't decide what it wants to be -- slasher fest, social satire or revenge comedy -- and ends up being an awkward goulash.
Stephen Holden, New York Times
It doesn't offer a single moment of visceral or emotional electricity.
Greg Muskewitz, eFilmCritic.com
Trashy, stupid, schlock-y, and completely dull.
Manohla Dargis, L.A. Weekly
Some of this is insulting, all of it is tedious.
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com
The film opens with some intriguing and old-fashioned credits set to an ominous score. That's the high point.
Dale Winogura, Boxoffice Magazine
No terror or suspense occupies this tired, gloomy vacuum, not to mention wit or humor.
, E! Online
A pretentious pseudo-parody of a serial-killer movie.
Brian Webster, Apollo Guide
The measure of this film's failure is that when the nasty stuff happens, we don't laugh and we really don't care.
Marc Savlov, Austin Chronicle
It's more disturbing than finding half a cockroach in a Fluffernutter sandwich.
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com
Extra points for liberal use of chicken innards as wholesale gore. Minus points for not being funny enough.
Bryant Frazer, Bryant Frazer's Deep Focus
As lifeless as the corpses that pile up in mousy Carol Kane's basement.
Ed Kelleher, Film Journal International
Despite running only 81 minutes, Sherman's debut feels distended, perhaps because it flutters around from black comedy to Grand Guignol to character study, rarely touching down on any of the above.

Read all 12 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Christopher B

Office Killer, Qu'est-ce que c'est? Actually a better question would be why did you have to suck so hard and make me forever regret leaving an Abel Ferarra Q&A to make it on time to see you. Screw you Office Killer!