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The Rewatchables ·

Working Girl

year 1988decade 80sdirector Mike Nicholsgenre Comedygenre Romancegenre Drama
host Bill Simmonshost Amanda Dobbinshost Joanna Robinson
All 35 categories

The Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award · 1:27:35

Working Girl deserved Best Picture

Amanda Dobbins: Working Girl should have won Best Picture over Rain Man.

Bill Simmons: I’m So Excited is proposed as the most important pop-culture song of its era.

The Coach Finstock Award for Best Life Lesson · 2:04:23

Make opportunities happen

Bill Simmons: Do not wait for what you want; make it happen is selected.

The film

Working Girl (1988)

Directed by Mike Nichols · Comedy

113 minutes

IMDb Find on JustWatch Find on Rotten Tomatoes
Cast

Selected cast credits · Film reference

Melanie Griffith Tess McGill
Harrison Ford Jack Trainer
Sigourney Weaver Katharine Parker
Alec Baldwin Mick Dugan
Joan Cusack Cynthia
Philip Bosco Oren Trask
Timothy Carhart Tim Draper
Nora Dunn Ginny
Oliver Platt David Lutz
James Lally Turkel
Kevin Spacey Bob Speck
Robert Easton Armbrister
Amy Aquino Alice Baxter
Olympia Dukakis personnel director
Ricki Lake Bridesmaid
David Duchovny Tess's birthday party friend

Everything from the episode

In the order the hosts got to it. Open a row for the discussion.

1:29:21

Casting What-Ifs

Demi Moore, plus many alternate Tess candidates.

Demi Moore, plus many alternate Tess candidates.

In the discussion (5)
Approx. transcript time · 01:29:21Read transcript
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1:35:18

Recasting Couch

Young Marisa Tomei or Mira Sorvino as Doreen.

Young Marisa Tomei or Mira Sorvino as Doreen.

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:35:18Read transcript
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1:35:50

Half-Assed Internet Research

Griffith–Baldwin history; Mike Nichols; World Trade Center lobby; White House screening.

Griffith–Baldwin history; Mike Nichols; World Trade Center lobby; White House screening.

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:35:50Read transcript
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1:44:31

Picking Nits

White wedding clothes; office secrecy; broken-leg recovery; Katharine’s vacation; Mick’s affair and proposal.

White wedding clothes; office secrecy; broken-leg recovery; Katharine’s vacation; Mick’s affair and proposal.

In the discussion (17)
Approx. transcript time · 01:44:31Read transcript
  • Tess wearing white to the wedding is criticized. — Amanda Dobbins
  • Nobody questioning Tess’s repeated use of Katharine’s office is criticized. — Bill Simmons
  • Katharine’s rapid recovery from a severe broken leg is challenged. — Amanda Dobbins
  • Whether Katharine would be fired for stealing the idea is debated. — Amanda Dobbins
  • Katharine vacationing soon after transfer is challenged. — Amanda Dobbins
  • A previously planned vacation and perhaps ten days or a couple of weeks on the job are offered as explanations. — Amanda Dobbins
  • Katharine expecting a proposal but traveling without Jack is challenged. — Amanda Dobbins
  • She knew many people at the resort, knew the hotel operator, and had enough money to take the trip anyway.
  • Alec Baldwin having sex with Doreen in Tess’s bed is challenged as implausibly brazen. — Bill Simmons
  • His Motor Trend reading and birthday lingerie gift are cited as signs he might cheat; adultery is also framed as more culturally tolerated in the period. — Bill Simmons
  • Mick proposing publicly only days later is challenged. — Bill Simmons
  • Tess answering “maybe” is defended as fair and as a good movie scene. — Amanda Dobbins
  • The friends encouraging Tess to accept despite knowing about the affair is challenged. — Amanda Dobbins
  • Period gender norms and a boys-will-be-boys attitude are offered as explanations for the friends’ response. — Amanda Dobbins
  • Mick’s boat-loan business is questioned.
  • High-school coach is proposed as an alternate job, then rejected because he should not be near students. — Amanda Dobbins
  • Used-car salesman is proposed as a better-fitting job. — Amanda Dobbins
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1:53:01

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Meaning of Let the River Run; Jack and Katharine’s relationship; office-party dumplings; Ford sex scenes; whether Tes...

Meaning of Let the River Run; Jack and Katharine’s relationship; office-party dumplings; Ford sex scenes; whether Tess is the villain.

In the discussion (5)
Approx. transcript time · 01:53:01Read transcript
  • The lyrics and river in Let the River Run are questioned. — Amanda Dobbins
  • The panel asks how Jack and Katharine progressed beyond a casual or strategic relationship. — Joanna Robinson
  • Dim sum dumplings as passed office-party food are questioned and mostly rejected.
  • The panel asks whether Harrison Ford has explicit sex scenes beyond Presumed Innocent.
  • The panel asks whether Tess can be viewed as the villain for taking her boss’s boyfriend and opportunity. — Amanda Dobbins
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2:04:44

Best Double Feature

Baby Boom

Baby Boom

In the discussion (6)
Approx. transcript time · 02:04:44Read transcript
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