9 to 5

The gamble of casting Misses Tomlin and Fonda in what would seem to be the wrong roles (Violet is the strong, efficient, hard-edged secretary; Judy the frilly, "feminine," inexperienced employee) pays off handsomely, especially with Miss Tomlin. When she is handed a memo by a senior secretary and smilingly snarls, "Thanks, Roz, I know just where to stick it," her line reading is worth the price of admission. The pneumatic Miss Parton sings the theme song with greater confidence than she brings to her acting: she is a sweet little thing, but she's no thespian. [20 Dec 1980]

Never quite worthy of its stars, 9 to 5 nevertheless entertains because of what they bring: sheer will (Lily Tomlin), joie de vivre (Dolly Parton), and stamina (Jane Fonda).

Tomlin confirms herself as a star whenever she gets the material, and Dolly Parton's dolliness is very winning, but it's easy to forget that Jane Fonda is around - she seems to get lost in the woodwork. The director, Colin Higgins, is a young fossil who sets up flaccid, hand-me-down gags as if they were hilarious, and damned if the audience doesn't laugh.

Nine to Five is a film full or surprises - some pleasant, other disappointing. The most pleasant surprise is the appearance of Dolly Parton, who with this one film establishes herself as a thoroughly engaging movie star. The biggest disappointment is that this Jane Fonda comedy about a trio of secretaries out to get their boss doesn't have more bite. [19 Dec 1980, p.2-1]

Lots of laughs, little sense, and pure fantasy. Produced by Fonda's company, NINE TO FIVE is an amusing way to spend 110 minutes, but hardly memorable.

For all the trouble taken, Nine to Five comes out as a very ordinary situation comedy about three bubble heads seeking revenge on a boss who is a big old meanie. The justice of the cause, the abilities of the actresses, the intrinsic interest of the scene -- these are all lost in the frantic efforts to cram in satire, social commentary, slapstick and sexual oppression. There is such a thing as working too hard. [19 Dec 1980, p.19]

The new facetious depressant from Colin Higgins -- the screenwriter and now director who has parlayed "Harold and Maude," "The Silver Streak" and "Foul Play" into one of the more baffling winning streaks on record -- runs a merely weak comic premise into the ground with coarse, laborious execution. [19 Dec 1980, p.E1]

Three very distinct female professionals find common ground in their disdain for a snide, shifty, chauvinistic boss, then live out a universal fantasy by taking the rankled old jerk captive. While they await proof of an embezzlement scheme, their chance to permanently strike him from the scene, the ladies enact a whole mess of progressive office policies that shift their static, **** work environment into a peppy, thriving business atmosphere. I have a hard time believing the ****’ Texas chairman (who storms into the picture at the eleventh hour, without prior mention) would be so excited by such developments, but this is essentially just a pleasant dream of a movie anyway and his approval okays all the shaky moral steps it took to get us over the finish line, so that’s not really worth losing any sleep over. I loved 9 to 5’s darkly cynical setup chapter, a great big demonstration of corporate sins from the worker bee’s perspective, but the follow-through leans a little too Looney Tunes for me. Basically, everything from the point the gals first come together, to daydream about harassing/abusing/murdering the boss, is told in a completely different style. I still enjoyed the ride, primarily due to some spot-on leading performances, but that shift isn’t for the best and the loss of steam is hard to deny. This film was targeting something specific in that first thirty-odd minutes, then decided it would rather chase broader appeal. Thankfully, the girls are a hoot, whether scheming together or working alone. Lily Tomlin is a ladder-climbing lifer, furious at career double-standards, whose pent-up rage and simmering emotions reach an overdue boil after she gets stoned. Jane Fonda is an out-of-water newcomer, back in the workforce after a young divorce and completely overwhelmed by the hectic working atmosphere... until she gets stoned and calms down. And Dolly Parton, who wrote and performed the impossibly catchy theme music, is a bonafide scene-stealer as the buxom secretary who dresses to impress (the boss) and can’t understand why all the women in the office are whispering behind her back. Even if she’s not so great as an actress - this was her big screen debut, after all - Dolly is an absolute delight as an over-amped version of herself; nothing but pure, unfiltered brightness and high-volume charm at every opportunity. No matter how it may have seemed at the start, 9 to 5’s end result is a simple, harmless, lightweight blooper. Though it deals with some surprisingly dirty material, the general outlook is upbeat and playful and the mild punchlines follow that lead. It suffers from a lethal dose of ‘70s hangover color palettes, though, good lord. Everything on my screen is orange and brown! *Everything*.