Moviefone Editorial

Tag: horrible-bosses

  • Best Workplace Movies

    Gary Cole as Bill Lumbergh in 'Office Space.' Photo: 20th Century Fox.
    Gary Cole as Bill Lumbergh in ‘Office Space.’ Photo: 20th Century Fox.

    Labor Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United States.

    But its also a three-day weekend, and many movie fans spend the last official weekend of summer relaxing and watching a movie!

    In honor of Labor Day, Moviefone has assembled a list of the 30 best movies ever made set in the workplace.

    Without further ado, let’s begin!

    30. ‘The Intern‘ (2015)

    (L to R) Robert De Niro as Ben and Anne Hathaway as Jules in 2015's 'The Intern.' Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
    (L to R) Robert De Niro as Ben and Anne Hathaway as Jules in 2015’s ‘The Intern.’ Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.

    70-year-old widower Ben Whittaker (Robert De Niro) has discovered that retirement isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Seizing an opportunity to get back in the game, he becomes a senior intern at an online fashion site, founded and run by Jules Ostin (Anne Hathaway).

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    29. ‘The Internship‘ (2013)

    Two recently laid-off men in their 40s (Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson) try to make it as interns at a successful Internet company where their managers are in their 20s.

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    28. ‘Extract‘ (2009)

    The owner of a factory that produces flavor extracts, Joel Reynold (Jason Bateman) seems to have it all, but really doesn’t. What’s missing is sexual attention from his wife, Suzie (Kristen Wiig). Joel hatches a convoluted plan to get Suzie to cheat on him, thereby clearing the way for Joel to have an affair with Cindy (Mila Kunis), an employee. But what Joel doesn’t know is that Cindy is a sociopathic con artist, and a freak workplace accident clears the way for her to ruin Joel forever.

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    27. ‘Secretary‘ (2002)

    A young woman (Maggie Gyllenhaal), recently released from a mental hospital, gets a job as a secretary to a demanding lawyer (James Spader), where their employer-employee relationship turns into a sexual, sadomasochistic one.

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    26. ‘North Country‘ (2005)

    A fictionalized account of the first major successful sexual harassment case in the United States — Jenson vs. Eveleth Mines, where a woman (Charlize Theron) who endured a range of abuse while working as a miner filed and won the landmark 1984 lawsuit.

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    25. ‘Newsies‘ (1992)

    Christian Bale in 'Newsies'. Photo: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution.
    Christian Bale in ‘Newsies’. Photo: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution.
    A week in the life of the exploited, child newspaper sellers in turn-of-the-century New York including Jack “Cowboy” Kelly (Christian Bale). When their publisher, Joseph Pulitzer (Robert Duvall), tries to squeeze a little more profit out of their labors, they organize a strike, only to be confronted with the Pulitzer’s hard-ball tactics.
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    24. ‘The Proposal‘ (2009)

    When she learns she’s in danger of losing her visa status and being deported, overbearing book editor Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock) forces her put-upon assistant, Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds), to marry her.

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    23. ‘Clerks‘ (1994)

    Convenience and video store clerks Dante (Brian O’Halloran) and Randal (Jeff Anderson) are sharp-witted, potty-mouthed and bored out of their minds. So in between needling customers, the counter jockeys play hockey on the roof, visit a funeral home and deal with their love lives.

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    22. ‘The Paper‘ (1994)

    Henry Hackett (Michael Keaton) is the workaholic editor of a New York City tabloid. He loves his job, but the long hours and low pay are leading to discontent. Also, publisher Bernie White (Robert Duvall) faces financial straits, and has hatchet-man Alicia Clark (Glenn Close)—Henry’s nemesis—impose unpopular cutbacks.

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    21. ‘Gung Ho‘ (1986)

    When a western Pennsylvania auto plant is acquired by a Japanese company, brokering auto worker Hunt Stevenson (Michael Keaton) faces the tricky challenge of mediating the assimilation of two clashing corporate cultures. At one end is the Japanese plant manager (Gedde Watanabe) and the sycophant who is angling for his position. At the other, a number of disgruntled long-time union members (George Wendt and John Turturro) struggle with the new exigencies of Japanese quality control.

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    20. ‘Norma Rae‘ (1979)

    Sally Field as Norma Rae Webster in 'Norma Rae.' Photo: 20th Century Fox.
    Sally Field as Norma Rae Webster in ‘Norma Rae.’ Photo: 20th Century Fox.

