The answer is, no, they don't look pathetic. The trip from 20-something to 30-something isn't a very long one nowadays. Now if they are working at a crap job at 40-something, they may look pathetic. Or maybe they'll just look working class. Partly Smith's movie is about not having all the advantages and opportunities falling into your lap.
Smith did a really good job of keeping the comedy sophisticated yet low-brow enough.
That's well-put.