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Iris (Collette) is a shy young professional who doesn't begins a new office job where she [[Temporary work|temps]]. She soon meets Margaret (Posey) who is the polar opposite and who serves as a catalyst to help Iris become more assertive. Aspiring actress and fellow temp Paula (Kudrow) eagerly awaits post-work [[happy hour]]s and the chance to flirt with attractive men. The somewhat naïve temp Jane (Ubach) is engaged to marry a jerk who makes up for his rude behavior by buying her gifts. Margaret who hopes to become a permanent employee as an assistant, is upset when a new woman names Cleo is hired as a permanent employee after her first day. Margaret also hopes to become an executive assistant to stressed out manager Mr. Lasky ([[Bob Balaban]]), but her dreams are thwarted when he suddenly dies. The four temps form a camaraderie which assists them in getting through their boring and tedious days at work. |
Iris (Collette) is a shy young professional who doesn't begins a new office job where she [[Temporary work|temps]]. She soon meets Margaret (Posey) who is the polar opposite and who serves as a catalyst to help Iris become more assertive. Aspiring actress and fellow temp Paula (Kudrow) eagerly awaits post-work [[happy hour]]s and the chance to flirt with attractive men. The somewhat naïve temp Jane (Ubach) is engaged to marry a jerk who makes up for his rude behavior by buying her gifts. Margaret who hopes to become a permanent employee as an assistant, is upset when a new woman names Cleo is hired as a permanent employee after her first day. Margaret also hopes to become an executive assistant to stressed out manager Mr. Lasky ([[Bob Balaban]]), but her dreams are thwarted when he suddenly dies. The four temps form a camaraderie which assists them in getting through their boring and tedious days at work. |
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A series of thefts occur in the office and suspicion falls on the temps, particularly Margaret. Margaret, however, continues to insist that it is Cleo, which the other girls view as Margaret simply being jealous. Iris's plastic toy monkey goes missing and when she sees it inside of Margaret's desk, Iris loses faith in Margaret and believes that she is the office thief. While walking one day, Margaret and Iris see |
A series of thefts occur in the office and suspicion falls on the temps, particularly Margaret. Margaret, however, continues to insist that it is Cleo, which the other girls view as Margaret simply being jealous. Iris's plastic toy monkey goes missing and when she sees it inside of Margaret's desk, Iris loses faith in Margaret and believes that she is the office thief. While walking one day, Margaret and Iris see Jane's fiance with another girl, but do not do anything about it. At Jane's bridal shower, the girls confide in Paula, who lashes out at Margaret, saying that she doesn't understand how much marriage means to people. |
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As the office stealing continues, the girls are put under more and more stress which strains their friendship. Paula reveals to Iris that she is pregnant, but soon after tells her that she has taken care of the issue. Margaret explains to Iris that Paula typically lies about booking acting roles in order to make herself seem better. |
As the office stealing continues, the girls are put under more and more stress which strains their friendship. Paula reveals to Iris that she is pregnant, but soon after tells her that she has taken care of the issue. Margaret explains to Iris that Paula typically lies about booking acting roles in order to make herself seem better. |
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Revision as of 04:16, 1 October 2021
| Clockwatchers | |
|---|---|
 Clockwatchers movie poster | |
| Directed by | Jill Sprecher |
| Written by | Jill Sprecher Karen Sprecher |
| Produced by | Gina Resnick John Flock |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Jim Denault |
| Edited by | Stephen Mirrione |
| Music by | Joseph L. Altruda Mader |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | BMG Independents |
Release date |
|
Running time | 96 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $537,948 |
Clockwatchers is an American comedy-drama film released in 1997. Directed by Jill Sprecher, it stars Parker Posey, Lisa Kudrow, Toni Collette and Alanna Ubach as temporary office staffers in an office complex. The four become misfit friends in an office environment where they are ignored and mistrusted by their co-workers.[1]
Plot
Iris (Collette) is a shy young professional who doesn't begins a new office job where she temps. She soon meets Margaret (Posey) who is the polar opposite and who serves as a catalyst to help Iris become more assertive. Aspiring actress and fellow temp Paula (Kudrow) eagerly awaits post-work happy hours and the chance to flirt with attractive men. The somewhat naïve temp Jane (Ubach) is engaged to marry a jerk who makes up for his rude behavior by buying her gifts. Margaret who hopes to become a permanent employee as an assistant, is upset when a new woman names Cleo is hired as a permanent employee after her first day. Margaret also hopes to become an executive assistant to stressed out manager Mr. Lasky (Bob Balaban), but her dreams are thwarted when he suddenly dies. The four temps form a camaraderie which assists them in getting through their boring and tedious days at work.
