Three female company employees wage war against their "sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot" boss in this prototype 80s sisterhood comedy, 9 TO 5 is the late Colin Higgins' second feature film and flexes the muscle of female star power which not only brings down the house, but also sets alight its box office, the runner-up top-grosser of its year, second only to STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.The Fonda-Tomlin-Parton trinity embodies three different types of career women, Fonda's Judy is a housewife grossly jilted by her ex-husband for his secretary, so she is the greenhorn in the workplace, prissy but not without wits and guts, her frilly entrance is remarkably incongruous with the rest, although her clash with the boss Frank (Coleman) is most tangential among the three, her personal victory climaxed when she blurts out to her feckless ex-husband that being dumped by him is the best thing ever happened to her. Tomlin's Violet is a widow with a brood of four, the assertive senior office supervisor who has plodded for years in the company, yet the promotion she deserves proves to be unattainable because of Frank's sexism, and aggravated by being ordered about like a servant by him, she has every reason to get back at him; Parton's Doralee (her maiden picture, who also pens and belts out the Oscar-nominated title song), a corn-fed, bosomy secretary repulses the derogated stereotype as a boss-hunting schemer, who is indeed happily married and only humors Frank's advancement for the sake of the job, but in the face of Frank blabbering blackmail, she is the one who is not hesitant to pinion him like a steer.Truly, the triad enjoys a real blast together, initiated by a joint-influenced brainstorm about how each envisions a scenario to vent their grievance on Frank - here Higgins makes a good fist of genre conventions, whether it is a black-white mob thriller, a lasso-tossing oater or a Snow White animation with a dark spin, all are given a reality simulacrum later in the plot - and hits the mark during their hilarious blunder with the wrong body, although the resultant kidnapping idea is less wholly engaging for its yawning implausibility, not least when the deus ex machina comes about in the form of Sterling Hayden's chairman of the board, publicly asks equal pay to be eliminated from the reform program, which is actually conceived by the triad and executed by forging Hank's signature. Nonetheless, 9 TO 5 is as delightful and jolly as one can get in a comedy that has something to say but consciously eschews any trace of indoctrination, all three leading ladies are having a field day, but for my liking Tomlin is the one gets an upper hand for her steely nerve and comedic timing; as the antagonist, a versatile Coleman eloquently exhibits shameless wickedness to the hilt, and lastly, Elizabeth Wilson has her own moment as a brilliant tittle-tattler, who perfectly encapsulates the entire farce with a precisely uttered "Holy merde!" to bring down the curtain in the coda.

Dabney Coleman is the boss. Under him are floor manager Lily Tomlin and personal secretary Dolly Parton. They don't get any respect, and neither do the other female employees at the company, even though he's less competent than most of his underlings! When Jane Fonda, fresh from a divorce, enters the workforce and gets a taste of his attitude, the three ladies commiserate and become close friends.For any woman who's been disrespected by her boss, felt the pressures of being the breadwinner in the family, or been unfairly treated at work, this movie will be your new best friend. It's absolutely hilarious, but with enough realism to make you feel the sting alongside the characters. Dolly Parton was nominated for an Oscar for her catchy and true-to-life title song, and she'll win you over in the first three minutes of the film. Lily Tomlin becomes the poster child for feminism as she delivers powerful speeches, and Jane Fonda is adorable in her frumpy wig and oversized glasses. On her first day of work, she's reduced to tears because she doesn't know how to work the copy machine. Anyone, man or woman, who's ever had a first job will relate to her in that scene.9 to 5 will keep you quoting Patricia Resnick and Colin Higgins's screenplay long after it's over. You'll pout to imitate Dolly and say, "That hurt my feelings!" and puff out your chest declaring, "Hit the road Buster; this is where you get off!" like Jane—and you'll never look at your coffee sweetener the same way again. This is a great chick flick, and a must-see for any working woman.

Here it is 2017, 37 years after this film was made, and, while seeing a revival this week in a local multiplex was a mostly joyous, hilarious experience (all four leads and the script are terrifically funny, and the film holds up truly well), I was reminded that men like Dabney Coleman's character are very much alive and just as prevalent in modern day--nothing much has changed in the business (or political) world in those 37 years. That part was depressing. But since laughter truly is the best medicine, "9 to 5" is one way to deal with the insanity in a healthy way, and remind viewers that sometimes you have to fight back on the same level of nastiness that the perpetrator puts out! Here the purge of the women's frustration is outlined in some hilariously over-the-top healthy fantasies--marijuana-driven scenes that have Lily Tomlin, Dolly Parton, and Jane Fonda dreaming of how they'd rid their lives of an evil, despicable boss, with none of them seriously thinking they would actually get their revenge in such violent (and very, very funny) ways. However, a case of mistaken-packaging-identity has them thinking they may have actually put their boss' demise in motion. It all plays out in an upbeat and, again, hilarious way, and it made me realize there aren't that many truly funny adult-themed PG-ish rated comedies made these days. I miss 'em! I loved all three women, and their eventual camaraderie is truly energizing and fun to be a part of, and Dabney Coleman makes a great evil boss. I still have some of Dolly's zingers ringing in my head days after viewing, particularly one about how Coleman's character needs to be taken down by some hired rustlers--her combination of innocence and fire is one of the reasons her popularity remains strong 37 years later!

9 to 5 is a very cute light-hearted comedy. It is worth viewing - if you have not seen it yet then you should if you are a fan of comedy films. It's quite funny to watch Jane, Lily and Dolly get back at their very stubborn no good male chauvinist boss played by Dabney Coleman.I think the movie shows woman power (female wisdom/intelligence as well) - women are stronger and smarter than what they think in a comical way. And the movie shows how some bosses misuse and abuse their position/power - being a no good boss is in fact, not good in a humorous manner.This movie would make a great matinée to liven up any afternoon. Make it a double feature with "Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" "Witches of Eastwick". 5/10