Working Girl (1988)

84% of critics liked it
(37 reviews)
61% of users liked it
(31,874 ratings)

Unhappy with her job and her loser boyfriend, Melanie Griffith takes a secretarial post at a major Wall Street firm. Her boss is Sigourney Weaver, an outwardly affable yuppie whose grinning visage hides a wicked and larcenous propensity for exploiting the ideas of her employees. While Weaver is… More Unhappy with her job and her loser boyfriend, Melanie Griffith takes a secretarial post at a major Wall Street firm. Her boss is Sigourney Weaver, an outwardly affable yuppie whose grinning visage hides a wicked and larcenous propensity for exploiting the ideas of her employees. While Weaver is incapacitated, Griffith is compelled by circumstances to pose as her boss. Her inborn business acumen and common sense enable Griffith to rise to the top of New York's financial circles, and along the way she wins the love of executive (Harrison Ford). Things threaten to take a sorry turn when Weaver returns, but it is she who suffers from the consequences of her own past duplicity. Working Girl was Melanie Griffith's breakthrough film, proving than she was more than just the off-and-on "significant other" of Don Johnson. The film was later adapted into a brief TV series, starring a pre-Speed Sandra Bullock. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 55 min.
Directed By: Mike Nichols
Genres: Drama, Romance, Comedy

In Theaters: Dec 20, 1988 Wide
On DVD: Apr 17, 2001
Studio: 20th Century Fox

Critic Reviews

Richard Corliss, TIME Magazine
How will the working class be educated to survive and thrive in the computer age? This intoxicating movie has an answer: let her strut her outer-borough wisdom from Wall Street to the Pacific Rim. Watch her fatten portfolios as she melts hearts.
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
Griffith's talent, energy, and sexiness give it some drive and punch.
Variety Staff, Variety
Working Girl is enjoyable largely due to the fun of watching scrappy, sexy, unpredictable Melanie Griffith rise from Staten Island secretary to Wall Street whiz.
Janet Maslin, New York Times
Working Girl, always fun even when at its most frivolous, has the benefit of the cinematographer Michael Ballhaus's sharp visual sense of board room chic, and of supporting characters who help carry its class distinctions beyond simple caricature.
Rita Kempley, Washington Post
This scrumptious romantic comedy with its blithe cast is as easy to watch as swirling ball gowns and dancing feet. But oh me, oh my, how much more demanding it is to be a fairy tale heroine these days.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Working Girl is Nichols returning to the top of his form, and Griffith finding hers.
Heather Boerner, Common Sense Media
Sexed-up '80s corporate tale with stellar cast.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
It deliciously plays out as a modern day corporate Cinderella story for females.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Funny, touching and tremendously buoyant, this is a feel-good movie with smarts.
, Film4
A top-drawer romantic comedy with all the right ingredients in place.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
In Mike Nichols' fairy tale about the workforce, Melanie Griffith gives a charming performance as an absued scretary who decides to take charge of her life and in the process also gets the lover of her bitchy boss (well played by Sigourney Weaver).
Rob Vaux, Flipside Movie Emporium
80s corporate hokum rescued by another very funny turn from Sigourney Weaver.
Leo Goldsmith, Not Coming to a Theater Near You
The film lobbies passionately for Tess's agency, intelligence, and shrewd business-sense and yet still manages to find time to ogle her "bod for sin."
, Time Out
The interaction between the female leads is so funny that you don't care if the leading man never turns up.
Dan Fienberg, Zap2it.com
Wait... Sigourney Weaver and Harrison Ford can be funny? And Melanie Griffith can act? Crazy!
Michael E. Grost, Classic Film and Television
blah comedy, but with nice performers

Read all 16 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Mark H

Captivating workplace comedy follows an ambitious secretary as she attempts to climb the corporate ladder. Plot unfolds like the somewhat timeworn Cinderella story archetype, but brilliantly captures the zeitgeist by updating it to corporate America of the 1980s. Melanie Griffith is… More
Captivating workplace comedy follows an ambitious secretary as she attempts to climb the corporate ladder. Plot unfolds like the somewhat timeworn Cinderella story archetype, but brilliantly captures the zeitgeist by updating it to corporate America of the 1980s. Melanie Griffith is an absolute delight in an effervescent performance as Tess McGill, a secretary with "a mind for business and a bod for sin". She's supported by an talented cast that includes Harrison Ford and Sigourney Weaver in equally memorable parts. Classic film director, Mike Nichols, is in top form here and he is ably supported with an witty script by screenwriter Kevin Wade. Sometimes, success is the best revenge.
Anthony L

