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Office Space

Office Space

Work sucks.

199989 minRMidcredits score: 95th percentile of all films
Director
Mike Judge
Starring
Ron Livingston, Jennifer Aniston, David Herman, Ajay Naidu

A depressed white-collar worker tries hypnotherapy, only to find himself in a perpetual state of devil-may-care bliss that prompts him to start living by his own rules, and hatch a hapless attempt to embezzle money from his soul-killing employers.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Office Space?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Office Space streaming on Paramount+ via The Roku Channel.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Office Space?

Office Space earns 8 badges, led by Stood the test of time and Top 5% of films.

  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Office Space worth watching?

Office Space's Midcredits score is the 95th percentile of all films, from 728K ratings across 6 sources. 85% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

95th percentile

Better received than 95% of films

97th percentile among Comedy96th percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)92nd
Approval (how many liked it)95th

75 /100

92nd percentile of all films

95th percentile among Comedy94th percentile among 1990s

Critics 68 · Audience 76

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.8 — solid but not unanimous.

85% liked it

95th percentile of all films

97th percentile among Comedy96th percentile among 1990s
85% rated it 7–1015% rated it 1–6

Critics 82% · Audience 93%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 2 noms overall

98th percentile

728K ratings across platforms

99th percentile among Comedy98th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 16% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$10M
Opening weekend$4.2M
Domestic gross$11M
Worldwide gross$11M

Returned 1.1× its budget — 74th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Office Space is a satirical comedy about the monotony and absurdity of office life, with exaggerated characters and a premise that resonates strongly with anyone who has worked in a corporate environment.

Fans praised

  • cleverly written script with sharp satire of corporate drudgery
  • relatable characters and spot-on office dynamics
  • quotable dialogue and memorable moments

Detractors panned

  • boring and unfunny, with flat jokes
  • drably shot and unimaginatively written
  • characters exaggerated to the point of losing credibility

What stands out

DialogueDivisive85

highly quotable and captures office speak

HumorDivisive80

hilarious satire for fans, but detractors find it laughless

CharactersDivisive80

relatable, unique, and real despite exaggeration

AtmosphereDivisive80

immersive depiction of office drudgery

OriginalityDivisive80

fresh take on workplace comedy, though some see it as derivative

ActingDivisive70

cast brings characters to life, though some detractors find it shallow

Pacing65

well-paced for fans, but some find it dull

Plot and storyDivisive60

some see it as plotless or predictable, others enjoy the twisted logic

Preferred by

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Over-30s

Over-30s scored it 19 points higher than under-30s.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 9 points apart
  • Critics vs users 2 points apart
  • US vs non-US 9 points apart

Watch experience

What is Office Space like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Easy laugh: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something light that makes you laugh and does not take itself seriously.

It is gentle, takes its time and leaves you feeling good. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Easy laugh.

Moods
AbsurdContemplativeBittersweet
Heaviest: middle
Register
Satirical · 5% of filmsWry · 7% of films: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film satirizes corporate absurdity with deadpan exaggeration but retains a heartfelt core.
The rideThe film sustains a low-key, absurdly comic tone, with its most emotionally loaded stretch in the middle as Peter's rebellion peaks and his friendships strain.
StructureThe story follows a conventional beginning (Peter's misery), middle (the embezzlement scheme), and end (fire and resolution).

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Feeling good.

Feel-goodCathartic · 6% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film resolves with Peter's liberation and Milton's unexpected triumph, leaving a satisfying and slightly bittersweet but ultimately feel-good aftertaste.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Comedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11% (this title): Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1% (this title)
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Comedy of manners: Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).

11% of films fit this archetype

with Rebirth underneath

Why this archetypeA satirical comedy about office drudgery and one man's liberation from corporate servitude after a hypnotic accident.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfSelf-worth
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% (this title) · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% (this title) · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% (this title) · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Self-worth · 7% of filmsClass · 3% of filmsFriendship · 9% of films
Satirizes its theme: Attacks its theme through ridicule.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film satirizes corporate alienation while championing personal liberation from meaningless work, centring on the protagonist's journey to value himself beyond the office.
StanceThe film satirizes corporate drudgery and the mundane absurdities of office life rather than celebrating or mourning them, using humor to expose the system's flaws.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalDomesticRealistic
RockSupportive music · licensed compilation
SettingA mundane software company office, suburban apartment complexes, and a generic chain restaurant in a mid-1990s American city.
MusicThe soundtrack features a mix of 90s hip-hop and rock tracks that punctuate the film's laid-back, rebellious tone.

Content guide

Is Office Space okay for kids?

R

Office Space is rated R: “Rated R for language and brief sexuality” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (14/100), sexual content at moderate (44/100), language at intense (80/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (32/100) and frightening material at minimal (7/100). Overall it is heavier than 19% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 10 other countries
  • UK15
  • Canada14A
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • JapanR15+
  • Brazil18
  • FinlandK-16
  • MexicoB
  • Netherlands16
  • SpainA
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 46% of all filmsHeavier than 19% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 5%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 43%
Profanity
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 72%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 24%
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 2%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is language. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Office Space have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Office Space?

Cast

Ron Livingston
as Peter
Breakout: Their highest-reaching film role at the time, and they went on to a career at least 3 times their standing then.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jennifer Aniston
as Joanna
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
David Herman
as Michael Bolton
Breakout: Their highest-reaching film role at the time, and they went on to a career at least 3 times their standing then.
Ajay Naidu
as Samir
Breakout: Their highest-reaching film role at the time, and they went on to a career at least 3 times their standing then.
Diedrich Bader
as Lawrence
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Stephen Root
as Milton
Gary Cole
as Bill Lumbergh
Richard Riehle
as Tom Smykowski
Alexandra Wentworth
as Anne
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Joe Bays
as Dom Portwood
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Office Space?

Movies like Office Space include Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe (2022), Metropolitan (1990) and Someone Like You (2001). Of the 10 closest matches, two are films written by Mike Judge, and several are comedies of manners.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

4 of these 10 share its story type: workplace comedy. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Office Space?

496 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: workplace comedy. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.