Maggie's Farm

Not sure if you've done sales in NYC, as I have for the last 25 years. Glengarry was MUCH more realistic and accessible for someone like me. I loved Office Space, but it had not one lick of reality to it.

You are right that many of the characters in Glengarry are sociopaths. But Kevin Spacey's was just a typical NYC mid level sale manager. Unable to motivate a sales force, given mediocre product, and completely kowtowing to "the guy from downtown" in order to save his job.

Office Space, on the other hand, wasn't a tale that was true to life (I literally lived Glengarry at my last job). It WAS a movie that put into words everyone's feelings about working in an office - how we'd LIKE to behave if we really could.

What was stunning about Glengarry was Alec Balwin's character. I have met more upper level sales managers like him than I'd care to admit. They are now becoming rare, but from 1985-1999 they were all too common. "I'm the big guy because look at what I have and what you don't and all because I'm good and you suck. You won't suck if you try harder. Nevermind the crappy leads and product we give you, just work harder, because that's all I did."

It's a lie, of course, but when you're being paid $900,000 a year, you tend to think you've earned it. Most of them haven't.

I can finish the Glengarry story - because here is how it ended for me - during the layoffs, the Alec Baldwin character calls in Kevin Spacey and says "they want to cut my salary! Can you believe it? I'm getting a 10% haircut. What would you do? You'd quit, right?"
Kevin Spacey's unlikely reply would've been (because Kevin's character would've just nodded): "I've got to go lay off people who will now have no income, and I have to sit here and listen to you drone on about a 10% cut from your $900,000 salary? I'm supposed to feel sorry for YOU?"

Trust me. Glengarry may be less common today, but it still happens, and was all too common 11+ years ago.