Saagar Kote
Directed by Ol Parker, Netflix’s ‘Office Romance’ is a romantic comedy film that follows Jackie Cruz (Jennifer Lopez), the president and CEO of Air Cruz, a company governed by a strict policy prohibiting workplace relationships. Committed to maintaining professionalism among her employees, Jackie firmly enforces the rule until the arrival of Daniel Blanchflower (Brett Goldstein), a newly hired lawyer, who unexpectedly challenges her stance. As Jackie and Daniel grow closer after flirtatious moments, their connection deepens during a work trip abroad, leading them to begin a secret relationship. Determined to keep their romance hidden from colleagues due to company policy, they attempt to keep their personal and professional lives separate.
However, when their relationship becomes known within the office, it sparks disruption and confusion among employees while creating additional pressure on Jackie from the company’s board. As misunderstandings and conflicts begin to complicate matters, Jackie and Daniel must navigate the challenges of balancing their feelings with the consequences of their workplace romance. In the mood for more movies similar to ‘Office Romance’ that capture the awkwardness of workplace love stories and the hilarious moments they lead to? You should check out this list.
14. A Family Affair (2024)
Netflix’s ‘A Family Affair’ centers on Zara Ford (Joey King), a young woman who works as the personal assistant to Hollywood star Chris Cole (Zac Efron). After spending years managing Chris’s demands, Zara finally decides to quit her job, hoping to move on. Her decision unexpectedly leads to a chance meeting between Chris and her mother, Brooke Harwood (Nicole Kidman), a successful writer. Brooke and Chris quickly discover a strong romantic connection, leading to humorous and awkward situations for everyone involved.
As Chris pursues a more serious relationship with Brooke, Zara finds herself caught in the middle of an increasingly complicated situation that tests her loyalty and views. Helmed by Richard LaGravenese, the rom-com delves into the chaos and confusion that arise when two unexpected individuals start dating, and those around them struggle to come to terms with it, much like ‘Office Romance.’
13. The Intern (2015)
Shaped by the vision of Nancy Meyers, ‘The Intern’ is a comedy-drama film that follows Ben Whittaker (Robert De Niro), a widower who struggles with loneliness. Looking for a renewed sense of purpose and a way to stay active, Ben joins an online fashion company through its senior intern program, which is designed to bring experienced retirees into the workplace. The initiative is approved by Jules Ostin (Anne Hathaway), the company’s young and driven CEO, who hopes the program will allow older interns to share their knowledge and life experience with younger employees.
As Ben settles into his new role, he and Jules develop an unexpected friendship despite their very different personalities, ages, and backgrounds. Over time, their growing bond begins to influence both of their perspectives on life and purpose. While ‘Office Romance’ is about a romantic relationship at the workplace causing challenges, ‘The Intern’ is primarily a portrayal of a deep friendship in a professional setting, leading to similar chaos. The films treat the office as a battleground for ideas, feelings, and complex human bonds.
12. Morning Glory (2010)
‘Morning Glory’ is the tale of Becky Fuller (Rachel McAdams), a TV producer who loses her job. Eager to remain in the industry, she accepts an opportunity to oversee “Daybreak,” a struggling national morning news program with poor ratings. Determined to revive the show, Becky takes a bold step, recruiting veteran news anchor Mike Pomeroy (Harrison Ford). However, Mike’s reluctance to embrace his new role and his frequent clashes with co-host Colleen Peck (Diane Keaton) create additional challenges.
At the same time, Becky finds herself balancing the pressures of her demanding job with a growing relationship with Adam Bennett (Patrick Wilson). Becky must navigate professional and personal complications to turn her life around. Roger Michell steers this engaging romantic comedy-drama film that revolves around the chaos that personal relationships bring to the workplace. This theme, the visual styles, and the character dynamics connect the movie to the world and characters of ‘Office Romance.’
11. In Good Company (2004)
Penned and helmed by Paul Weitz, ‘In Good Company’ centers on Dan Foreman (Dennis Quaid), an advertising executive whose career is disrupted when the magazine he works for is acquired in a corporate takeover. Dan is demoted and placed under the supervision of Carter Duryea (Topher Grace), whose ideas differ sharply from his own. While Dan prefers building business through personal relationships, Carter embraces modern corporate strategies. Beyond the office, Dan is adjusting to the news that his wife, Ann Foreman (Marg Helgenberger), is expecting another child.
The chaos picks up when Carter begins a romance with Dan’s daughter, Alex Foreman (Scarlett Johansson), placing the two men in an unlikely scenario. The romantic comedy film is a unique example of the “workplace romance” genre, as it is not primarily about two colleagues falling for each other. Instead, it is about their love affairs and personal issues affecting their professional lives, offering a twist to the concept of love and confusion that ‘Office Romance’ explores.
