You don't need a million dollars to do nothing

Office Space is a movie that offers more than workplace humor. Although the movie appeared to fail at the box office, it seems those who have seen the movie love it, and those who have not have never heard of it. What makes this work of art so appealing to so many is our ability to resonate with Peter Gibbons, the protagonist. Throughout the movie it appears that he is living the same day over and over much like Phil Connors in Groundhog Day; however, Peter does not live out the same day everyday on the calendar much like Phil. Peter's life ticks by as he spends his days the same way, at the same job that he loathes. Finally, Peter has enough and begins to indulge in life, rather than work. During this process Peter has a conversation with his neighbor, Lawrence while in his apartment. During this hilariously inappropriate conversation, we learn that Peter doesn't know what he wants to do with his life and proceeds further down the road many of us have considered at one point or another, breaking rules for the sake of breaking them. While the movie provides a clever ending wrapped in a nice parable there is more to this movie than we are shown. If we compare and contrast Office Space and Groundhog's Day, we see a stark similarity. While one man lived the same day of his life over and over, the other lived life the same way everyday. As these two men eventually examine the purpose of their lives through these repeated events, they are able to redirect their lives into a more positive place. These two comedies show us a unequivocal path to navigate the human condition.