IMDb > Clockwatchers (1997)
Clockwatchers
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Clockwatchers (1997) More at IMDbPro »

Videos (see all 2)
Clockwatchers (1997) -- Open-ended Trailer from Bmg
Clockwatchers (1997) -- Trailerfan.com - Trailer (Flash)

IMDb Holiday Movie Guide

Overview

User Rating:
5.9/10   3,069 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 3% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Jill Sprecher (written by) and
Karen Sprecher (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Clockwatchers on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
15 May 1998 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
FOUR GIRLS. FOUR DREAMS. ONE OFFICE. more
Plot:
Iris can best be described as a wallflower. She begins her first day as a temp for the nondescript Global... more | full synopsis
Awards:
2 wins & 1 nomination more
User Comments:
Existential angst in a service based world more (109 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Toni Collette ... Iris Chapman

Parker Posey ... Margaret Burre

Lisa Kudrow ... Paula

Alanna Ubach ... Jane
Helen FitzGerald ... Cleo

Stanley DeSantis ... Art

Jamie Kennedy ... Eddie

David James Elliott ... Mr. MacNamee

Debra Jo Rupp ... Barbara

Kevin Cooney ... Mr. Kilmer
Bob Balaban ... Milton Lasky
Paul Dooley ... Bud Chapman
Scott Mosenson ... Jack Shoberg
Irene Olga López ... Coffee Lady (as Irene Olga Lopez)

Joshua Malina ... Global Credit Receptionist
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated PG-13 for brief language.
Runtime:
96 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Sound Mix:

Fun Stuff

Goofs:
Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Paula says, "I'm so bad," after bumping into a guy on the bus, her mouth does not match the audio. more
Quotes:
Dianne: I keep a pair of shoes in my desk, and now *one* of them is missing. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in New Guy (2003) more
Soundtrack:
The Sicilian more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
14 out of 14 people found the following comment useful.
Existential angst in a service based world, 6 January 2003
Author: Mark Wintle (mewintle@aol.com) from Morris Twp, NJ, USA

This is a really provocative movie that is artfully filmed.

Good art often offers commentary on the times. When you're in the midst of an era, it's hard to see what characterizes it. I think Clockwatchers does a terrific job of capturing a facet of the temp world of the 80's/90's. I was a temp for a year in 1988. It's quite accurate.

But you don't have to be a temp to recognize these characters. Yes Dilbert, yes Office Space, and especially the beginning of Joe vs the Volcano have these same foils. But I think Clockwatchers' take was unique. The characters were well developed while still being archetypes. There was a subtlety and style that all the others listed chose against.

The direction and cinematography of this film is terrific. It takes guts to burn film doing a close-up of someone's glasses for 10 seconds. There is real art to this film. The writing, the directing, the pacing, editing, all right up at the top of the scale. The acting was fine, but I don't think it's the strong suit of this movie. Toni Collette is a standout. While I love Parker Posey, I think she was probably a bit over the top here. The Muzak, while as mood-setting as the buzz of florescent lighting, can grate at a viewer.

This film touched on too may things to list them all. Here's a sample... What are you doing with your life if you're waiting for it to burn off? Isn't it exhausting and poisoning to pretend to look busy all day? If you are a cog in a machine, and accomplishing nothing at that too, did you really even exist? Are the "troublemakers" in life getting us in trouble, or offering us freedom (note there are two people here stirring up the pot)? What is theft (and theft of services)? Where is the dividing line between unethical play and immorality? At what point do you give up on the dream of personal growth? Are some people "better" than others? What does beauty (and grooming) have to do with it? Does the corporate hierarchy define our worth to others or our self-worth? What is loyalty and betrayal, to whom do you owe how much, and how do you give consent to those obligations/ownership? Work/friends/family are all portrayed as villains and allies wielding this loyalty Sword of Damocles.

One IMDB reviewer said this film was a good way to kill time after work. That's terrific irony. :)

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Clockwatchers (1997)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
OMG! Just seen this and I loved it! HormonallyYours
Any temp 'horror' stories you'd like to share? jumpingjoe821
The Ending was very sad..... wakkadakka
The letter Iris receives in the mail (SPOILER) ohlou326
Complaints and Questions kayeanna77
What happens to characters at end of movie? ronaldsnelgrove
more

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