    Norma Rae (Sally Field) is a southern textile worker employed in a factory with intolerable working conditions. This concern about the situation gives her the gumption to be the key associate to a visiting labor union organizer (Ron Leibman). Together, they undertake the difficult, and possibly dangerous, struggle to unionize her factory.

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    19. ‘Baby Boom‘ (1987)

    The life of super-yuppie J.C. (Diane Keaton) is thrown into turmoil when she inherits a baby from a distant relative.

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    18. ‘Night Shift‘ (1982)

    A nebbish of a morgue attendant (Henry Winkler) gets shunted back to the night shift where he is shackled with an obnoxious neophyte partner (Michael Keaton) who dreams of the “one great idea” for success. His life takes a bizarre turn when a prostitute neighbor (Shelly Long) complains about the loss of her pimp. His partner, upon hearing the situation, suggests that they fill that opening themselves using the morgue at night .
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    17. ‘Office Christmas Party‘ (2016)

    When Carol Vanstone (Jennifer Aniston), CEO of the technology company Zenotek, expresses her intention to close the Chicago branch, run by her brother Clay (T.J. Miller), he and his co-workers organize a Christmas party in an effort to impress a potential client and save their jobs. But the party gets out of control…

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    16. ‘Michael Clayton‘ (2007)

    A law firm brings in its “fixer” (George Clooney) to remedy the situation after a lawyer (Tom Wilkinson) has a breakdown while representing a chemical company that he knows is guilty in a multi-billion dollar class action suit. Actress Tilda Swinton received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance.
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    15. ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once‘ (2022)

    (L to R) Jamie Lee Curtis, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, Michelle Yeoh, and James Hong in A24's 'Everything Everywhere All at Once.'
    (L to R) Jamie Lee Curtis, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, Michelle Yeoh, and James Hong in A24’s ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once.’

    Directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, collectively known as Daniels, the film is a hilarious and big-hearted sci-fi action adventure about an exhausted Chinese American woman (Michelle Yeoh) who can’t seem to finish her taxes.

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    14. ‘My Favorite Year‘ (1982)

    New York City, 1954: Benjy Stone (Mark Linn-Baker) is the junior writer on the top rated variety/comedy show. His idol Alan Swann (Peter O’Toole), an actor with a drinking problem, is to be that week’s guest star.

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    13. ‘Spotlight‘ (2015)

    The true story of how the Boston Globe uncovered the massive scandal of child molestation and cover-up within the local Catholic Archdiocese, shaking the entire Catholic Church to its core.

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    12. ‘Horrible Bosses‘ (2011)

    For Nick (Jason Bateman), Kurt (Jason Sudeikis) and Dale (Charlie Day), the only thing that would make the daily grind more tolerable would be to grind their intolerable bosses into dust. Quitting is not an option, so, with the benefit of a few-too-many drinks and some dubious advice from a hustling ex-con (Jamie Foxx), the three friends devise a convoluted and seemingly foolproof plan to rid themselves of their respective employers… permanently.

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    11. ‘The Devil Wears Prada‘ (2006)

    Andy (Anne Hathaway) moves to New York to work in the fashion industry. Her boss (Meryl Streep) is extremely demanding, cruel and won’t let her succeed if she doesn’t fit into the high class elegant look of their magazine.

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    10. ‘Trading Places‘ (1983)

    (L to R) Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy in 'Trading Places.' Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    (L to R) Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy in ‘Trading Places.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    A snobbish investor (Dan Aykroyd) and a wily street con-artist (Eddie Murphy) find their positions reversed as part of a bet by two callous millionaires.

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    9. ‘Margin Call‘ (2011)

    A thriller that revolves around the key people at an investment bank over a 24-hour period during the early stages of the financial crisis. The movie stars Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Zachary Quinto, Penn Badgley, Simon Baker, Mary McDonnell, Demi Moore, and Stanley Tucci.

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    8. ‘Up in the Air‘ (2009)

    Corporate downsizing expert Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) spends his life in planes, airports, and hotels, but just as he’s about to reach a milestone of ten million frequent flyer miles, he meets a woman (Vera Farmiga) who causes him to rethink his transient life.

