Corner Office
Corner Office
As Orson, The Authority's newest employee, finds himself trapped in the absurdities of corporate life, his alienation deepens when he discovers a room he's told doesn't exist.
Kevin Ward reviewedJuly 7, 2025
Jon Hamm stars in this absurdist office drama about a new hire that finds a secret corner office that no one else seems to see. Hamm is cast to be an almost anti-Don Draper type here as he doesn’t connect with his co-workers (like his desk mate played by Danny Pudi) and is only really able to function fully when he can escape to this secret office. The production values are reminiscent of Severance on AppleTV+ though not quite on that level (I know this was actually shot first). It features a drab corporate office setting bathed in washed out greens while the corner office features a luxurious mid-century modern feel. While I was watching this, I was taken with the feeling that Hamm’s character was possibly autistic or perhaps some other form of high functioning neuro-divergent. The film features a running voice over narration from Hamm describing his thoughts and they don’t always connect with what’s happing around him. He spills coffee on his pant leg, then simultaneously wonders why his leg is warm and wet. Anytime he goes into this secret office, the other employees experience is that they see him simply staring blankly at a wall. Though it makes his co-workers uncomfortable, the work he produces when he’s in the “corner office” is the best the company has seen. I think this interpretation completely works as a commentary on how we handle neurodiversity in the workplace in particular. After finishing the film, though, I’m not altogether certain that was the intended interpretation (and I think that even more after reading some other reviews). I’m really curious how others interpret this film. So while the Corner Office feels a little one note in its absurdist structure, I think there’s plenty here to chew on in terms of digging into the meaning of it all.