Top 10 movies about unemployment

Live imitates art...and history repeats itself. Its Sunday, and I have been watching movies on demand on my Netflix account. I thought it would be fun to make a list of movies that share the theme of unemployment.


Top 10 Movies about Unemployment (in no particular order)

1) MR. MOM (1983)
Michael Keaton plays a family man downsized from his position. He's forced to deal with being a stay at home dad, while his wife enters the workforce. I loved Keaton in this movie and it was the first movie I thought of when I came up with this list (probably why I listed it first)..


2) OFFICE SPACE (1999)
This comedy is the story of software company workers who hate their job and are futher aggrevated to when they are forced to meet with consultants and justify their work or risk downsizing. We've all worked for this kind of employer. You can't help but laugh.

3) ROGER & ME (1989)
This documentary is by one of my favorite directors, Michael Moore. Moore tells the story of city of Flint Michigan and how it was devastated economically when General Motors CEO Roger Smith's closed several of its auto plants. Over 30,000 people lost their jobs. If you thought it couldn't happen to you...think again.


4) IN GOOD COMPANY(2000)
Dennis Quaid plays a seasoned advertisement sales executive. His world is turned around as a corporate takeover places him under an niave excutive who is half his age. This drama really shows how experience can be seriously undervalued.


5) TRADING PLACES (1983)
In this comedy two snobbish heads of a successful commodities brokerage firm set up a social experiement. They bet against eachother on whether or not two men of different socio-economic backgrounds can find success when their social status is unknowingly traded. They ruin a successful man’s life, allow a poor man to take his place, and observe the results. Yes it is a comedy and at that a very good movie...but sometimes I wonder how far the big guys pulling the rug out from under you really streches from reality.

6) FUN WITH DICK AND JANE (1977, 2005)
This movie orignally starred Jane Fonda and George Segal and updated with Jim Carrey and Tea Leoni. Dick and Jane are living the good life. Dick just got a promotion, and Jane quit her job. Then Dick loses his job. The couple starts robbing banks and decide it's time to steal back what the CEO had stolen from them. Revenge on the big guy...cute.

7)RENAISSANCE MAN (1994)
This movie starring Danny Devito DeVito as Bill Rago. He loses his job as an advertising man. He reluctantly takes a job as a civilian instructor at the local Army base. He struggles gaining the respect and interest of his eight semi literate charges, but finally finds success with Shakespeare. I'm enjoying my summers off...teaching is looking better every day.

8)THE PURSUIT OF HAPPIYNESS (2006)
This is a great movie starring Will Smith, which is based on the true story of Christopher Gardner. The movie takes place in San Fransciso in 1981. As Gardner struggles to support his family, his wife leaves him, he loses his house, his bank account, and credit cards. He is forced to live on the streets with his son. He sees a man driving a sports car and asks him what he does for a living. The man tells him he is a stock broker. Gardner puts this career in his sights and jumps through incredible hoops to make it happen. If this isn't the perfect story about making your own way...I don't know what is.


9) THE FULL MONTY (1997)
This movie is the story of six unemployed men in the dead industrial city of Sheffield. They form a male striptease act to take matters into their own hands and make some money for their families. Sometimes you have to swallow your pride...hopefully I'll find something before it gets to this point.


10) ERIN BROCKOVICH (2000)
This movie (also based on a true story) features Julia Roberts as Erin Brockovich(Julia Roberts). Brockovich is a single mom, very rough around the edges. She takes a job as a legal assistant in a California law firm for low wages. She ends up uncovering and working on a large-scale case against PG&E representing the victims of chromium contaminaton. Brockovich found her calling in this seemingly "inconsequential job." God has a plan for all of us.


Well, that's my top 10. At first I was thinking this type of list was going to be depressing, but in the end they all have great morals to them. And everyone rises from the ashes. And what could be so bad about that?

Love to hear your movie suggestions!