I Get Knocked Down: The Art of Being Fired

This weekend is my 2 year anniversary of being fired from a job that I loved. I have an entire OTHER BLOG that will explain how I got from there to Weekend Fat. But in honor, in memory, and in celebration of losing a job, here are 3 of my favorite firings on film.

Jerry Maguire

If there's anything I learned in my experience, it's that when you feel convicted or passionate about something at work that doesn't line up exactly with what your company is already doing you should stay quiet about it. Maguire learned the same unfortunate lesson. His night sweats and bad dreams led him to write a manifesto that would put people back at the center of the organization. Sounds like a brilliant idea. Peoplework not paperwork! And yet just a few hours after the manifesto makes the rounds, his mentee takes him to lunch and fires him. The scene itself is pretty uneventful except that it solidified my dislike for Jay Mohr. It's what happens after the firing that stands out. Maguire hustles back to the office and fights for his clients, making calls and failing miserably with the exception of one, Rod Tidwell. As if Maguire isn't feeling exposed enough after pouring his heart out on paper, he is further humiliated as he screams at the top of his lungs that famous line, "Show me the money" to convince Tidwell that he is really all in. The scene hits an all low when Maguire has to make his walk of shame out of the building, punctuating it with a hopeful and desperate challenge for anyone to come with him. Only one secretary, Dorothy Boyd, joins him in the awkward exit and the rest is movie history.

Take the fish, leave the clients.

Vindication: Jerry becomes a becomes a better person, learns to invest in the lives of his client(s), and falls in love with Dorothy.

Dream Girls

You can't help but root for Effie White. Especially when played by Jennifer Hudson against Beyonce's, Deena. All firings are justifiable, at least to the one doing the firing. With Effie's convictions (there's that word again...) and refusal to play by the "rules," her presence becomes divisive even if her actions are completely founded. As much as you might despise the money hungry, player, Curtis, he knows that Effie's Diva behavior is only going to hurt the group's chance for stardom. But Effie IS a Diva, and her greatness cannot fit into the canned white box that Curtis and the record labels want to put her in. Rather than continue to fight her, she is dismissed. But before Effie is thrust into poverty and single motherhood, she gets to make the most memorable solo exit in film, by singing "I'm Telling you, I'm not going."

Vindication: Effie has to endure a few more struggles before humbly rebuilding her life. Eventually the wrongs between her and others get forgiven. At the end of the movie, Deena calls her up to sing with the group and as Effie looks out at the crowd, eyes on her daughter, Curtis realizes that it is his daughter, and sees a part of life he has missed out on because of what he did to Effie.

You're gonna love her.

The Nanny Diaries

When you're fired, it's imperative that you write a tell-all book exposing the segment of society you were once a part of, which is exactly what two New York nannies did. The result was a controversial best-seller. (My book is in progress.) Because I can barely stand to talk about Scarlett Johansson, from here on out I will just refer to her as Nanny. Truthfully, Nanny does two things wrong. She doesn't listen to her mother and she loves a kid too much. The one thing that mothers on the Upper East Side hate more than having to parent is watching someone else do it better than they can. Nanny's relationship with the kid is eventually accompanied by the father of the kid making a move on her, and before long, it's all over. With a few cutting words, Laura Linney, who plays the mom/boss, cuts her off without even giving her a chance to say goodbye to the kid. As the car takes her away, the kid chases it, crying for Nanny. It's a truly devastating scene.

Money can't buy you class.

Vindication: As Nanny is packing her things, she has an opportunity to vent her months of frustration into a teddy bear/hidden camera. Her words are not meant to be hateful, but the truth in this situation is ugly. The tape gets played in front of Laura Linney's peers and inspires her to write a letter of "apology" to Nanny, giving her the best gift of all, validation.