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    7. ‘Working Girl‘ (1988)

    Tess McGill (Melanie Griffith) is an ambitious secretary with a unique approach for climbing the ladder to success. When her classy, but villainous boss (Sigourney Weaver) breaks a leg skiing, Tess takes over her office, her apartment and even her wardrobe. She creates a deal with a handsome investment banker (Harrison Ford) that will either take her to the top, or finish her off for good.

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    6. ‘The Social Network‘ (2010)

    The tale of a new breed of cultural insurgent: a punk genius (Jesse Eisenberg) who sparked a revolution and changed the face of human interaction for a generation, and perhaps forever.

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    5. ‘The Wolf of Wall Street‘ (2013)

    (L to R) Leonardo DiCaprio is Jordan Belfort and Matthew McConaughey is Mark Hanna in "The Wolf of Wall Street,' from Paramount Pictures and Red Granite Pictures.
    (L to R) Leonardo DiCaprio is Jordan Belfort and Matthew McConaughey is Mark Hanna in “The Wolf of Wall Street,’ from Paramount Pictures and Red Granite Pictures.

    A New York stockbroker (Leonardo DiCaprio) refuses to cooperate in a large securities fraud case involving corruption on Wall Street, corporate banking world and mob infiltration. Based on Jordan Belfort’s autobiography.

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    4. ‘Glengarry Glen Ross‘ (1992)

    When an office full of Chicago real estate salesmen is given the news that all but the top two will be fired at the end of the week, the atmosphere begins to heat up. Shelley Levene (Jack Lemmon), who has a sick daughter, does everything in his power to get better leads from his boss, John Williamson (Kevin Spacey), but to no avail. When his coworker Dave Moss (Ed Harris) comes up with a plan to steal the leads, things get complicated for the tough-talking salesmen. The cast also includes Al Pacino, Alec Baldwin, Alan Arkin and Jonathan Pryce.

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    3. ‘Network‘ (1976)

    When veteran anchorman Howard Beale (Peter Finch) is forced to retire his 25-year post because of his age, he announces to viewers that he will kill himself during his farewell broadcast. Network executives (Faye Dunaway, William Holden, Robert Duvall, and Ned Beatty) rethink their decision when his fanatical tirade results in a spike in ratings.

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    2. ‘Office Space‘ (1999)

    A depressed white-collar worker (Ron Livingston) tries hypnotherapy, only to find himself in a perpetual state of devil-may-care bliss that prompts him to start living by his own rules, and hatch a hapless attempt to embezzle money from his soul-killing employers. The cast also includes Jennifer Aniston, Stephen Root, Gary Cole, and John C. McGinley.

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    1. ‘Nine to Five‘ (1980)

    (L to R) Lily Tomlin, Dolly Parton and Jane Fonda in 'Nine to Five.' Photo: 20th Century Fox.
    (L to R) Lily Tomlin, Dolly Parton and Jane Fonda in ‘Nine to Five.’ Photo: 20th Century Fox.

    Frank Hart (Dabney Coleman) is a pig. He takes advantage in the grossest manner of the women who work with him. When his three assistants (Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Dolly Parton) manage to trap him in his own house they assume control of his department and productivity leaps, but just how long can they keep Hart tied up?

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  • Comedy Icon Bob Newhart Dies Aged 94

    Bob Newhart and the cast of 'The Bob Newhart Show'.
    Bob Newhart and the cast of ‘The Bob Newhart Show’. Photo: CBS.

    Preview:

    • Comedian and actor Bob Newhart has died aged 94.
    • He starred in eponymous sitcoms and other shows, earning an Emmy and many nominations.
    • Judd Apatow and more paid tribute.

    A comedy institution and formative influence for many talented people has left us. Bob Newhart, who rose from comedy albums to TV superstardom, has died at the age of 94 following a brief illness.

    Newhart is remembered for his hangdog delivery and the ability to spin lines into comedy gold.

    Related Article: ‘Clue’ and ‘Arrested Development’ Actor Martin Mull Dies Aged 80

    Bob Newhart: Early Life and Career

    Barbara Rickles, Bob Newhart, Virginia Newhart and Don Rickles in director Judd Apatow's documentary 'Bob & Don: A Love Story.'
    (L to R) Barbara Rickles, Bob Newhart, Virginia Newhart and Don Rickles in director Judd Apatow’s documentary ‘Bob & Don: A Love Story.’

