‘Corner Office’ Review – Jon Hamm Takes On ‘The Office’ By Way Of ‘The Twilight Zone’ [SBIFF 2023]

Corner Office provides a satirical yet chilling examination of corporate American culture and the long-term effects it can have on workers. At its core, the script examines societal expectations and provides thought-provoking social commentary that leaves its audience questioning the absurdity of societal norms.

The film follows Orson, played by Jon Hamm, as he starts a new office job at a large corporation. Shortly after starting at this new office, he discovers a secret room that allows him an escape from the mundanity of his everyday job. However, there is one problem: he is the only one who can see this room. 

The film’s greatest strength is its use of skewed perspective and unreliable narrator. The audience only sees the world through the eyes of the protagonist. However, the reactions of those around him slowly make the audience question whether what we are seeing is real. It is an exciting choice to ask audiences to recontextualize what they have previously been shown and engage with the film in new ways. 

This effect is achieved through the use of narration to establish the character of Orson to the audience. The writers use this framing device to their full advantage, making the character personable and giving insight into how he sees the world. This becomes particularly effective as the character slowly becomes wearier of how others perceive him. Orson’s descent into paranoia is brilliantly showcased through the use of this narration. 

Jon Hamm gives a solid performance that supports the film’s script well. The humor lands so well because of Hamm’s deadpan delivery of Orson’s observations. This role is a fun change of pace from Hamm’s usual roles and allows him to showcase his versatility as an actor. In the scene where Orson reaches his breaking point, Hamm is truly incredible. No matter what the other characters believe, Hamm makes it clear to the audience that Orson believes what he is seeing is true. Hamm’s performance is supported well by the film’s other cast members. Despite not being particularly remarkable or distinctive, each of the actors delivers their lines with a sense of calmness that makes the office feel suffocating. 

Part of the film’s appeal is that it takes the familiar elements of corporate culture and exaggerates them to an extreme degree. The script derives its sense of humor from calling out the absurdity of office culture such as keeping the carpet clean and water cooler gossip. It is niche and situation-based humor but lands in a similar vein to workplace comedies such as NBC’s The Office.  

Based on the film’s premise, it should be uninteresting. The majority of its scenes are set in a single building and it follows the day-to-day workings of an office. However, the film uses its visual elements to elevate its mundane premise to another level and uses subtle cues and design choices to reinforce the themes of the film. The differences in color grading and set design between the “secret office” and the regular office setting create a clear distinction between reality and fantasy. 

Additionally, the film’s set design reinforces these themes as it relies heavily on uniformity. The opening shot features the office’s parking lot where all of the cars are the same and parked in a linear fashion. In a Q&A after the film, Director Joachim Back confirmed that this was intentionally done to show how an office job can make an individual feel trapped. The audience never leaves the building as the job slowly begins to consume Orson’s life. 

The ending ties this film together perfectly with a thought-provoking conclusion that drives its message home in a way which resonated deeply. It is a cautionary tale of losing one’s self in their work. Despite being a relatively fun film up until this point, the final shot of Hamm’s character hits the audience like a gut punch. 

Despite the positives that the film’s premise delivers, it also has its drawbacks. The film relies on a need to establish the repetitiveness and longevity of Orson’s job. This does not translate perfectly to a feature-length film and feels a little dragged out at times. It is achieved well but one has to wonder whether the film’s ideas would have been better suited to a television format.

Corner Office is an examination of corporate office culture and the implications that it can have on an individual’s mental health. It is a unique blend of thought-provoking programs like The Twilight Zone and situational comedy like The Office.

Corner Office was viewed in the Non Premiere Feature Films section of the 2023 Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

Director: Joachim Back

Writer: Ted Kupper

Rated: PG-13

Runtime: 101m