Jennifer Lopez and Brett Goldstein lead the charge in Netflix’s newest rom-com Office Romance. The title is refreshingly self-explanatory - Goldstein portrays Daniel, a successful British lawyer who joins the legal department of airline company AirCruz, while Lopez stars as Jackie Cruz, the company's fiercely ambitious CEO.
At the helm of a global business, Jackie has built her reputation on discipline and control. Among her many workplace rules is a strict ban on office relationships. Having devoted herself entirely to her career, she has little time for romance, leisure or much of a personal life at all.
Her family remains a significant influence, however, Jackie's father Jack is admired by many, but his legacy has also shaped the uncompromising way she runs the family company. Unsurprisingly, those carefully maintained boundaries begin to crumble when Daniel arrives at AirCruz.
Daniel has complications of his own. While trying to navigate his growing attraction to Jackie, he's also hiding a significant family secret involving his sister Lizzy, played by none other than Doctor Who legend, Jodie Whittaker.
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From the outset, Office Romance never attempts to reinvent the genre. It's a classic romantic comedy built on familiar foundations: two attractive people who are clearly destined for one another, workplace obstacles standing in their way and a supporting cast including Betty Gilpin, Edward James Olmos, Bradley Whitford, and Amy Sedaris, among others, all tasked with generating additional chaos along the journey.
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The biggest challenge the film faces is convincing viewers that Lopez's Jackie is the lonely, emotionally closed-off executive the script insists she is. Lopez remains one of the most recognisable stars in the world, and her larger-than-life celebrity persona sometimes makes it difficult to fully buy into the character's story. Rather than disappearing into the role, Lopez often feels like Jennifer Lopez playing dress-up as a ruthless CEO.
Fortunately, her chemistry with Goldstein helps smooth over some of those bumps. Best known to many viewers as Roy Kent in Ted Lasso, Goldstein brings warmth, charm and self-awareness to Daniel. The actor is arguably the film's strongest asset.
There are laughs throughout, too. Some of the comedy leans surprisingly cheeky and occasionally ventures into more inappropriate territory. Not every joke lands, but the film maintains an easy-going sense of fun that keeps things moving at a brisk pace.
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While much of the film sticks closely to the rom-com formula, it isn't afraid to veer into more absurd turf. One particularly graphic birthing scene is likely to divide audiences, arriving with a level of detail that feels worlds away from the film's otherwise breezy tone.
The biggest weakness is the screenplay itself. Much of Office Romance feels content to follow the rom-com playbook without adding many fresh ideas. Plot developments are easy to predict long before they happen, while several emotional beats arrive exactly when seasoned rom-com fans will expect them to. But there is something comforting about watching a movie that knows exactly what it wants to be.
The film's heart ultimately carries it across the finish line. The central romance remains likeable, the performances are committed and the story builds towards a satisfying conclusion that delivers both the comedic and emotional payoff audiences are looking for.
Office Romance may not rank among Netflix's best romantic comedies, nor is it likely to linger in viewers' minds long after the credits roll. But for anybody searching for an undemanding, feel-good watch with a few laughs and plenty of British charm, it's a perfectly pleasant way to spend a couple of hours.
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