Great film, a modern classic no less. Olympia Dukakis is such a funny name! :o)
Film C

it surprises me this got low on the stars because i really really enjoyed this film i think really you can put it in the genre of romcom drama because its funny and you see a romance blowup and slowly grow between the underdog and the top dog! i just think its brilliant the way… More
it surprises me this got low on the stars because i really really enjoyed this film i think really you can put it in the genre of romcom drama because its funny and you see a romance blowup and slowly grow between the underdog and the top dog! i just think its brilliant the way melenie griffith plays the underdog trying to work her way up the chain but sigorney weaver is the two faced bss who says shes helping but really stealing her ideas really People can relate to this story of how you work your way up but it comes with all the complications!! its a great powerful and heartened film
Mason W

Working Girl is one of my favorite comedies...love it! Melanie Griffith was never better and Sigourney Weaver with Harrison Ford were great too. A receptionist whom is trying her darndest (Griffith) to make it in 80's NYC. She gets a new boss (Weaver) whom is sweet but might… More
Working Girl is one of my favorite comedies...love it! Melanie Griffith was never better and Sigourney Weaver with Harrison Ford were great too. A receptionist whom is trying her darndest (Griffith) to make it in 80's NYC. She gets a new boss (Weaver) whom is sweet but might be ready to back stab. And then enters the guy to save the day (Ford) whom is there to help Griffith get her day in the spotlight....such a well done film...love Carly Simon's song; "Let the Rive Run" which is the theme song for this movie....everything is soo good!
Ken S

I liked it okay! Damn you Nichols for being a consummate craftsman!
Fernando Rafael Q

Funny film, with smart casting. Melanie Griffith, Harrison Ford, Joan Cusack and Sigourney Weaver were SO good, and Kevin Spacey's appearance was awesome (duh, its Kevin Spacey!). Definitely surprised with Griffith's acting, Ford's charisma and Weaver's comic… More
Funny film, with smart casting. Melanie Griffith, Harrison Ford, Joan Cusack and Sigourney Weaver were SO good, and Kevin Spacey's appearance was awesome (duh, its Kevin Spacey!). Definitely surprised with Griffith's acting, Ford's charisma and Weaver's comic talent. Very good writing.
Jennifer X

It's formulaic but Melanie Griffith is wonderful! Despite the gross 80s hair.
Candy R

Great cast. Movie about a girl who wants to climb the corporate ladder. Melanie had bad hair extensions! Very similar to Secret of My Success.
jay n

Melanie's only good movie, with excellent support from Harrison, Sigourney and Joan.
xGary X

Inexplicably lauded over rom-com that's mired in 80s class snobbery. Hateful.
Dean M

Melanie Griffith is superb as the ambitious secretary who discovers that new boss Sigourney Weaver has been passing off her ideas as her own. This is one of the funniest, sharpest and liveliest fairy tales of the decade.
Leigh R

Classic late 80's film.
Deb S

[about Jack's chin scar] Tess McGill: How did you get the scar? Jack Trainer: Some guy pulled a knife in Detroit. Tess McGill: Really? Jack Trainer: No. No. I was nineteen and I thought it'd be cool to have a pierced ear. My girlfriend stuck the needle through and I… More
[about Jack's chin scar] Tess McGill: How did you get the scar? Jack Trainer: Some guy pulled a knife in Detroit. Tess McGill: Really? Jack Trainer: No. No. I was nineteen and I thought it'd be cool to have a pierced ear. My girlfriend stuck the needle through and I heard this pop and fainted and hit my chin on the toilet. 'Working Girl' is a humorous look at trying to get to the top. Melanie Griffith (Tess) strives to better herself in life as an ambitious secretary in a large company but when she finds out that her boss (Sigourney Weaver) has stolen her idea for a big business deal, she takes the opportunity to get even by pretending to be her boss. Along the way she meets an investment broker Jack Trainer (played by the charming Harrison Ford) and falls in love with him never realizing that he is the sweetheart of her bitchy she devil of a boss. Alec Baldwin, Joan Cusack and Kevin Spacey also appear briefly. This is a terrific film that deals with treachery in the workplace with a great message to society. It shows that you should never give up on your goals because though hard work you can achieve almost anything. [in the bar] Tess McGill: I have a head for business and a bod for sin. Is there anything wrong with that? Jack Trainer: Uh, no. No.
Alec B

