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‘Working Girl’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Joanna Robinson

June 10, 2025 · Working Girl (1988) · Comedy · Drama · Romance · 2:17:20

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Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Amanda Dobbins▶ 30:49Harrison Ford is the hottest he's ever been in Working Girl - hotter than Han Solo or Indiana Jones

Most Rewatchable Scene

Amanda Dobbins▶ 51:32Opening credits sequence transitioning to them on the ferry
Bill Simmons▶ 51:21Opening credits with Carly Simon song and Statue of Liberty showing New York, and Bob from Arbitrage in the limo with Tess

What's Aged the Best

Amanda Dobbins▶ 53:47The dialogue including Sigourney's line 'I really don't think that's a variable' and the costuming throughout the film, particularly how Tess looks great compared to other women in business suits
Bill Simmons▶ 52:43Mike Nichols' perceptive direction, the typing scene with 'sleazoid pimp' insult, Sigourney's office scenes showing her pompous boss character, and Harrison Ford's romantic scenes including the bar meeting and post-coitus bed talk
Joanna Robinson▶ 54:01Harrison Ford and the line 'I have a head for business and a bod for sin' as an all-timer

Butch's Girlfriend Award

Amanda Dobbins▶ 1:20:17Doreen DiMucci's fake crying when caught in the bedroom - her acting is not believable
Bill Simmons▶ 1:21:18The absurd premise that Tess is able to pull off a merger while pretending to be her boss - rates it 9.6 out of 10 on the 'no fucking way' scale

Casting What-Ifs

Amanda Dobbins▶ 1:30:18Melanie Griffith — Horrified by the idea of Demi Moore replacing Melanie Griffith, says it's hard to imagine anyone but Melanie Griffith in the role
Bill Simmons▶ 1:29:54Demi Moore — Discusses multiple alternate casting possibilities including Demi Moore (which he thinks could have worked due to her 80s baggage), mentions Molly Ringwald was too young, and notes other candidates like Michelle Pfeiffer, Madonna, Shelley Long, and Lorraine Bracco. Also suggests young Marissa Tomei or Mira Sorvino for the Dorian role
Joanna Robinson▶ 1:32:54Whoopi Goldberg — Adds additional casting what-ifs from research including Whoopi Goldberg, Goldie Hawn (too old), Meg Ryan, and Cher. Generally contributes factual information about alternate casting rather than strong opinions

Apex Mountain

Amanda Dobbins▶ 1:37:56Melanie Griffith — Yes for Melanie Griffith, argues Devil Wears Prada is apex for female workplace movies, yes for Staten Island Ferry, maybe for shoulder pads and 80s fashion elements
Bill Simmons▶ 1:37:55Melanie Griffith — Yes for Melanie Griffith, maybe for Sigourney Weaver (though thinks Aliens might be her peak), no for Harrison Ford, no for Mike Nichols (The Graduate is his peak), no for Carly Simon (You're So Vain was bigger), yes for Staten Island Ferry
Joanna Robinson▶ 1:38:35Sigourney Weaver — Agrees Sigourney Weaver's peak is somewhere in the Aliens to Working Girl range, suggests maybe for 80s hair in movies as a non-extreme version

Is This Movie Better With

Bill Simmons▶ 1:52:17Wilford Brimley — Wilford Brimley (from The Firm) - showing the photos to Catherine about her fiancée

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Amanda Dobbins▶ 2:01:41Disagreed with dumpling criticism and Tess villain theory - argued Tess didn't steal the job but got a different one, and defended her actions against her boss's deception
Bill Simmons▶ 1:56:06Three questions: 1) Dim sum dumplings at an office party (impractical), 2) Does Harrison Ford ever actually have sex in movies? (only in Presumed Innocent), 3) Are we sure Tess isn't the villain of this movie? (she steals her boss's boyfriend and job)
Joanna Robinson▶ 2:01:52Mixed positions - agreed dumplings could work if not piping hot, acknowledged the Tess villain question is legitimately unanswerable while defending Tess's actions due to her boss's lies and patronizing behavior

Coach Finstock Life Lesson

Bill Simmons▶ 2:05:13You don't get anywhere in this world by waiting for what you want to come to. You make it happen. Even if you have to steal identity in somebody's van. Check the milligrams for Valium.

