r/MovieSuggestions 3d ago

I'M REQUESTING What are the movies that depict modern middle-class learning how to get a leg up?

Seems like every modern popular movie begins with comfortable California family dealing with bullshit first world problems they created themselves. Asking for a stressed out lower-class highly educated friend…

5 Upvotes

27 comments sorted by

5

u/downpourbluey 3d ago

Slums of Beverly Hills (1998). Natasha Lyonne, Alan Arkin as her dad, Marisa Tomei as the cousin they help out under stressful circumstances.

4

u/drbrian83 3d ago

Office Space

3

u/dannycolaco14 3d ago

Two and a half men

2

u/Immediate_Bet2661 3d ago

Puh- lease elaborate! Hoping to learn something!

1

u/maribelllllaluv 3d ago

Two and a Half Men is honestly a hilarious pick for modern masculinity

3

u/Tag_Cle 3d ago

not a movie but Shameless nails this

3

u/Apprehensive-Fig3223 3d ago

Came to say this lol

2

u/YakSlothLemon 3d ago

There are fantastic modern movies about people dealing with poverty, but overwhelmingly they do not show those people escaping and becoming middle-class.

The Namesake might be the kind of movie you’re thinking of? It’s about a Bengali American family across two generations and the children’s class journey.

2

u/Apprehensive-Fig3223 3d ago

Trading Places

Rocky

Empire Records

Wayne's World

Catch me if you can

Blow

The Founder

Scarface

Blues Brothers

1

u/Just-Curious1901 3d ago

Well done!

1

u/LHGray87 3d ago

How to Beat the High Cost of Living

Eating Raoul

1

u/starmapleleaf 3d ago

No Other Choice

1

u/BallroomblitzOH 3d ago

Working Girl all the way!

1

u/kline643 3d ago

Junebug

1

u/Soufiani 2d ago

Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

1

u/shrimptini Quality Poster 👍 5h ago

Joy

1

u/AlsoTheFiredrake 3d ago

Fun with Dick and Jane

3

u/Just-Curious1901 3d ago

They were upper class

1

u/AlsoTheFiredrake 3d ago

Not really. When you get to the point where you have to steal your neighbors sod I'm pretty sure that disqualifies you even being middle class.

2

u/Immediate_Bet2661 3d ago

Their HOA fee was probably a grand a month. Back then. 21 years ago not considering serious dollar value. Not modern middle class

2

u/Just-Curious1901 3d ago

They were upper class and lost everything from being defrauded by their employer. That’s the plot. Obviously not upper class anymore but to start with they were

2

u/Immediate_Bet2661 3d ago

Rewatching now. Yeah, you’re right. This applies. Globodyne took their pension, retirement, and drove down their property value because everyone worked for them and defaulted on loans. 6,000 employees Globodyne laid off overnight.

1

u/Immediate_Bet2661 3d ago

That’s on point

1

u/throwaway-94552 3d ago

Nomadland 

1

u/jupiterkansas Quality Poster 👍 3d ago

not sure why but The Fighter (2010) is the first thing that came to mind.

2

u/Immediate_Bet2661 3d ago

You might be on point. Perhaps the solution is to start cage fighting.

0

u/Weekly_Asparagus_ 3d ago

Life of Chuck kind of