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Working Girl | Year: 1988 Classification: Comedy Country: USA Language: English Directed: - Mike Nichols Actors/Actresses: - Alec Baldwin - Joan Cusack - David Duchovny - Olympia Dukakis - Harrison Ford - Melanie Griffith - Ricki Lake - Kevin Spacey - Sigourney Weaver Oddly Attracting, Somewhat oddly Deterring. 1988's "Working Girl" had everything to appeal to all different kinds of people, and many things (Including I think the Star), to give a blow to a viewer's love of the movie. Melanie Griffith has done wonderfully in films like "Milk Money", and even "Bonfire of the Vanities"...the infamous star-packed movie that ultimately didn't live up to it's potential. Griffith though was poorly chosen for this role, giving too-much air-headedness if you please, to a character who should've had more on the ball to get where she ended up in the movie. Obviously winning several awards for the role, more people thought differently, but I think that Griffith's lack of knowledge about everything makes the movie a little too fantasy-like. She plays secretary Tess McGill, who strives from the guidence from close friends, struggles from broken relationships and starts to make her way out from behind her desk when she meets and falls in love with successful banker Harrison Ford. The plot line is well thought up, and well played out by the powerhouse actors (Griffith, Ford, Alec Baldwin and Sigourney Weaver). Joan Cusack gives one of a string of her fabulous performances to come in the many years, earning Joan her first Oscar Nomination. A role that was unfairly lost to Geena Davis at the ceremony, leaving Joan still the most unappreciated true talent in the 8 years prior to the film. In my opinion, Melanie Griffith is rescued from dead-air by the charm and wit of Harrison Ford, and the pleasing and wonderful physical and emotional presence of Joan Cusack, playing Griffith's street-wise and comforting friend and collegue. I would've loved to see Joan with more air-time, Griffith with slightly less and maybe a more mature approach to her rise to the top that might have given this great movie even more potential. It's a great, sweet story of love and work though, well played out with a 950reat cast. It's definately worth a few looks, "Working Girl" deserves all the positive feedback it's gotten in 13 years...and Joan deserves her Oscar. My review, I hope not too opinionated. Who's afraid of Sigourney Weaver? Working girl Tess McGill (Melanie Griffith, sporting some serious hair) is continuously being mistaken for a "coffee, tea or me?" kind of person when in fact she works hard, reads widely and studies nights to get ahead in the business world. But the sexist, class-conscious business world just won't take her seriously. Finally she hooks up with Katherine Parker (Sigourney Weaver), a successful but vulturous deal-maker with an elevated opinion of herself who knows how to use people. They set up a mentor relationship with Tess getting the coffee and Katherine spouting the words of wisdom. When Tess comes up with a good business idea, Katherine steals it. Enter soon after Jack Trainer (Harrison Ford) and we have our triangle. Katherine has broken her leg skiing and Tess has to fill in for her. When Tess discovers that Katherine has ripped off her idea, she decides to assume Katherine's accouterments, including her lavish apartment, her wardrobe, her hairstyle, and as it turns out, her boyfriend. Will she succeed, and will she find true love and happiness with the leading man? Inquiring minds want to know. Director Mike Nichols, auteur of a number of film land successes of more than average sophistication, including Postcards from the Edge (1990), The Graduate (1967), Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf (1966), etc. with help from screen writer Kevin Wade and Melanie herself, manages to create enough sympathy for Tess that we want her to win. Sigourney Weaver does such a fine job of being a kind of sociopathic villainess that we want her to lose. Guess what happens? While this is not on the same level as the three Mike Nichols flicks mentioned above, either in terms of cinematic significance or craftsmanship, it is clever and witty at times, and the story is one that most American women will find easy to identify with. And of course the winner gets Harrison Ford, displaying his usual bodice-busting charm. Only problem (aside from some smarmy pandering to a chick flick audience) is that the chemistry between Melanie Griffith and Harrison Ford is lacking. See this for Mike Nichols whose direction here can be described as just a working guy trying to make a buck and not doing a bad job of it. Don't miss this one... In my opinion, the main drawback of the film was that Melanie Griffith gave a performance that was too breathy, and sometimes it was annoying to hear her speak. This is not to say that her acting wasn't good - she was able to bring the right amount of spunk and vulnerability to her role. Harrison Ford is wonderful here, witty and charming - this is not a role you usually see him in. And Sigourney Weaver is delightfully wicked. There are many moving moments in the film, as well as humorous ones, and you'll quickly be drawn into the story of the hard-working, ambitious secretary who aims for a bigger job, and gets herself a fine man in the process. Buy Working Girl at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  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