Job Cliche Police: You're Busted!

Another lesson from You, Me & Dupree.

Kate Hudson's character is an elementary school teacher. Awww. This particular occupation serves two key purposes, as far as I can see: it provides the opportunity for a show-and-tell type scene in which Owen must fill in for Matt as a guest speaker (allowing Owen/Dupree a chance to really expound on his Dupreeness to a rapt, adorable audience). And it also provides Kate Hudson with some instant softness. It's shorthand: yes, this character might be a little mean to Dupree for a while, but don't worry, she's good people.

The problem, of course, is that it's the easy choice -- even a cliche -- to have her teaching elementary school.

We need to think against the grain, people. What if (as one of my O.W. Day cohorts noted), to show that a character was a saint, you made them a high school teacher? The job is unrelated to the story, but it shows the character's in the trenches every day?

Or, what if you make the meanie in the story an elementary school teacher?

I'm sure we all have our job cliches that irritate us in movies. What are the stock job choices that irritate you?