Working Girl

Name: Working Girl
Genre: Drama, Comedy, Romance
Released: December 23, 1988
Duration: 113 min
Rating: 73
Cast: Harrison Ford, Melanie Griffith, Sigourney Weaver

1988

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 17 Critics

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 47 Ratings

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8.5

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8.5	User Score Universal acclaim based on 47 Ratings

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Working Girl

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Movie Details & Credits

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation | Release Date: December 23, 1988

Starring: Harrison Ford, Melanie Griffith, Sigourney Weaver

Summary: Ambitious secretary Tess McGill (Melanie Griffith) makes her up the corporate ladder with a little creative deception by "taking over" when her boss Katherine Parker (Sigourney Weaver) breaks her leg on a ski trip.

Director: Mike Nichols

Genre(s): Drama, Comedy, Romance

Rating: R

Runtime: 113 min

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Awards & Rankings

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Chicago Sun-Times - Roger Ebert

One of those entertainments where you laugh a lot along the way, and then you end up on the edge of your seat at the end. Read full review

100

Time - Richard Corliss

Intoxicating. [19 Dec 1988, p.78]

Los Angeles Times - Sheila Benson

Working Girl is the sparkling success that it is because of the sheer irresistibility of Melanie Griffith. [21 Dec 1988, Calendar, p.6-1]

San Francisco Chronicle - Judy Stone

An amusing trifle. [21 Dec 1988, Daily Datebook, p.E1]

The New Republic - Stanley Kauffmann

Wade, presumably with Nichols's urging and aid, has tricked up most of the picture with plotting that scuttles the realism of the beginning, strangles any serious view of the theme, and ends up ludicrously incredible. [30 Jan 1989, p.28]

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) - Rick Groen

The laughs in Working Girl are the laughs of near-recognition - just good enough to make us wish they were much better. Read full review

The New Yorker - Pauline Kael

Nichols must have a cummerbund around his head: the directing is constricted – there's no visual inventiveness or spontaneity. And in his hands the script has no conviction. [9 Jan 1989]

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User Reviews

smiyamot

Nov 29, 2015

Smart, hard working secretary Tess wants to move up from her working class neighborhood. That's the American Dream, right? She lucks out when her new boss is a woman who will mentor her and help her climb the corporate ladder. Or not. Her new boss is getting pressure to make a big dealSmart, hard working secretary Tess wants to move up from her working class neighborhood. That's the American Dream, right? She lucks out when her new boss is a woman who will mentor her and help her climb the corporate ladder. Or not. Her new boss is getting pressure to make a big deal so is she stealing Tess's idea? Good romantic comedy with some high stakes business dealings make for an interesting movie. I don't have that many DVDs but this one is in my collection.… Expand

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lasttimeisaw

Jan 12, 2012

However outdated the costumes and settings, outmoded the corporal cooperation business, I believe the ethic of WORKING GIRL is abiding, at least until this moment (24 years later), resembling a 1980s version of THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (2006), however collected 6 Oscar nominations with 1 winHowever outdated the costumes and settings, outmoded the corporal cooperation business, I believe the ethic of WORKING GIRL is abiding, at least until this moment (24 years later), resembling a 1980s version of THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (2006), however collected 6 Oscar nominations with 1 win (for Carly Simonâ… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Spangle

Feb 14, 2017

No film with those lines of dialogue could actually be good. Working Girl does not buck the trends and is a cookie cutter romance with my least favorite narrative cliche in the history of humanity. Yet, far too many films seem to think it works. This film may be fun for many, but it justNo film with those lines of dialogue could actually be good. Working Girl does not buck the trends and is a cookie cutter romance with my least favorite narrative cliche in the history of humanity. Yet, far too many films seem to think it works. This film may be fun for many, but it just aggravated me to no end and made me desperate to shut it off. The film is incredibly well-written, even if it is cliche ridden and director Mike Nichols allows the film to successfully follow cliches, always remaining relatively palatable in the face of its annoying plot conventions. Oh and of course the bad dialogue that clearly served as inspiration for Melanie Griffith's daughter Dakota Johnson to say the bad dialogue in Fifty Shades of Grey with confidence because, hell, her mom got an Oscar nomination for the same lines.