A series of thefts occur in the office and suspicion falls on the temps, particularly Margaret. Margaret, however, continues to insist that it is Cleo, which the other girls view as Margaret simply being jealous. Iris's plastic toy monkey goes missing and when she sees it inside of Margaret's desk, Iris loses faith in Margaret and believes that she is the office thief. While walking one day, Margaret and Iris see Jane's fiance with another girl, but do not do anything about it. At Jane's bridal shower, the girls confide in Paula, who lashes out at Margaret, saying that she doesn't understand how much marriage means to people.
As the office stealing continues, the girls are put under more and more stress which strains their friendship. Paula reveals to Iris that she is pregnant, but soon after tells her that she has taken care of the issue. Margaret explains to Iris that Paula typically lies about booking acting roles in order to make herself seem better.
Eventually, Margaret suggests a one-day strike from work due to mistreatment and being under appreciated as temps, and her friends halfheartedly agree to join her, but on the appointed day, Margaret is the only one who does not come to work. As a result, Barbara, the company's officious head of human resources (Debra Jo Rupp) fires Margaret. Margaret calls out for support, but none of her friends or coworkers say anything as she is removed from the building. Iris finds out that Margaret had simply had a similar plastic monkey in her desk and she was not the thief after all. She expresses her regret at not speaking up when Margaret was fired. Soon after, the remaining three temps all go their separate ways. Paula is upset when she learns of Jane's wedding from a newspaper announcement, to which she was not invited, and leaves to work in another department.
Iris catches Cleo attempting to steal from an executive's office and follows her home one day, where she is shown entering a large house and being greeted by a maid at the door. Iris confronts Cleo and demands her stolen diary back; she later receives a new diary and note of apology.
When Iris is not hired for a permanent job - a position she really wanted - she quits. A senior executive agrees to sign a pre-written letter of recommendation for her (but under Margaret's name). Iris takes advantage of the fact that executives rarely learn the temps' names, and she tells the executive that her name is Margaret, so that Margaret can finally receive the recommendation she had been striving for as a temp. Iris then mails the letter of recommendation to Margaret with a note.
Cast
- Toni Collette as Iris
- Parker Posey as Margaret
- Lisa Kudrow as Paula
- Alanna Ubach as Jane
- Helen FitzGerald as Cleo
- Stanley DeSantis as Art
- Jamie Kennedy as Eddie
- David James Elliott as Mr. MacNamee
- Debra Jo Rupp as Barbara
- Kevin Cooney as Mr. Kilmer
- Bob Balaban as Milton Lasky
- Paul Dooley as Bud Chapman
- Scott Mosenson as Jack Shoberg
- Joshua Malina as Global Credit Receptionist
- O-Lan Jones as Madame Debbie
- Joe Chrest as Detective
- Michelle Arthur as Diane, the Shoe Lady
- Sully Díaz as Waitress
- Jim Wise as Man in Bar
- Jaime Gomez as Derrick
- Terri Hoyos as Female Executive
- Shauna Wilson as Louise
Release
The film was first released on June 12, 1997 in Australia, the native country of Toni Collette.[2] In America, it was released nearly a year later in May 1998.[3]
Reception
Clockwatchers received positive reviews. It currently holds an 83% approval rating at Rotten Tomatoes based on 24 reviews (20 positive, 4 negative).[4]
References
- ^ Holden, Stephen (May 15, 1998). "Clockwatchers (1997)". The New York Times. Retrieved May 24, 2012.
- ^ "Toni Collette Online - Career - Clockwatchers". Tonicollette.org. Retrieved 2019-05-15.
- ^ "AFI|Catalog". Catalog.afi.com. Retrieved 2019-05-15.
- ^ "Clockwatchers (1997)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved May 24, 2012.