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 2:07:04Melanie Griffith — Melanie Griffith - quotes Roger Ebert saying 'this is Melanie Griffith's movie in the same way The Graduate belonged to Dustin Hoffman'

Movies Referenced (69)

Die Hard (1988)

11 mentions · Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson▶ 4:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Aliens (1986)

10 mentions · Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson, Amanda Dobbins▶ 4:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rain Man (1988)

9 mentions · Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson, Amanda Dobbins▶ 45:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Regarding Henry (1991)

9 mentions · Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, Joanna Robinson▶ 35:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dangerous Liaisons (1988)

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson▶ 45:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Pretty Woman (1990)

7 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 8:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Baby Boom (1987)

6 mentions · Joanna Robinson, Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins▶ 8:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Alien (1979)

5 mentions · Joanna Robinson, Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins▶ 27:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinderella (2015)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, Joanna Robinson▶ 3:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ghostbusters (1984)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson▶ 4:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Pacific Heights (1990)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 20:52IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Body Double (1984)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson▶ 7:07IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (6)

Mike Nichols

26 mentions · Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, Joanna Robinson · Known for The Graduate▶ 18:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Celine Song

2 mentions · Joanna Robinson, Bill Simmons · Known for Past Lives▶ 44:06IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Iyi Tubi

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Ex Machina, World War Z▶ 22:07IMDb ↗Lb ↗

AFI

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 42:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Barry Levinson

1 mentions · Joanna Robinson · Known for Rain Man, Wag the Dog▶ 45:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bridget Jones

1 mentions · Amanda Dobbins▶ 2:10:16IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (95)

Harrison Ford

53 mentions · Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson, Amanda Dobbins · Known for Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, The Fugitive▶ 2:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sigourney Weaver

48 mentions · Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson, Amanda Dobbins · Known for Avatar, Alien▶ 2:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Melanie Griffith

37 mentions · Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson, Amanda Dobbins · Known for Working Girl, Body Double, The Bonfire of the Vanities▶ 2:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Alec Baldwin

21 mentions · Joanna Robinson, Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins · Known for The Departed, It's Complicated, Glengarry Glen Ross▶ 10:57IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Carly Simon

14 mentions · Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson, Amanda Dobbins · Known for All Good Things▶ 40:52IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Joan Cusack

13 mentions · Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson, Amanda Dobbins · Known for Working Girl▶ 14:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kevin Spacey

9 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for L.A. Confidential, The Usual Suspects, American Beauty▶ 10:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

River Phoenix

9 mentions · Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins · Known for My Own Private Idaho, Stand by Me, The Mosquito Coast▶ 49:41IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sandra Bullock

8 mentions · Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons · Known for The Proposal, Miss Congeniality, Speed▶ 1:13:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Don Johnson

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins · Known for Django Unchained▶ 17:36IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tom Hanks

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, Joanna Robinson · Known for Cast Away, Big, Forrest Gump▶ 36:19IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Brittany Staten

6 mentions · Joanna Robinson, Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons▶ 12:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (8)

Nora Ephron

3 mentions · Joanna Robinson, Amanda Dobbins · Known for Julie & Julia, When Harry Met Sally...▶ 39:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Elaine May

2 mentions · Joanna Robinson, Amanda Dobbins · Known for Primary Colors▶ 38:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Ebert

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 50:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Taylor Sheridan

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins · Known for Hell or High Water, Wind River▶ 1:04:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bruce Springsteen

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Wrestler, Philadelphia▶ 43:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kevin Wade

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Working Girl▶ 43:19IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Lorne Michaels

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 41:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Virginia Woolf

1 mentions · Amanda Dobbins▶ 38:46IMDb ↗Lb ↗