This movie would have received a much higher rating if not for the fairy tale ending, which robs the story of a lot of the realism that is seemed to be shooting for. It still is decent and worth a viewing for the performances. Melanie Griffith gives her only good performance here, but… More
This movie would have received a much higher rating if not for the fairy tale ending, which robs the story of a lot of the realism that is seemed to be shooting for. It still is decent and worth a viewing for the performances. Melanie Griffith gives her only good performance here, but it's the supporting cast of Sigorney Weaver, Joan Cusack, and especially Harrison Ford who are really the best in the movie. Also, Kevin Spacey's five minute scene in the back of a limo with Melanie Griffith's character is very funny.
Doctor S

A movie of firsts that was significant for each of the three principal actors' future career paths. Melanie Griffith gets the part she was born to play as a not-as-dumb-as-she-looks blonde while Sigourney Weaver shows off her icy bitch you love to hate persona for the first time… More
A movie of firsts that was significant for each of the three principal actors' future career paths. Melanie Griffith gets the part she was born to play as a not-as-dumb-as-she-looks blonde while Sigourney Weaver shows off her icy bitch you love to hate persona for the first time and Harrison Ford proves capable of getting laughs through light comedy. It's fun but all rather safe.
Sunil J

A really great movie about a smart woman who makes it to the big leagues.
Lee K

another 80's film i simply love, great story with a great cast, sygorney was awesome in this as the weasel boss

Read all 17 featured audience ratings

Cast

            Melanie Griffith as Tess McGill

            Harrison Ford as Jack Trainer

            Sigourney Weaver as Katherine Parker

            Joan Cusack as Cyn

            Alec Baldwin as Mick Dugan

            Philip Bosco as Oren Trask

            Nora Dunn as Ginny

            Oliver Platt as Lutz

            James Lally as Turkel

            Kevin Spacey as Bob Speck

            Robert Easton as Armbrister

            Olympia Dukakis as Personnel Director

            Caroline Aaron as Petty Marsh Secretary

            Amy Aquino as Alice Baxter

            Leslie Ayvasian as Dewey Stone Reception Guest

            James Babchak as Junior Executive

            Ralph Byers as Dewey Stone Reception Guest

            Timothy Carhart as Tim Draper

            Steve Cody as Cab Driver

            Lou Di Maggio as Tess's Birthday Party Friend

            Peter Duchin as Trask Wedding Orchestra

            David Duchovny as Tess's Birthday Party Friend

            Barbara Garrick as Phyllis Trask

            Nancy Giles as Petty Marsh Secretary

            Kathleen Gray as Petty Marsh Secretary

            Zach Grenier as Jim

            R.M. Haley as Heliport Attendant

            Marceline Hugot as Bitsy

            Ricki Lake as Bridesmaid

            Maeve McGuire as Trask Secretary

            Jeffrey Nordling as Tim Rourke

            Suzanne Shepherd as Trask Receptionist

            Julie Silverman as Petty Marsh Secretary

            Maggie Wagner as Tess's Birthday Party Friend

            Elizabeth Whitcraft as Doreen DiMucci

            Madolin B. Archer as Barbara Trask

            Gail Bearden as Secretary in Ladies' Room

            Nicole Chevance as Petty Marsh Secretary

            Michael R. Chin as Delivery Man

            Lee Dalton as John Romano

            Mario T. de Felice Jr. as Helicopter Pilot

            Lily Froehlich as Clerk at Dry Cleaners

            Jane B. Harris as Petty Marsh Secretary

            Sondra Hollander as Petty Marsh Secretary

            Melba LaRose as Secretary in Ladies' Room

            Ken Larsen as Executive at Dim Sum Party

            Pamela Lewis as Executive at Dim Sum Party

            Anthony Mancini Jr. as Helicopter Pilot

            Paige Matthews as Dewey Stone Receptionist

            Georgienne Millen as Tess's Birthday Party Friend

            Judy Milstein as Petty Marsh Secretary

            Etain O'Malley as Hostess at Wedding

            Daniel B. Pollack as Executives at Dim Sum Party

            Tom Rooney as Bridegroom

            Samantha Shane as Petty Marsh Secretary

            F.X. Vitolo as Bartender

            Lloyd Lindsay Young as TV Weatherman
See full cast