Featuring a woman beat down by the system, Tess McGill (Griffith), her goofy friend Cynthia (Joan Cusack), and her **** boss Katharine Parker (Sigourney Weaver), the film's plot is kicked off when Katharine breaks her leg. Having previously pitched an idea to Katharine regarding a possible merger path for a client of their investment firm, Tess - a lowly secretary - learns that Katharine planned to steal the idea and send it off to boyfriend Jack Trainer (Harrison Ford) to bring it home. Well, Tess decides to pose as a tried and true professional in the mergers and acquisitions game, falls in love with Jack, and hides her lies from everybody with the help of Cynthia. You will never guess what happens in the middle though. She almost tells Jack the truth! In the midst of telling him (leading off with, "I have to tell you something"), he gets a phone call to distract him, and then he turns to her and says, "What did you want to tell me?" Later, he learns when Katharine bursts into the big merger meeting where Tess' deal is set to go through and is initially hurt, but quickly gets over it and loves her anyways. Even better, the big client - after Katharine fires Tess - offers Tess a job and gets Katharine fired for stealing the idea from Tess. Is this not just the most upliftingly original plot you have ever heard? No spoiler tags either. I implore you read that past paragraph because it does not spoil anything. If you have seen any romantic comedy, you have seen this plot play out before. It is a shame to see Nichols stuck with such annoyingly derivative material.

That said, he does well with it. Thanks to Harrison Ford and Melanie Griffith, Working Girl nearly comes off. Joan Cusack is annoying here as a loud obnoxious cliche, but all the same, the film nearly gets home. It is quite cute and the ending underscores that when Jack and Tess finally get to be together with no lies between them. But, man did I wish I had read a plot summary beforehand. I will never like a film with this plot. Hell, I hated Some Like It Hot - a classic - for the very same reason. These films where a character misrepresents who they are just leave me agitated and waiting for the same cliched plot to play out where they get exposed, get some egg on their face, but then the people they hid it from do not really care in the end. It is a plot with no tension because it has been played out so much, so it befuddles me to no end to see it constantly played out.

That said, Nichols does write the film quite well. It is cliched throughout, but it does hit all the cliches. The fact it almost works shows that the cliches have some merit, even if it worn out. It is a perfect example of this kind of film, so it is no surprise to see it well received critically. It is a film that is cliche ridden, but has so much bubbly energy from its leads that it masks many of these cliches and, where it does not, the cliches hit sweet notes, though familiar.

Working Girl may be a good film. It did receive a Best Picture nomination. But, its cliched plot is one that simply is not up my alley. It just causes me unnecessary aggravation due to the tediously nature of this particular set of cliches and the prototypical story that ensues. That said, the film does embody the cliches perfectly and for those that enjoy this type of storyline, it will appeal greatly. The acting, particularly from Griffith, is quite good and rise above the derivative material and corny dialogue.… Expand

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Broyax

Dec 28, 2016

Comédie sympatoche pendant un certain temps, le temps de rigoler devant ces coiffures et ces tenues "années 80" et le temps également d'apprécier tout de même Mélanie qui nous incarne une grande cruche bien nunuche de toute beauté ! elle est tellement conne qu'on dirait la femme de FrançoisComédie sympatoche pendant un certain temps, le temps de rigoler devant ces coiffures et ces tenues "années 80" et le temps également d'apprécier tout de même Mélanie qui nous incarne une grande cruche bien nunuche de toute beauté ! elle est tellement conne qu'on dirait la femme de François Pignon.

Le temps d'apprécier (aussi et surtout) une autre grande, Miss Alien Sigourney en personne, très à l'aise dans le "mauvais" rôle de la "méchante manipulatrice" de service ! elle est excellente à dire vrai, quel dommage de saborder son rôle et de le réduire à une vilaine satire (plus ou moins involontaire d'ailleurs) !...

Puis Harrison qui ne déboule qu'au bout d'une très grosse demi-heure vient nous jouer le sensible bellâtre (de service lui aussi) et là, force est de constater qu'il est presque aussi ridicule que Mélanie !

De toute façon, passée sa première moitié le temps de la curiosité bienveillante est passé... le film s'enlise sévèrement jusqu'aux ongles (très vernis) de ces dames et pédale dans la semoule comme un vieux hamster cardiaque sous Prozac. Avec en point d'orgue final la grosse morale bien niaise que l'on croirait tout droit sortie d'un épisode de Candy. On aura tout vu !… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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