This review may contain spoilers.
I found out about this movie last month and immediately knew I needed to see it. 4 of the greatest actresses of all time (fact) come together in a comedy, it's a recipe for greatness. And as is the case with most female-led films, it has much more than jokes to offer and it is commonly overlooked. This movie captures such a specific time in corporate America; a time when temps still existed, typing was still manual and on paper, and when someone without a college education could grab an office job with very few strings attached. That being said, it's message is the exact opposite, completely timeless. It manages to capture the feeling of a mundane office while still confronting the ways in which we place women at odds with each other. It has its slow moments, but still a must watch in my opinion. Toni Collette will steal the screen in anything she's in, and this is no exception. Lisa is the least present in the group dynamic but we still see her inner world so clearly, and Alanna's character has it all, but it all comes with a drawback. Parker plays an amazing leader in this movie's version of a "mean girl" archetype, however we quickly realize that we've misjudged her just like the film's characters. The only thing she's guilty of, is wanting something better, and that is sort of the thesis statement of the movie. Each character is either desperately clinging to what they have for fear of losing it, or trying so hard to achieve something greater. That being said, these women somehow form a bond in the most unlikely of places. When they are expected to be fighting one another for a seat at the table, they just carve one for themselves. However, they exclude someone else because they're threatened and it ends up leading to their downfall. I wish this movie was talked about more because it is so relevant to the world we're living in now. It gives us the feeling that we've been here a long time and there's always going to be ways to get through that time when you're just sitting, watching the clock.
This review may contain spoilers.
I found out about this movie last month and immediately knew I needed to see it. 4 of the greatest actresses of all time (fact) come together in a comedy, it's a recipe for greatness. And as is the case with most female-led films, it has much more than jokes to offer and it is commonly overlooked. This movie captures such a specific time in corporate America; a time when temps still existed, typing was still manual and on paper, and when someone without a college education could grab an office job with very few strings attached. That being said, it's message is the exact opposite, completely timeless. It manages to capture the feeling of a mundane office while still confronting the ways in which we place women at odds with each other. It has its slow moments, but still a must watch in my opinion. Toni Collette will steal the screen in anything she's in, and this is no exception. Lisa is the least present in the group dynamic but we still see her inner world so clearly, and Alanna's character has it all, but it all comes with a drawback. Parker plays an amazing leader in this movie's version of a "mean girl" archetype, however we quickly realize that we've misjudged her just like the film's characters. The only thing she's guilty of, is wanting something better, and that is sort of the thesis statement of the movie. Each character is either desperately clinging to what they have for fear of losing it, or trying so hard to achieve something greater. That being said, these women somehow form a bond in the most unlikely of places. When they are expected to be fighting one another for a seat at the table, they just carve one for themselves. However, they exclude someone else because they're threatened and it ends up leading to their downfall. I wish this movie was talked about more because it is so relevant to the world we're living in now. It gives us the feeling that we've been here a long time and there's always going to be ways to get through that time when you're just sitting, watching the clock.