    Newhart was born in Chicago in September 1929. He attended Loyola University in the city, majoring in commerce and graduating in 1952, when he entered the Army. After ending his military service two years later, he entered Loyola’s law school but flunked out in 1956. He then worked a variety of odd jobs while performing in an Oak Park stock company.

    Yet comedy called to him: “I worked as an accountant for 2½ years, then worked as a copywriter,” he said in a 2001 interview for the Television Academy Foundation. “People had always been saying, ‘Gee, you’re funny. You think funny.’ So I just decided I was gonna give it a try and see what happened.”

    Here’s what happened, if not immediately: Newhart broke out in 1960 with a pair of No. 1 comedy albums –– despite never having done stand-up before. ‘The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart’ spent 14 weeks atop the Billboard 200 and stayed on that chart for more than two years. ‘The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back!’ arrived about 10 months later and also hit No. 1.

    Bob Newhart: TV legacy

    Bob Newhart and the cast of 'Newhart'.
    (Center) Bob Newhart and the cast of ‘Newhart’. Photo: CBS.

    While his first TV attempt, NBC comedy/variety show, ‘The Bob Newhart Show’ (based on his albums) only ran for a season, he would go on to dominate TV comedy for the better part of two decades. Newhart’s first sitcom, also titled ‘The Bob Newhart Show’ debuted on CBS in September 1972. It did well right from the start, finishing in the year-end three-network primetime Top 20 in each of its first three seasons, ultimately running to 1978.

    Newhart starred as Bob Hartley, a successful psychologist in Chicago whose deadpan delivery drove the series.

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    He’d also star in 1982’s ‘Newhart’, also for CBS. This time he played, Dick Loudon, a “how-to” book author who took over a long-closed colonial inn in Vermont. It ran for eight seasons and its series finale is still considered one of TV’s greatest episodes.

    Outside of his own shows, Newhart became known as a guest on a raft of series including ‘Murphy Brown’, ‘The Simpsons’, ‘ER’, ‘Desperate Housewives’, ‘NCIS’, ‘Hot in Cleveland’ and an Emmy-winning turn on ‘The Big Bang Theory’ (he also appeared on that show’s spin-off, ‘Young Sheldon’).

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    Bob Newhart: Movie Work

    Bob Newhart and Will Ferrell in 'Elf'.
    (L to R) Bob Newhart and Will Ferrell in ‘Elf’. Photo: New Line Cinema.

    The veteran performer appeared in a number of films including ‘In & Out’, ‘Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde’, ‘Horrible Bosses’, ‘First Family’ and ‘Catch-22’.

    Yet for a whole generation, he’ll be forever known as the kindly yet deadpan Papa Elf, who raises Buddy (Will Ferrell), a human who ends up at the North Pole after crawling into Santa’s sack as an infant and, in his adult years, heads to New York in search of his actual father (James Caan), in 2003’s ‘Elf‘.

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    Bob Newhart: Tributes Pour In

    Bob Newhart and Judd Hirsch in 'George & Leo'.
    (L to R) Bob Newhart and Judd Hirsch in ‘George & Leo’. Photo: Paramount Television.

    As you might expect given Newhart’s long career and renowned good nature, fellow showbusiness types are lining up to pay tribute. Here are a few select statements.

    Judd Apatow took to social media to express his feelings:

    Comedian and former politician Al Franken has this to say:

    “Bob Newhart was a giant, a genius, and a great guy. I’ll always remember when he hosted ‘SNL‘ and did a stellar show. He was, as you might expect, a joy to work with. May his memory be a blessing.”

    Director Paul Feig recalled Newhart this way:

    “I had the honor of doing a guest role on Newhart & got to spend the week listening to the great Bob Newhart making us all laugh. A brilliant standup & comedic actor, he was truly one of a kind. His legacy will live on.”

    Newhart’s wife Ginny died last year. He is survived by his children, Robert Jr., Timothy, Courtney and Jennifer, and 10 grandchildren.

    Bob Newhart and the cast of 'Newhart'.
    Bob Newhart and the cast of ‘Newhart’. Photo: CBS.

    Bob Newhart Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Bob Newhart Movies On Amazon

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  • ‘Tropic Thunder’ and 19 More of the Funniest R-Rated Comedies of Last 10 Years

    ‘Tropic Thunder’ and 19 More of the Funniest R-Rated Comedies of Last 10 Years