8 Movies Where Getting Fired Was the Best Thing That Ever Happened

Nobody wants to get fired. It’s embarrassing, stressful, and usually means scrambling to pay bills. But Hollywood has always loved the idea that sometimes losing your job is exactly what you need. Here are seven movies that show us how some professional disasters can become personal victories. Some get pushed out, others walk away, but they all end up better for it.

Office Space (1999)

Peter Gibbons hates his job at Initech. After a hypnosis session gone wrong, he stops caring completely — shows up late, ignores his boss, and basically dares them to fire him. They do. But here’s the thing: Peter’s complete apathy about getting canned is what saves him. While his coworkers stress about TPS reports, Peter discovers what it feels like to actually live. He ends up doing construction work and couldn’t be happier. Sometimes the best career move is getting kicked out of a career that’s slowly killing you.

School of Rock (2003)

Dewey Finn gets booted from his own band because, let’s face it, he’s kind of a mess. Desperate for cash, he impersonates his roommate and takes a substitute teaching gig. Bad idea, right? Wrong. Turns out Dewey’s terrible at traditional teaching but amazing at connecting with kids through music. Getting fired from the band forces him into a job he never would have considered — and discovers he’s actually good at helping people. Who knew?

Jerry Maguire (1996)

Jerry writes a mission statement about putting clients first instead of chasing money. His agency fires him the next morning. Oops. Left with one client and his dignity, Jerry has to rebuild everything from scratch. The humiliation stings, but it pushes him toward something better: running his own show with actual principles. Sure, he makes less money, but he sleeps better at night. Plus, he gets the girl. Not a bad trade-off.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)

Walter spends most of his time daydreaming about adventures he’ll never have. When LIFE magazine shuts down and his job disappears, he’s forced into a real adventure to find a missing photograph. Suddenly, this guy who never left his comfort zone is traveling the world, climbing mountains, and becoming the person he always imagined he could be. Getting laid off was the push Walter needed to stop dreaming and start doing.

The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

Andy lands her “dream job” working for Miranda Priestly at a fashion magazine. The job nearly destroys her relationships and turns her into someone she doesn’t recognize. When she finally quits mid-crisis, Miranda actually respects her for it. Walking away from that toxic environment gets Andy back on track toward real journalism instead of fetching coffee for a tyrant in designer shoes. Best decision she ever made.

Up in the Air (2009)

Ryan Bingham fires people for a living and loves his rootless lifestyle. When the company threatens to replace him with video conferencing, his whole world crumbles. Facing unemployment forces Ryan to confront how empty his perfectly organized life really is. He starts reaching out to family, forming actual connections with people. Losing his job means finding his humanity. Fair trade.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)

Peter gets dumped by his TV star girlfriend and promptly has a meltdown that costs him his composing job. Rock bottom hits hard. But running away to Hawaii after this double disaster leads him to write his first real music and meet someone who actually appreciates him. Sometimes you need everything to fall apart before you can build something better. Peter’s humiliation becomes his liberation.

Chef (2014)

Carl Casper has worked his way up to head chef at a trendy LA restaurant, but the owner won’t let him cook what he wants. When a food critic trashes his safe, boring menu, Carl snaps and goes on an epic Twitter rant that gets him fired instantly. Suddenly unemployed and internet-famous for all the wrong reasons, he reluctantly starts a food truck with his ex-wife and son. What begins as Plan Z turns into the best thing he’s ever done — cooking the food he loves, reconnecting with his kid, and remembering why he became a chef in the first place. Sometimes getting fired is just the universe’s way of telling you to bet on yourself.