Jennifer Lopez's Office Romance Struggles: R-Rated Film Falls Flat with Critics

Jennifer Lopez is going back to her roots in Netflix's new movie.

While Lopez is known for her singing career, with hits like "Jenny from the Block" and "On the Floor," she actually gained her fame through acting in shows like In Living Color and leading movies like Selena and Anaconda. While balancing singing and acting in the 2000s, she swooned moviegoers with back-to-back romantic comedies, such as Maid in Manhattan and The Wedding Planner. Although she has since diversified her filmography, she occasionally returns to rom-coms, as with her new Netflix feature, Office Romance.

In the new movie, Lopez portrays an airline CEO who has a secret affair with her lawyer, Daniel Blanchflower, played by Ted Lasso's Brett Goldstein. The first reviews are now in, but the film isn't exactly landing with critics. With 24 reviews tabulated so far, Office Romance currently has a 42% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics cited issues with the movie's poor dialogue, predictable story, inconsistent tone given its R-rating, and the stale chemistry between Lopez and Goldstein.

In ScreenRant's review of Office Romance, Alex Harrison was among the general half that found the movie "delightful," awarding a 7 out of 10 stars. Although the Netflix film "sports the bones of a more traditional rom-com," the workplace element and comedy "establishes some of its own identity", and the pair's chemistry successfully builds the "buzzing energy" to have viewers feel for the star-crossed lovers.

Nevertheless, this marks Lopez's first rotten movie after Prime Video's Unstoppable and Kiss of the Spider Woman were well-received. The Rotten Tomatoes score also continues an unfortunate streak for Netflix and Lopez's collaboration. Since 2022, the actor has done four projects with the streamer, but her documantary Halftime (82%) was the only one to get a fresh rating. She then starred in two action movies, The Mother (42%) and Atlas (17%), which received mixed-to-negative reviews.

Despite poor critical reviews, both movies starring Lopez performed very well on streaming. In 2023, The Mother became the sixth most-watched Netflix movie but has since fallen out of the chart. The following year, Atlas was the No. 1 movie in 71 countries. Hence, despite an underwhelming reception, the collaboration has led to streaming success.

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While it's unclear how Office Romance will perform on Netflix since it's a rom-com, the streaming potential is promising. That's because Lopez's presence in the genre holds strong, as evidenced by her recent slate of movies. Shotgun Wedding helped Prime Video's 9.3% viewership uptick in January 2023. Marry Me, which received a theatrical release in 2022, had a moderate box office of $56.5 million before eventually becoming a major streaming hit on Peacock and Prime Video.

Meanwhile, Lopez and Netflix's collaboration will persist with a new crime thriller, The Last Mrs. Parrish, based on Liv Constantine's 2017 novel. It currently doesn't have a release yet, but the cast includes Games of Thrones' Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Isabel May, and Pierson Fodé.

Alongside the duo, the Office Romance cast features Betty Gilpin, Bradley Whitford, Amy Sedaris, Tony Hale, Rick Hoffman, and Jodie Whittaker. Ol Parker is the director, while Goldstein also wrote the story with Joe Kelly.

Office Romance is now playing on Netflix.

Amal Clooney Wore Optical Illusion Jeans Cosigned by Jennifer Lopez—Fall-Ready Styles Start at $44

My list of must-try jean trends for 2026 is growing; it currently includes all the silhouettes one denim expert revealed to me as the must-watch of the year (save for baggy jeans, because I’ve been wearing those for years). That said, one style that didn’t land on said aforementioned list, but is clearly due for big, big things this year, is flare jeans. With a growing list of celebrity fans that includes Meghan Markle, Jennifer Lopez, Reese Witherspoon, Cindy Crawford, Kendrick Lamar (you know that moment), and, of course, Amal Clooney, there’s no denying the retro denim style that was popular in the early aughts is back—and bigger than ever.

The fact that Clooney wore flared jeans is noteworthy in and of itself. The human rights lawyer is known for her refined dressing approach, regularly opting for billowy trousers, trendy boho blouses, and comfy sweater dresses—all staples that read elegant and timeless. So, when I spotted her earlier this year in the laid-back blues while out to dinner with hubby George Clooney, I knew I had to write about it. Of course, the fact that she wore flare jeans, the style countless celebs have worn the last few weeks, is noteworthy, too, as it further cements the style’s ‘It’ status for 2026. 

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Clooney opted for a pair of medium-wash jeans with subtle fading (another Y2K reference, IMO). Her blues had an ultra-high waist—so high, in fact, that they appeared to hit at the ribcage. It’s the complete opposite of the controversial low-rise denim, so it’s a possible sign that the high-high waist is coming back, too. Not to mention, Clooney’s jeans had a slightly oversized fit from the thighs to the ankles, but it’s that flared hem that has all my attention; it’s taking me back to my middle school days when I’d wear my True Religion flares every single day. (No joke.)

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It’s undeniable that Clooney’s jeans have that nostalgic flair (ahem, flare, wink, wink), but it’s also undeniable that celebs are clamoring to the style because it’s incredibly flattering. The blues basically act like an optical illusion, making legs look super long, especially when paired with a style that has an extra-long hemline and sky-high platforms á la Lopez; the singer is 5-feet-5-inches, but don’t you agree with me that she looks way taller in these jeans? Yeah, that’s thanks to the flares. The flare hem and longer inseams help create the look of legs for days, but add in a high-waisted cut, platform heels, and a crop top, and you’ll fool people into thinking you’re inches taller. 

Leg-elongating factor aside, there’s no denying that flares are fun and nostalgia-inducing—and that’s exactly what I need right now. So, shop some more fun, funky flares from Frame, NYDJ, and Mavi below.

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