Office Romance Proves Star Power Can’t Save a Soulless Rom-Com

Kai Brauer
By
Kai Brauer
Tech writer at All Things Geek. Covers consumer audio, home entertainment, and AV technology.
8 Min Read
Office Romance Proves Star Power Can't Save a Soulless Rom-Com

Office Romance Netflix is a romantic comedy now streaming on Netflix that stars Jennifer Lopez as Jackie Cruz, a high-powered airline CEO, and Brett Goldstein as Daniel, a lawyer for her company Air Cruz. The film centers on a secret workplace romance that develops under the company’s strict anti-fraternization policy, following two workaholics who attempt to think with their hearts for once. Yet despite its marquee names and premise, the film has all the charm of a corporate training video.

Key Takeaways

  • Office Romance Netflix pairs Jennifer Lopez and Brett Goldstein in a workplace rom-com now streaming on Netflix
  • The story follows a forbidden office romance between a CEO and her company lawyer under strict anti-fraternization rules
  • Brett Goldstein co-wrote the script alongside Joe Kelly, a Ted Lasso creator
  • The film is directed by Ol Parker and features supporting cast including Betty Gilpin, Bradley Whitford, Tony Hale, and Edward James Olmos
  • Tom’s Guide’s review criticizes the film for lacking passion and chemistry despite its star power

Office Romance Netflix Misses the Mark on Chemistry

The central problem with Office Romance Netflix is immediately obvious: there is no spark between its leads. Jennifer Lopez and Brett Goldstein share the screen as Jackie and Daniel, characters who are meant to ignite an irresistible attraction despite the professional stakes. Instead, their scenes together feel mechanical, as if both actors are checking boxes on a corporate compliance checklist rather than playing characters discovering genuine passion for one another. The film’s marketing promises a “raunchy romantic comedy” that is “not safe for work… but so worth the risk,” yet the actual viewing experience delivers neither raunch nor risk.

What makes this failure particularly frustrating is that the premise itself has potential. A CEO and her subordinate navigating forbidden attraction under workplace rules could generate real tension, comedy, and emotional stakes. Instead, Office Romance Netflix treats the setup as a plot device rather than the heart of the story. The anti-fraternization policy exists as a narrative obstacle to overcome, not as a genuine source of conflict that forces the characters to make meaningful choices. The result is a film that feels engineered in a boardroom rather than written by people who understand what makes romance actually work on screen.

How Office Romance Netflix Compares to Other Workplace Romances

Office Romance Netflix lacks the self-aware humor and genuine chemistry that define successful workplace rom-coms. The film’s sterile tone contrasts sharply with films that lean into the absurdity of office politics while building authentic connection between leads. Where other workplace romances use the setting to create both comedy and stakes, Office Romance Netflix treats the corporate environment as mere window dressing. The supporting cast—including Betty Gilpin, Bradley Whitford, Tony Hale, and Edward James Olmos—are underutilized, appearing in scenes that feel designed to fill runtime rather than deepen the story or provide meaningful comic relief.

The script, co-written by Brett Goldstein and Joe Kelly (a Ted Lasso creator), suggests ambition, yet the execution suggests something went wrong in translation from page to screen. There is no passion here, no sense that anyone involved believed in the material enough to push beyond the surface-level premise. The direction by Ol Parker does nothing to inject energy or style into scenes that desperately need it.

Why Office Romance Netflix Falls Flat Despite Its Stars

Jennifer Lopez and Brett Goldstein are both capable performers, yet neither is given material worthy of their talent. Lopez, known for her charisma and screen presence, is reduced to playing a one-dimensional CEO archetype. Goldstein, who demonstrated genuine range and comedic timing in Ted Lasso, is stuck delivering dialogue that feels written by an algorithm trained on every corporate rom-com released in the last decade. The film’s tone is so calculated, so determined to offend no one and challenge nothing, that it ends up being offensive in its blandness.

The core issue is that Office Romance Netflix was clearly designed by committee. Every scene plays it safe. Every joke is pre-tested focus-group material. Every moment of supposed tension is defused before it can build. The result is a film that exists, technically, but has no reason to exist—no perspective, no voice, no reason for anyone to choose it over the countless other rom-coms available on the same platform.

Should You Watch Office Romance Netflix?

Office Romance Netflix is worth skipping unless you are contractually obligated to watch it. The film offers nothing that justifies two hours of your time, regardless of your feelings about Jennifer Lopez or Brett Goldstein. If you are looking for a workplace rom-com, there are far better options available on Netflix and elsewhere. If you are curious about seeing Lopez and Goldstein together, their scenes together will disappoint you. The film is not bad enough to be entertaining in its failure—it is simply forgettable, which is arguably worse.

What is the plot of Office Romance Netflix?

Office Romance Netflix follows Jackie Cruz, a high-powered airline CEO, and Daniel, a lawyer for her company Air Cruz, who develop a secret romance despite the company’s strict anti-fraternization policy. The story centers on two workaholics attempting to navigate their attraction while keeping the relationship hidden from colleagues and management.

Who stars in Office Romance Netflix?

The film stars Jennifer Lopez as CEO Jackie Cruz and Brett Goldstein as lawyer Daniel. The supporting cast includes Betty Gilpin, Bradley Whitford, Tony Hale, and Edward James Olmos.

When did Office Romance Netflix release?

Office Romance Netflix began streaming on Netflix on June 5. The film is currently available to watch on the platform for all Netflix subscribers.

Office Romance Netflix is a cautionary tale about what happens when star power and a familiar premise are handed to filmmakers who lack the vision or passion to elevate the material. The film exists in a creative void, neither funny enough to work as comedy nor romantic enough to work as romance. Skip it and spend your time on something that actually earned your attention.

Edited by the All Things Geek team.

Source: Tom's Guide

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Tech writer at All Things Geek. Covers consumer audio, home entertainment, and AV technology.