Working? Me neither! Labor Day 2015 is upon us! And if you're one of the lucky non-news, non-retail, non-food-service people, why not kick back with a movie? I present to you this list of the all-time best movies about working. This one's for the working stiffs, the working class, the working girls, those working day and night, working overtime, working round the clock, working to get out, working to get ahead... or simply working to track down that elusive red stapler.
10. Erin Brockovich (2000)
10. Erin Brockovich (2000)
Desperately needed job leads to horrifying discovery leads to enormous, history-making lawsuit. This, in a nutshell, is Erin Brockovich -- the juicy true-life tale of a single mom who sniffs out a serious cover-up, and fights for the hundreds of people sickened, disabled, and dead because of it. It's certainly not your typical workplace story. But what's awesome about the Oscar-winning Erin Brockovich is that a corrupt corporation falls on its face, all at the hands of a normal, working-class person with a little cleavage, and a lot of nerve.
9. Clerks 2 (2006)
9. Clerks 2 (2006)
One of those rare sequels that's actually as enjoyable as the original, Clerks 2 reunites us with world class slackers Dante and Randal, just as they've traded their Quick Stop badges for Mooby's uniforms. Although more than ten years have passed since the events of Clerks, Brian O'Halloran and Jeff Anderson seem to pick up right where they left off. And View Askewniverse newcomer Rosario Dawson proves that she's more than worthy of Kevin Smith's distinctive dialogue. Clerks 2 is solid all the way through. But the major highlights for me include Randal's takedown of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Elias's girlfriend problems, AND one of the best (and most unexpected) scenes of any movie, ever.
8. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
8. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
This is probably the only movie on this list about people who love their jobs a little too much. That's what makes it so fantastic. On the surface, The Wolf of Wall Street adapts the memoir by former stockbroker Jordan Belfort. But on a deeper level, it portrays the American desire to get rich quick, with an in-your-face satirical edge so intense that it went right over people's heads. The epic three-hour odyssey follows Jordan through his life of pills, prostitutes, and pinstripe suits; a vivid and sometimes disturbing examination of the blurred line between decadence and degradation.
7. Norma Rae (1979)
7. Norma Rae (1979)
UNION! This iconic and often parodied scene is the high point of the now classic Norma Rae. It's one of the most memorable fight-the-power workplace movies ever, and yet another real life entry to this list. Inspired by the life and work of Crystal Lee Sutton, Norma Rae tells the story of a Southern factory worker who fights to unionize her shop amid toxic working conditions. The indomitable Sally Field took home her first Academy Award for her performance. It proved popular not only with the public, but also with Ms. Sutton herself -- she reportedly kept a framed photo of the famous scene on her living room wall, until her death in 2009.
6. Tootsie (1982)
6. Tootsie (1982)
Drag, one-liners, love triangles, and girl power -- Tootsie has a little something for everybody. Dustin Hoffman kills it as an out-of-work actor who poses as a woman to land a gig on a soap opera. But once he's cast, he discovers how hard it is to make a living as a woman in Hollywood (or, well, anywhere) -- and uses his character to preach feminism to the masses. Two years ago, Hoffman famously admitted to having a feminist awakening while filming the movie, and it wasn't just him.Tootsie commanded the respect of audiences and critics alike, turning a huge profit at the box office, and racking up an impressive TEN Oscar nominations (including one win for Jessica Lange). It's also the only movie on this list to be featured in the ultimate movie list, the AFI Top 100.
5. The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
5. The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
"You better work, bitch." It's both a lyric in a Britney song, AND the overall message of The Devil Wears Prada. A lot of people wrote it off as a fluffy little movie, perhaps because it has so many delicious cinema-candy elements we love (gorgeous clothes, gorgeous shots of New York, gorgeous Anne Hathaway). But if you look past the glamour and the fabulous (mostly female) cast, you'll see something more meaningful: an honest look at what it's like to get your first major job. The pressure. The newness. The drastic wardrobe change. And the fight to get ahead -- even if it means stepping on other people. Fun fact: the overabundance of real designer clothes make this one of the most expensively-costumed movies ever made.
4. Up in the Air (2009)
4. Up in the Air (2009)
What a twist! One of the highest rated movies on this list is not actually about working, but not working. Up in the Air is truly something special, because it's one of the only movies to directly address the Great Recession. The venerable Jason Reitman assembles a team of perfectly cast actors, and gets sensational, awards caliber performances out of all of them (including and especially Anna Kendrick who, at that time, was a relative newcomer in Hollywood). But it's the non-actors in this movie that give it such a huge impact. In the firing montages, Reitman allows real people who were laid off to share their heartbreaking stories. The effect is staggering. Up in the Air hits you like a punch in the stomach -- not because it's good, but because it's real.
3. 9 to 5 (1980)
3. 9 to 5 (1980)
Three spunky leading ladies + two top-notch screenwriters = one of the most hilarious movies about the workplace ever made. 9 to 5 is one of those movies that I always watch when I see it playing on TV, no matter how much of the movie has already passed. The fantastical farce follows three fed-up office workers whose fantasies about overthrowing their incompetent boss go way further than they expected. It's a total joy to watch Jane Fonda, Dolly Parton, and Lily Tomlin kick ass and thwart sexism in the office at every turn. 9 to 5 has aged gracefully -- it's still funny as hell, 35 years after its box-office-shattering release. Not to mention, it may have the absolute best theme song ever written for a movie.
2. Clerks (1994)
2. Clerks (1994)
When I first saw Clerks as a teenager, I thought it was hilarious, but I didn't really get it. Years later, after getting my first job in customer service, I realized just how many of the situations, dilemmas, and all too quotable lines directly related to me, and my crummy little transitional job. Herein lies the brilliance of Clerks. Sure, you may cringe at the grainy, low-budget black-and-white imagery. And you may be repulsed by the raunchy dialogue. But if you look past the gritty, no-frills surface of Kevin Smith's film debut, you will find a story that speaks to twenty-somethings everywhere. This is a movie for and about those of us who are too old not to have a job, and yet too young to give a shit -- those of us running your C-stores, rental shops, movie theaters, and gas stations, waiting for hours on end just to hear that triumphant battle cry: "You're closed!"
1. Office Space (1999)
1. Office Space (1999)
"Michael... we don't have a lot of time on this earth, we weren't meant to spend it this way! Human beings were not meant to sit in little cubicles, staring at computer screens all day, filling out useless forms and listening to eight different bosses drone on about mission statements!" This is Office Space, a movie so honest, hysterical, and clever, that no matter how bad I'm feeling, watching it always makes me feel better. It takes the top spot on this list because it remains, to this day, the most dead-on portrayal of the white collar workplace -- and the millions of stuck, buttoned-up employees who dream of escape and retaliation. A true love letter to the working stiffs of America. It's hard to believe that such a small, unlikely film influenced so many pockets of popular culture -- from the real Michael Bolton's fan base, to Swingline's product line -- but that's just part of what makes Office Space so triumphant.