Netflix's 'Office Romance' strands Jennifer Lopez and Brett Goldstein in a workaholic rom-com that critics say never takes off

The premise

Netflix's 'Office Romance' casts Jennifer Lopez as Jackie Cruz, the exacting CEO of New Jersey-based airline AirCruz, and Brett Goldstein as Daniel Blanchflower, the company's in-house counsel. The two workaholics, both single and apparently celibate for years, are thrown together when Daniel preps Jackie for a deposition. Their mutual attraction is immediate and physical, with Goldstein's character suffering a visible and mortifying erection upon their first handshake. The central conflict arises from AirCruz's strict zero-tolerance policy on workplace relationships, forcing the couple to navigate their budding romance in secret while Jackie faces a business expansion under threat.

Critical reception

Reviews across major outlets are largely negative. The New York Times notes that screenwriters Goldstein and Joe Kelly, both veterans of 'Ted Lasso' and 'Shrinking', attempt to cram a streaming season's worth of character subplots into a two-hour film, resulting in a bumpy landing. The Hollywood Reporter finds the movie's relentless celebration of 80-hour workweeks dispiriting, arguing that what should be a fluffy star vehicle instead feels weighed down by its characters' devotion to labor. Deadline observes that the film leans harder into R-rated raunch than the sweetness of Lopez's earlier rom-coms like 'Marry Me' or 'Maid in Manhattan'.

Performances

Betty Gilpin, playing Jackie's fiercely loyal and very pregnant assistant Sydney, is singled out by multiple critics as a highlight. The Hollywood Reporter describes her as 'the jewel of a sincerely funny supporting cast,' praising her comic timing as she glares daggers at Goldstein's character. Lopez herself is noted for projecting an easy, earned confidence in the cockpit scenes, where her character assures a jittery Daniel during a turbulent flight to the Dominican Republic. Edward James Olmos appears as Jackie's father and the airline's founder, Jack Cruz.

If only the screenwriters could have guaranteed the same for this movie about what happens when these two hard-working, by-the-book professionals find each other but run afoul of their company's zero-tolerance policy on office relationships.

Direction and tone

Ol Parker, who previously directed the theatrical rom-com 'Ticket to Paradise' with George Clooney and Julia Roberts, helms the project. Critics suggest the film struggles with tonal whiplash, portraying Jackie simultaneously as a Miranda Priestly-style ice queen and a misunderstood down-to-earth boss. The script also weaves in additional characters, including Jodie Whittaker as Daniel's incarcerated sister and Amy Sedaris as an overly kind hotel housekeeper, which reviewers argue overcomplicates the narrative.

I do not dream of labor. But these people really, really do, to an extent that gives what ought to be a fluffy Jennifer Lopez rom-com vehicle a faintly dispiriting feel.

Release details

The film is rated R for sexual material, language throughout, and graphic nudity, with a running time of 1 hour and 52 minutes. It is available to stream on Netflix.