by Henry Pham
Rom-coms are generally not my favorite, but Office Romance, the new Netflix film starring and produced by Jennifer Lopez, delivers some heartfelt moments and humor. Lopez returns to the genre as Jackie Cruz, President and CEO of Air Cruz, who enforces a strict anti-fraternization policy to keep her company afloat. However, complications arise when a new lawyer, Daniel Blanchflower, joins her team and their romance tests her own rules.
Jennifer Lopez (Selena) excels as Jackie Cruz, carrying the film with the comfort of a veteran rom-com lead. She brings genuine, unpolished vulnerability to her leading character, looking spectacular while grounding the film’s narrative. Supporting actor and co-writer Brett Goldstein (Apple TV’s Ted Lasso) has quite the British-charming personality, though he struggles to find his footing as a leading character. Still, he is eager to be here because of Lopez. The two leads are fun to watch, as their performances are tested and their romantic chemistry ignites. The cast also features Betty Gilpin (Netflix’s GLOW), Amy Sedaris (Elf), Tony Hale (Fox-Netflix’sArrested Development), Bradley Whitford (NBC’s The West Wing), and Oscar nominee Edward James Olmos (Stand and Deliver), who reunites with Lopez from Selena.
Director Ol Parker, known for directing romantic films (such as Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again), brings his film-directing expertise to this Netflix romantic comedy starring Brett Goldstein and Jennifer Lopez. The film offers an enjoyable and lighthearted story with notable chemistry between the leads. While the plot relies on familiar romantic comedy clichés and lacks originality, Lopez and Goldstein’s performances elevate the material. Betty Gilpin stands out in her comedic supporting role. Although the script does not break new ground and the chemistry between the leads could be stronger, the film successfully captures the spirit of classic romantic comedies from the 1990s and early 2000s. This demonstrates that even formulaic stories can be entertaining when executed by experienced talent.
While rom-com regular Jennifer Lopez delivers heart and humor, Netflix’s Office Romance fails to break new grounds on the rom-com genre. I like Jennifer Lopez as she is a beautiful, talented actress, but I think her still working on rom-coms may not work out for me and possibly anyone else. I think she’s better off working on other movie genres, but if you’re a Jennifer Lopez fan, you can give this film a try. Despite the string of failures, it’s necessary to make something special that comforts us. It doesn’t go beyond showcasing its hot, sexy megastar. To me, this 114-minute Netflix movie would be a decent choice for you and your special someone, as well as fans of this particular genre.
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