There are so many movies out there that can reflect ones life. Some movies you can easily picture yourself in the situation of the lead actor and sometimes even hope that something as exciting will happen to you.
While recently watching a movie that seemed to perfectly encapsulate my work life, I decided I’d slap together a list of movies that reflect my day-to-day grind in the real world.
Wanted
The Story: “Wanted” tells the story of one invisible drone’s transformation into a dark avenger. In 2008, the world will be introduced to a superhero for a new millennium: Wesley Gibson.
25-year-old account manager Wes (James McAvoy) was the most pathetic [I’m not pathetic], cube-dwelling hypochondriac the planet had ever known. His boss chewed him out hourly, his girlfriend cheated on him daily and his life plodded on interminably. Everyone was certain this weakling would never amount to anything. There was little else for Wes to do but wile away the days and die a slow, clock-punching death.
Until he became Wanted.”
Why: I dwell in a cube. Well, more against the wall in a row of desks that should have cubicle walls and is surrounded by cubicles. I don’t necessarily get chewed out by my boss hourly, weekly, or even monthly. In fact, I’m often asked why I’m still firmly seated in a cube, instead of moving up the corporate ladder.
I seem destined to remain stagnant as my interviewing skills have been less than, well, I haven’t gotten anything I’ve interviewed for in the past 2-years despite being told I’m wasting my talents in my current role.
While I know I won’t be recruited by Angelina Jolie anytime soon to start curving bullets I do seem be an invisible drone who is wiling away the days dying a slow, clock-punching death. Alright, I’m not invisible, but a clock-punching drone I am.
Matrix
The Story: Thomas Anderson is a man living two lives. By day he is an average computer programming cubicle dweller but, by night, he’s a malevolent hacker known as Neo. He is contacted by underground freedom fighters who explain that reality as he understands it is actually a complex computer simulation called the Matrix.
The leader of the freedom fighters, Morpheus, believes Neo is “The One” who will lead humanity to freedom and overthrow the machines. Together with a woman named Trinity, Neo and Morpheus fight against the machine’s enslavement of humanity as Neo begins to believe and accept his role as “The One”.
Why: Mr. Anderson and I share duality. We both live two lives. Shane: One-Man Two-Lives. During the day I work in a cubicle environment, albeit I support more software rather than program these days, and at night we have separate past times. He hacks the world, and I, well hack the code on this site to make it do what I want. Unless I’m working nights then I hack this site during the daylight hours.
Eye Crave Network is my second full-time job. I just wish the money was as good as Neo was making hacking the planet! Where’s my Morpheus?! Why, oh, why did I take the Blue Pill!
However, there is one big difference between Neo and myself. I actually have a family with 3 wonderful kids and fantastic wife who support my madness… sometimes with their own!
Office Space
The Story: Peter Gibbons is a computer programmer working for Initech in Houston, Texas. Every day, he and his friends Samir and Michael Bolton, suffer endless indignities and humiliations in their vapid workspace from their soulless boss, Bill Lumbergh.
Why: The common theme here is “office” and “cubicle”. However, Peter does what every cubicle dweller wishes they could do… he kicks down the walls. Although, in real life that would only get me escorted out of the building by the geriatric security team.
They keep moving me around to different desks, although I stay in the same room, but if someone takes my stapler I’m going to lose it. Kidding, they don’t allow staplers in the event we go crazy and staple our hands to the desk out of repetitive madness.
Honorable Mentions: 9 to 5 (three angry women kidnap their boss), Brazil (won’t got that far), Fight Club (for reasons I won’t mention)