10. Someone Like You (2001)
‘Someone Like You’ focuses on Jane Goodale (Ashley Judd), a successful daytime talk show producer who is in a relationship with the program’s executive producer, Ray Brown (Greg Kinnear). However, Jane’s life is unexpectedly thrown off balance when Ray ends their romance. Jane begins researching and analyzing male behavior to understand what motivates men. Her observations eventually lead her to write a column under a different name that quickly attracts attention. For her research, Jane turns to her womanizing roommate and co-worker, Eddie Alden (Hugh Jackman), drawing on his experiences to inform her theories.
Through this process, she encounters new perspectives on relationships. With Tony Goldwyn in the director’s chair, the rom-com is based on the novel ‘Animal Husbandry’ by Laura Zigman. There is much in common between Jane’s romantic experiences in the film and those of Jackie in ‘Office Romance.’ Both women are independent, strong-willed, and ambitious in the corporate world and learn more about love and life along the way.
9. Laws of Attraction (2004)
‘Laws of Attraction’ is a British-Irish rom-com that follows Audrey Woods (Julianne Moore) and Daniel Rafferty (Pierce Brosnan), two highly successful New York divorce attorneys who are professional rivals. While Audrey is known for her discipline, Daniel relies on charm. Despite all this, the two get romantically involved. While representing opposing sides in the high-profile divorce case of rock star Thorne Jamison (Michael Sheen) and Serena Jamison (Parker Posey), Audrey and Daniel travel to Ireland, where an unexpected night leads to them getting married. Suddenly forced to balance their relationship with their careers, they struggle to maintain stability in their lives.
Shaped by the creative vision of Peter Howitt, the movie captures the essence of ‘Office Romance’ through its heartwarming exploration of the complexities of love between people with different personalities. While the American movie explores events that transpire in the workplace, the British-Irish film sheds light on the chaotic love between competing professionals, adding a layer of intrigue and uniqueness.
8. Working Girl (1988)
Directed by Mike Nichols, ‘Working Girl’ is a romantic comedy-drama film that follows Tess McGill (Melanie Griffith), an ambitious secretary who dreams of building a successful career in finance. Tired of being overlooked and denied opportunities, Tess believes her fortunes may finally change when she begins working for executive Katherine Parker (Sigourney Weaver). However, after discovering that Katherine intends to take credit for one of her business ideas, Tess decides to pursue the opportunity herself. Teaming up with investment broker Jack Trainer (Harrison Ford), she works to turn the proposal into a reality.
As Tess attempts to prove herself in the corporate world, her plan leads to a series of professional and personal complications. Tess is a layered female character who shares spiritual similarities with Jackie from ‘Office Romance.’ Both women strive to find their own voice in a corporate environment dominated by fixed views, while also navigating the complexities of personal feelings.
7. What Women Want (2000)
‘What Women Want’ is a Nancy Meyers directorial that tells the story of Nick Marshall (Mel Gibson), a successful Chicago advertising executive who expects to receive a major promotion. Instead, the position is given to Darcy Maguire (Helen Hunt), a talented executive brought in to help the company better connect with female consumers. Nick’s life takes an unexpected turn when a strange accident gives him the ability to hear women’s thoughts. Although initially overwhelmed by his new gift, he soon begins using it to his advantage in both his career and personal life.
However, as he spends more time working with Darcy, their professional rivalry gradually evolves into a more complicated relationship. The romantic fantasy comedy is a poignant exploration of the female mind through a man’s perspective. Along the lines of ‘Office Romance,’ it features a puzzling office love story at its core, which tests the views, ambitions, and loyalty of both the man and the woman in equal measure as unexpected challenges arise.
6. Beauty & the Briefcase (2010)
‘Beauty & the Briefcase’ deals with the life of Lane Daniels (Hilary Duff), an aspiring writer and fashion journalist who dreams of finding her perfect partner. Hoping to secure an opportunity with Cosmopolitan magazine, Lane pitches a story about romance in the workplace and is given the chance to pursue it. To research the article, Lane goes undercover at a finance company, where she begins dating several of her male co-workers while gathering material for her story. During this assignment, she meets Liam (Matt Dallas), who appears to match many of the qualities she has been searching for.
However, as Lane becomes more invested in both her article and her personal life, balancing them becomes difficult. Crafted by the vision of Gil Junger, the rom-com is based on the novel ‘Diary of a Working Girl’ by Daniella Brodsky. The visual style, ambitious characters, secrets, romantic complications, twists, commentary on corporate life, and the meaning of love are among the many commonalities between ‘Beauty & the Briefcase’ and ‘Office Romance.’
