"I don't give a damn" movies

Brregzit

Here are two that I can think of. They both deal with the ordinary boring stresses of live. If you've seen these two movies you'll know what I'm talking about. I also think that these two are definitely films that men might be more inclined to relate to.

'American Beauty'
'Office Space'

Because there are so few of these kinds of movies made, it makes me wonder how much political influence there is behind most movies that are made. Do post a few more examples if you can think of any.

Frank O. Pinion

Happiness (1998)
About Schmidt (2002)
Punch-Drunk Love (2002)
American Splendor (2003)
The Machinist (2004)
Factotum (2005)
Nightcrawler (2014)
I, Daniel Blake (2016)
Brad's Status (2017)
Lucky (2017)

The original Trainspotting.
Scarface, 1932 and 1983, the latter being the best with Al Pacino

KaneToad

Sideways (2004)

Brregzit

Frank O. Pinion wrote: »

Happiness (1998)
About Schmidt (2002)
Punch-Drunk Love (2002)
American Splendor (2003)
The Machinist (2004)
Factotum (2005)
Nightcrawler (2014)
I, Daniel Blake (2016)
Brad's Status (2017)
Lucky (2017)

Thank you

Nightcrawler is a very good movie. I'm not too sure how it ties in with what I've described, but it's the only movie I've seen from that list.

I'll be revisiting this list!

Brregzit

Deleted User wrote: »

The original Trainspotting.
Scarface, 1932 and 1983, the latter being the best with Al Pacino

How is 'Scarface' about the boring stresses of life that we can all relate to? What does it have in common with 'Office Space'? I'm guessing it's one of these 'God Father' kind of movies with lots of violence. Not something we can all relate to.

You're thinking of crime movies.

Hurrache

Office Space surely has to be right up there on top of the list, that well known scene resonates with anyone who ever worked in an office.

banie01

Falling Down
/End Thread

Brregzit

Hurrache wrote: »

Office Space surely has to be right up there on the list.

Yeah it's already mentioned in the original post.

Hurrache

Yeah. Despite it being in the very first post I still managed to miss it.

imitation

The matrix! The start at least...

Hurrache

Network just popped into my head, that's another.

tony1kenobi

Glengarry Glen Ross

and

Clerks

Captain Red Beard

All The Pretty Horses.

Frank O. Pinion

Brregzit wrote: »

Thank you

Nightcrawler is a very good movie. I'm not too sure how it ties in with what I've described, but it's the only movie I've seen from that list.

I'll be revisiting this list!

I know the type of films you're talking about, but it's hard to pinpoint exact types, as consideration of the criteria is somewhat suggestive.

Nightcrawler is a better suggestion than Scarface and The Matrix, anyways.

buried

"F**k it Dude, lets go Bowling"

Outlaw Pete

Gone With the Wind :P

Gonad

The Weatherman
High Fedelity

Skerries

Dogs in Space

Raheem Euro

A Serious Man.

Raheem Euro

Eraserhead.

conorhal

'Waiting' is a decent slacker comedy in the vein of Office Space, the hijinks that the staff get up to to alleviate boredom and deal with fussy customers and intrusive managers.... will probaby discourage you from ever eating in a franchise restaurant ever again.....

bodhrandude

Taxi Driver from 1976.

otnomart

Extract
Friends with Money
Adventureland
Little Miss Sunshine

spacecoyote

God Bless America might fit the bill?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yruArw21EGA

nix

Nuns on the run
Another 48 hours
To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar

I honestly have no idea whats going on in this thread...

MJohnston

I think "I don't give a damn" doesn't quite describe what the OP is referring to from those movies. I think a better definition of what Office Space and American Beauty have in common is cynicism or disillusionment with modern life, or a specific part of modern life, rather than an overall nihilistic attitude. A kind of existential angst.

Office Space approaches it from a satirical, comedic point of view, American Beauty is a pretentious, 'emo' kind of approach.

Some films with similar themes:

The Truman Show is almost a metatextual commentary on the entire idea of modern existentialism - it takes the idea of someone being convinced that a portion of their life (such as the day-to-day monotony of an office job) is absurd and meaningless, and it makes that metaphor about an entire life.
Synecdoche, NY
Burn After Reading
A Serious Man (and generally most of the Coen Brothers work)
I Heart Huckabees
I think the "Mr Anderson" portions of The Matrix are very much on this theme, and before the film shifts into 'the real world', it's very much an existential angst movie.
Blade Runner
Fight Club (this film itself has become a weird meta-existential problem, where idiots have taken the iconography of the film, which the film clearly is disgusted by, and adopted it)
Donnie Darko

Some films that begin with similar themes but ultimately find existential redemption:
Anomalisa
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Groundhog Day

Also I think this style of film is distinct from more '**** this world' kind of films, which are more angry at certain systems or organisations. Most war films tend to fall into this category.

eviltimeban

Jerry Maguire
Magnolia

shazzerman

Hud
Lonely Are the Brave
Little Fauss and Big Halsy

buried

Withnail & I (1987)- Well one of the f**kers most really is the "I don't give a damn" sort and the other ladeen sorta does give a damn but is reliant on outside forces and sheer luck to force him into gving a damn

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) - "The only thing that really worried me was the ether. There is nothing in the world more helpless and irresponsible and depraved than a man in the depths of an ether binge, and I knew we'd get into that rotten stuff pretty soon."

Dead Mans Shoes (2004) - Paddy Considine really really doesnt give a damn in this and its great

Harakiri (1962) - Tsugumo Hanshirō is another lad who really really does not give a damn in this too. The payoff in this is ridiculous enjoyable. The first time I watched it I got goosebumps. I wish I could watch it again for the first time again.

bnt

What, no mention of The Big Lebowski? The Dude has to be the ultimate slacker. :cool:

Another one that springs to mind: Bulworth. A politician (Warren Beatty) is so disillusioned that he puts out a contract on his own life, and uses the time he has left to speak his mind ... by rapping. At the beginning of his second term, President Obama even privately joked about "Going Bulworth".

PS for some reason, I just started thinking about HANA-BI, Takeshi Kitano's breakthrough movie. It's a partial fit, since his character clearly gives a damn about his wife and his disabled friend, but stops giving a damn about everything else.