5 Major Movies from 1999 That Somehow Successfully Used the Same Trope
You must have seen most of these movies and not noticed the general similarity.
The year 1999 saw many brilliant movie releases. Somehow, however, five of the biggest films followed a bored, well-off, white American loser of a man who one day adopts a new mindset or finds a magic tool that turns his whole world around and helps him succeed and enjoy his life. Here they are.
Office Space (7.6 on IMDb)
This absurdist comedy by Mike Judge follows Peter Gibbons, an ordinary office worker who undergoes a hypnosis session in an attempt to become a better version of himself. However, something goes wrong and Peter gets stuck in an I-don't-give-a-fig mode, causing him to underperform at his job and be rude to his boss. Amazingly, this only helps him improve his life as people start to take him more seriously.
Being John Malkovich (7.7. on IMDb)
Spike Jonze and Charlie Kaufman's famous surrealist fantasy comedy centers on Craig Schwartz, a miserable puppeteer from New York who lives a boring life stuck in a loveless marriage and working as a clerk for a construction company. Working in a small office, Craig becomes more unhappy every day until he finds a mysterious door at work that leads into the mind of famous Hollywood actor John Malkovich. Without further ado, Craig begins to earn money by organizing excursions there.
American Beauty (8.3 on IMDb)
The black comedy-drama is very controversial for a number of reasons. From starring Kevin Spacey to telling the story of a middle-aged man who becomes infatuated with his teenage daughter's classmate, there are plenty of things to raise eyebrows about. However, the movie is more than just a story of inappropriate romance, as it shows the main character changing his life and finding new hope and strength during his midlife crisis.
The Matrix (8.7 on IMDb)
The beloved sci-fi action from the Wachowskis needs little introduction, as it famously revolves around Keanu Reeves' Neo, a computer programmer who lives an ordinary, boring life by day and becomes a hacker by night. One day, he gets stuck in the cyber world of the Matrix, only to discover a harrowing truth about reality.
Fight Club (8.8 on IMDb)
Based on Chuck Palahniuk's novel of the same name and starring Brad Pitt, Edward Norton and Helena Bonham Carter, David Fincher's famous film focuses on the Narrator, a middle-aged car salesman who is becoming jaded by his monotonous job. Depressed, the character attends various support groups, but to no avail, until one day an explosion destroys his home, forcing him to move in with a new acquaintance, Tyler. At Tyler's, they organize an underground fight club together, and their lives change forever.