Netflix Sunday: 'Nine to Five,' starring Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda and Dolly Parton

Before they became the titular characters on Netflix latest original series Grace and Frankie, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin were Judy Bernly and Violet Newstead, two hard-working secretaries who, alongside Dolly Parton’s Doralee Rhodes, take down their “sexist, egotistical, lying hypocritical bigot” boss Franklin M. Hart Jr. (Dabney Coleman) in the 1980 corporate comedy Nine to Five, directed by the late Colin Higgins. Sharply written, empowered and highly inspired, what this formless comedy lacks in plausibility it makes up for with charm and wit to spare, and makes for a cheeky revenge film to boot.

A comedy balanced between dark farce and playful fantasy, Higgins’ comedy, which he co-wrote with Patricia Resnick, is notable in how it’s both outlandish and relatable in fine measure. While the actions created throughout the plot grow less and less plausible or believable as it progresses, it’s a commencement to Tomlin, Fonda and Parton’s characters that there’s a line of logic and reason to follow here. The leads are highly likable not only for how relatable they are, but for how hard-willed they become in their convictions. Each deals with struggles understandable and well examined, and Higgins’ incorporates his ideals on capitalistic politics in a manner that’s always digestible and fun but never too preachy.

And the performances themselves help make these characters be so entertaining and root-worthy. Fonda, Tomlin and Parton all have a natural chemistry with one another. They bounce off each other well, and even when Nine to Five gets silly they still wisely remain consistent to their personality. Only rarely do any of them become too outlandish or wild-spirited for the sake of the plot.

Tomlin’s the real stand out, as she carries this movie with an easeful grace, but Parton’s simply a natural talent. In her first acting performance here, she not only holds her own against Tomlin and Fonda but quite nearly outshines them. Her performance is fierce without feeling forced, and she has a sensational knack for timing and delivery, both with physical and verbal humor. Although rightfully adored for her musical chops — and she provides a catchy enough tune for the soundtrack here with the Oscar-nominated song sharing the film’s title — it’s wonderful to see a musician, much like Frank Sinatra before her, Cher a few years later then Justin Timberlake and Mos Deaf after, show she’s just as talented in front of the camera as she is in the recording studio.

Coleman too, even when pushed to become a little too menacing, is regularly engaging, as he clearly has a lot of fun with his character and relishes in Hart’s naughty behavior. And while Fonda gives this comedy her naturally committed talents, her character ultimately feels fairly forgotten. Her motivations are clear, but as our initial protagonist her struggles seem lost as the plot continues and her big moment with her ex-husband doesn’t hold the emotional satisfaction as it should. These concerns feel brushed off narratively. In fact, she oddly become more of a second-fiddle to the storylines between Tomlin and Parton’s characters.

And in turn, this leads to Nine to Five’s biggest problem. Higgins, with many ideas on his mind here, never gives his comedy a distinct tonal focus or identity. His film bounces between dry satire to bold fantasy quite regularly, and there’s never a clear division between the two. He also never gives his film much rhythm, except for some well-handled montage sequences, as the character beats feel mostly tacked on and not quite as organic as they should. That they are included is certainly beneficial, and many elements — including Hart’s fussy chair and his commits on teamwork, not to mention the fantasies Tomlin, Parton and Fonda’s characters create, of course — are richly paid off, but side plots on the lead's personal lives seem shortsighted.

Nevertheless, Nine to Five — later to become both a television series and a Broadway production with new songs from Parton herself — may seem dated by its fashion and technology. Yet, in many ways, it still rings true. While we’ve certainly — or at the very least hopefully — became more progressive and open-minded about women’s rights than the Hart-types of the world ever were, there’s still a lot to be said here about equal understanding and worker-employee appreciation. It’s the kind of smart, high-minded workplace fantasy comedies many try to replicate but only a few achieve well. It’s not on par with, say, Swimming with Sharks, but it certainly gives Horrible Bosses a run for its money, and that it gives such dependably strong female characters with understandably deserving desires to root for is all the more satisfying as they connive their plans to their fullest.

Image courtesy of Amazon