Weekly Theme

Weekly Theme for September 1: Work Sucks

With this Labor Day Weekend (for those of us living in the United States - sorry for those elsewhere) coming to a close, I felt it apropos to dedicate this week's theme to all the films that celebrate those hardworking people out there that flat out hate their jobs.

Undoubtedly the two movies that are referenced most often when one tries to relate their hatred for their work are Office Space and Clerks. Whether you love 'em or hate 'em, both films have managed to reach an almost iconic level of quotability among a relativly broad spectrum of society.

For whatever reason I've been drawn to the darker side of this sub-genre of film, those films like American Psycho, Secretary, Fight Club and Waiting... (if you didn't think a movie with Dane Cook putting his pubic hair in someone's food is dark, you need to watch it again) which show the extreme lengths working a job that isn't right for you can have on your psyche. On the lighter side, The Devil Wears Prada, Empire Records, 9 to 5 , Jerry Maguire and Super Troopers are all good for a few laughs (or tears depending on your current emotional state). Lastly, I felt that The Kid Stays in the Picture was a great portrait of Hollywood and someone that managed to maintain a successful career in it without jumping out a window or going to prison.

So hurry up and share you favorite work related films before you have to go to sleep in order to get your precious 7 hours before going back to the grind tomorrow where we all know you're just gonna pretend to work while you sit and browse Spout . . . or porn.

Re:Weekly Theme for September 1: Work Sucks

Uhh, yeah, Right...

Well I'm gonna have to disagree with you about American Psycho, there, Peter.

Jason Batemen loves his job. He gets to go into work anytime he wants. He spends his time reading magazines and listening to his walkman. While, I wouldn't find that fulfilling,he's not looking for fulfillment in his work. He's looking for that in his hobby.

I would add Clerks 2 to the list since Dante and Randall realize that there are worse places to work at than the Quick Stop.

Also, for the classic "I can't stand what I do for a living," you have to look waaaay back at Local Hero and Take This Job and Shove It. As a matter of fact,  the 80s seem filled with movies about people with crappy jobs since I can also throw Gung Ho in.

For women, there is Working Girl and Temps. Both look at women stuck in dreary dead end office jobs.

Of course if you want to look at people who are the most dissatisfied with their jobs, how can you top Peter Finch's Howard Beale in Network? I hear that he's mad as hell and isn't going to take it anymore!

Re:Weekly Theme for September 1: Work Sucks

There are plenty of comedies set at the workplace. The obvious mentions allready made for Office Space and Clerks. Merc mentioned Waiting... which I really didn't care for too much. I thought Employee Of The Month was much more watchable. I think a mention for Grandma's Boy is also warranted this week, (cheap laughs don't get any cheaper)

There are a couple of decent dramas that center around the workplace as well. North Country and When A Woman Ascends The Stairs are primarily about women's struggles. John Turturo's first film, Mac is a good drama about three brothers that own a contruction company.

Re:Weekly Theme for September 1: Work Sucks

I was listening to a rebroadcast of an NPR interview with Andrew Stanton about Wall-E and thought that if anybody had a job that sucked it was that little robot.

But as the interview went on, Stanton talked about how they used the techniques of Chaplin because there is so little dialogue in the movie and that reminded me of my favorite Charlie Chaplin movie which fits this category perfectly: Modern Times.

Who doesn't love the scene when he is sucked into the gears of the giant factory machines? Or him roller skating around the department store as the night watchman?

Re:Weekly Theme for September 1: Work Sucks

I just remembered another great film that is often overlooked, Clockwatchers. It has an amazing cast: Parker Posey, Toni Collette, Lisa Kudrow and Alanna Ubach as a bunch of secretary temps working in a corporate office and wasting away the work day until they can get off and go to happy hour to pick up free food and men. It's Posey still in her Indie queen prime and Collette in her mousy Muriel's Wedding phase.

Re:Weekly Theme for September 1: Work Sucks

I just want to say that I would NOT recommend Haiku Tunnel.  Despite a few good songs in the soundtrack.

Thanks.

Re:Weekly Theme for September 1: Work Sucks

I think Joe Versus the Volcano is an excellent example of hating work with a passion.  I know a lot of people don't care for this movie, but I've always been kind of fond of it.

Re:Weekly Theme for September 1: Work Sucks

Even interesting jobs suck sometimes:

I wouldn't want to be The Exorcist or exterminate alligators in Alligator 2.

Are there any movies (including government propaganda) that encourage and excite you guys about working?

I can't think of one off hand. Usually in slacker movies like Bottle Rocket I'm amused watching slackers just hang around. But in The Darjeeling Limited I just wished those jayholes would get jobs.

Re:Weekly Theme for September 1: Work Sucks

SkyPilot:

Are there any movies (including government propaganda) that encourage and excite you guys about working?

There aren't too many movies that do that now that I think about it.  However a lot of detective movies make that job seem pretty interesting.

If there was one movie that would make me excited about working it would probably be UHF.  I'd love to run my own UHF station and put on all kinds of outrageous shows.

Re:Weekly Theme for September 1: Work Sucks

Risselada:

SkyPilot:

Are there any movies (including government propaganda) that encourage and excite you guys about working?

There aren't too many movies that do that now that I think about it.  However a lot of detective movies make that job seem pretty interesting.

 

You're right dude. Even though hard-boiled detectives are usually grumpy, I'm usually thinking 'your job looks great!' Dick Powell gets to have so much fun being snarky in Murder, My Sweet, even in spite of all the druggings and beatings he suffers.