5. Upgraded (2024)
Prime Video’s ‘Upgraded’ is a rom-com that tells the story of Ana Santos (Camila Mendes), an ambitious intern at a New York art auction house. Eager to impress her demanding boss, Claire Dupont (Marisa Tomei), Ana is constantly searching for opportunities to prove herself. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she is upgraded to first class on a work trip to London and meets Will (Archie Renaux), a wealthy and charming young man who mistakenly assumes she is a company executive.
Rather than correcting him, Ana allows the misunderstanding to continue, leading to opportunities and romantic developments. As her relationship with Will grows, Ana struggles to maintain the deception, with the truth threatening both her career and romance. Crafted by the ideas of Carlson Young, the movie is a nuanced exploration of the tender side of corporate life and the sweeping nature of love, much like ‘Office Romance’ and its focus on the emotional bond between Jackie and Daniel.
4. The Proposal (2009)
Shaped by the directorial vision of Anne Fletcher, ‘The Proposal’ centers on Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock), a successful but demanding editor-in-chief at a New York publishing company. When immigration issues threaten her with deportation, Margaret comes up with a desperate solution. She convinces her assistant, Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds), to pretend to be her fiancé. In exchange for his cooperation, Margaret promises Andrew career opportunities. To make their story convincing, the pair travels to Sitka, Alaska, to attend the birthday celebration of Andrew’s grandmother, Annie Paxton (Betty White).
Welcomed by Andrew’s close-knit family, Margaret finds herself drawn into their traditions while trying to maintain the deception. As an immigration official Mr. Gilbertson (Denis O’Hare) continues to observe their relationship, the fake engagement becomes increasingly difficult to sustain. The rom-com celebrates the charm and power of love, akin to ‘Office Romance.’ Both movies are about characters who find themselves trapped within the walls of corporate ambition, while also experiencing the tender feeling of unexpected love.
3. The Hating Game (2021)
Based on Sally Thorne’s eponymous novel, ‘The Hating Game’ is the tale of Lucy Hutton (Lucy Hale) and Joshua Templeman (Austin Stowell), two co-workers whose relationship is defined by constant rivalry and mutual irritation. Holding the same position within their company, the pair are in a fierce competition for a promotion to managing director. As their professional rivalry intensifies, Lucy and Joshua are surprised by unexpected romantic feelings. What begins as a battle for workplace success gradually evolves into something more complicated, forcing them to balance their growing attraction with the realities of working together.
They must decide if professional success matters more than love. Helmed by Peter Hutchings, the rom-com takes a similar approach to the portrayal of workplace love, like ‘Office Romance.’ The movies are commentaries on the value of human connection in a competitive world driven by the desire for success, and also feature similar character dynamics between the layered main characters.
2. Two Weeks Notice (2002)
Penned and crafted by Marc Lawrence, ‘Two Weeks Notice’ is a rom-com that follows Lucy Kelson (Sandra Bullock), a lawyer who is passionate about social causes. When businessman George Wade (Hugh Grant) offers her a position as his chief legal counsel, Lucy accepts in the hope of making a positive impact from within his company. Although Lucy succeeds in influencing important decisions, she soon grows frustrated by George’s constant dependence on her for both professional and personal matters. Feeling overwhelmed, she resigns and agrees to help find her replacement.
However, as another lawyer, June Carver (Alicia Witt), begins taking over Lucy’s role, Lucy realizes that her relationship with George has become more meaningful than she expected. At the same time, disagreements over company decisions threaten to complicate their evolving feelings for one another. The puzzling professional and personal dynamics, and the unforeseen romantic bond between Lucy and George in the movie, will remind you of the experiences of Jackie and Daniel in ‘Office Romance,’ who also go through a similar ordeal when they develop feelings for each other.
1. Set It Up (2018)
Netflix’s ‘Set It Up’ is a romantic comedy film from director Claire Scanlon that sheds light on the trials of Harper Moore (Zoey Deutch) and Charlie Young (Glen Powell). They are two overworked assistants struggling to keep up with the expectations of their demanding bosses. Hoping to make their lives easier, the pair devise a plan to set up their bosses, Kirsten Stevens (Lucy Liu) and Rick Otis (Taye Diggs), and encourage a romance between them. As Harper and Charlie work together to carry out their scheme, an unexpected friendship develops between them. However, their carefully arranged plan begins to create complications, especially as they start to develop feelings for one another.
While juggling their demanding jobs and the unpredictable consequences of their love scheme, Harper and Charlie must find a way to balance everything. Much like ‘Office Romance,’ ‘Set It Up’ is about two unlikely individuals falling in love in a demanding work environment where the rules don’t seem to favor feelings over duties. In addition to similar character dynamics, hilarious misunderstandings, and chaotic moments, the two movies also feature complementary visual elements that connect them at a deeper level.
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