Like it or not, EVERYONE has worked someplace like Global Credit. Sure, the company might have been different but everyone has, at one time or another, held a job that totally sucked, coped with irritating coworkers or lived under the scrutiny of a seemingly insane superior, all the while struggling to reassure themselves that the Job From Hell is not forever. For that reason, the film strikes a universal chord. Everyone can relate in some way to what's happening onscreen. We can all sympathize with Iris, Margaret, Paula and Jane when they fret that they'll never escape the rut they're stuck in, and we can all root for them as they try to escape the monotony of their work...no matter how futile those efforts might prove to be. As if to drive the point home, the film is set in a completely anonymous city that might as well be Anywhere, U.S.A. Locale doesn't matter. The story's the same all over the world.

There's no fancy-schmancy showmanship here. The story is short, sweet and simple: four friends against the world. Period. And the film doesn't deviate from that basic thread--the only things onscreen are those that need to be there. No convoluted subplots or extraneous characters. Nothing is wasted and economy seems to be the rule (which is great!) when it comes to dialogue, action and, most impressively, set design. The credit union, which serves as the primary location for much of the film's action, is a typically sterile office environment. It's devoid of color and character, and its occupants are tormented by the unrelenting warblings of the intercom's Muzak-esque tunes. All of the energy there comes from the characters inhabiting its spaces, and that's how it should be, in my opinion.

First off, any movie with Parker Posey is a great one in my books, so right away I was happy. That said, chemistry is vital in films like this one--if we don't believe that these women would be friends in the first place, the rest of the movie rings untrue. But the four lead actresses, and the quirky supporting cast, all fit their roles so well that it's hard to imagine anyone else playing their parts, and their camaraderie in the face of adversity is, therefore, completely convincing. Collette and Posey balance each other out perfectly--where one is shy and withdrawn, the other is brash and outspoken; where one is quiet, the other is louder than anyone needs to be in a place of business...in the eyes of the boss, anyway. It's a match made in casting heaven. Kudrow takes a break from her "Friends" television role to create an un-Phoebe wannabe starlet with the dreams, but not necessarily the drive, to make it in Hollywood, while Ubach makes a totally charming, ever-idealistic woman of the '90s. They each fashion a diverse character with her own idiosyncrasies, but not so extreme that the audience has trouble buying them working as temps and working together.

With those three pieces of the puzzle neatly in place, "Clockwatchers" almost has the feel of a small Eurpoean movie. It's quirky, it's intelligent and it's original--something that's becoming more and more rare at theaters these days. Sprecher calls the film "a little parable about self-doubt," but everyone associated with the making of "Clockwatchers" can be certain that it's an all-around wonderful piece of cinema.

Vick's Video Picks

Jobs can be a nightmare, yes. But what if you found your calling in a profession that goes against everything you've come to believe about yourself? That's the basis of "Party Girl," a wacky little comedy about a flighty New Yorker (Parker Posey) who breaks out of her irresponsible shell to pursue a career as--gasp!--a librarian. Directed by Daisy von Scherler Mayer, "Party Girl" takes a tired formula (repressed person learns to cut loose) and turns it on its ear (free spirit learns the value of responsibility). This is Posey's showcase piece and allows her the freedom to be as nutty and bizarre as she sees fit, while giving her the opportunity to win over the audience with her endearing performance as Mary. Watch this movie, and just see if you're ever able to order a falafel the same way again.

Vickie, a self-confessed movie addict, has spent the last few years working at an entertainment magazine in Canada. When she's not toiling away at her computer in the office, she's toiling away at her computer at home-- hacking away at unfinished screenplays and planning her acceptance speech for the Academy Awards.