‘Corner Office’ Movie Review - A Satirical Take on the Corporate World and the Working Condition

Corner Office is a dark comedy film directed by Joachim Back and written by Ted Kupper, based on the novel The Room by Jonas Karlsson. The film stars Jon Hamm, Danny Pudi, Sarah Gadon, and Christopher Heyerdahl.

The film follows Orson (Hamm), a new employee at a mysterious corporation called The Authority, Inc. Orson is a diligent and ambitious worker who despises his lazy and sloppy colleagues. He discovers a secret room in the office that provides him with a luxurious and peaceful workspace. He becomes obsessed with the room and starts to spend more time there, ignoring his responsibilities and alienating his coworkers. However, he soon realizes that the room is not what it seems and that it may have a sinister purpose.

The film is a satire of the corporate world and the capitalist system, as well as a commentary on the human condition and the search for meaning. The film uses absurd humor and surreal imagery to create a contrast between Orson’s idealized vision of success and the reality of his situation. The film also explores themes such as isolation, identity, conformity, paranoia, and madness.

I felt that the best thing about the film is that the film has a distinctive visual style that creates a striking contrast between the cold and gray office environment and the warm and colorful secret room. The film also uses effective cinematography and editing to convey Orson’s psychological state and the tension of the plot.

Corner Office is a satire that tries to poke fun at the corporate world but ends up being a snooze-fest. Orson is a clueless employee who gets trapped in a mysterious room with no exit. He spends the next hour and a half trying to figure out what’s going on while dealing with his annoying co-workers and boss. The film wants to make us laugh at Orson’s misfortunes, but it fails to deliver any fresh or witty jokes. Instead, it repeats the same formula over and over: Orson does something stupid, gets humiliated, and then moves on to the next scene. The film is so predictable and boring that you’ll find yourself checking your watch more often than chuckling.

The film also doesn’t have anything interesting or original to say about the corporate culture. It relies on clichés and stereotypes, such as the ruthless boss, the sycophantic assistant, the flirtatious secretary, and the rebellious hacker. The film doesn’t explore the deeper implications of the room or the characters’ motivations. It just uses them as props for Orson’s antics. The only thing that keeps us watching is our curiosity about what the room is and why Orson is there. But even that is disappointing, as the film reveals its twist in a lame and anticlimactic way.

The film tries to balance comedy and drama but sometimes shifts too abruptly from one to the other. The film also lacks emotional depth and does not make us care enough about Orson or his fate. For example, the film does not show us much of Orson’s backstory or personality, making him a rather flat and unrelatable character. The film also does not develop his relationships with his coworkers or his love interest, Alyssa, making them seem superficial and irrelevant. The film also fails to create a sense of empathy or sympathy for Orson, as he becomes more arrogant and selfish as the story progresses.

The film’s message is unclear and vague. The film does not offer a clear critique or commentary on its themes but rather leaves them open to interpretation. The film does not make a strong statement or take a clear stance on its issues. For example, the film does not explain what it is trying to say about the corporate world and the capitalist system. Is it mocking them or criticizing them? Is it suggesting an alternative or a solution?

Corner Office is a film that has an intriguing premise and a great performance by Jon Hamm but suffers from a lack of clarity, coherence, and originality. The film is a decent attempt at satire but falls short of being memorable or impactful.

Final Score – [6.5/10]
Reviewed by - Arpita Mondal
Follow @ArpitaMond33387 on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times