Gabrielle Union
Jenna Jones
The Perfect Find
“Find love. Find success. Find yourself.”
2023
1h 39m
Director: Numa Perrier
Overview
After a high-profile firing, everything is at stake for 40-year-old Jenna: her career, her ticking biological clock, and her bank account. Her fashion career comeback hits a snag when she falls for a charming, much younger coworker — who happens to be her boss’s son. As sparks fly, Jenna must decide if she’ll risk it all on a secret romance with the one person who could destroy her comeback.
Cast
12 people
Reviews
6 min readThe Perfect Find: A Rom-Com That Knows It’s a Cliché (And Winks Anyway)
I’ll admit it: I went into The Perfect Find expecting another paint-by-numbers rom-com, the kind where the meet-cute is less “cute” and more “calculated,” and the third-act conflict could be resolved by a single, honest conversation. But somewhere between Gabrielle Union’s arched eyebrow and the film’s unapologetic embrace of its own formula, I found myself charmed. Not because it reinvents the wheel—it doesn’t—but because it rolls that wheel downhill with such giddy, stylish momentum that you almost forget you’ve seen this story before.
Almost.
Numa Perrier’s film is a love letter to Black cinema’s golden age, drenched in the kind of maximalist fashion that makes you want to raid a vintage store immediately. The opening credits alone, spliced with archival clips of icons like Nina Mae McKinney, feel like a declaration: This is how we do glamour. It’s a bold move, positioning the film as both a throwback and a contemporary story about a 40-year-old woman (Jenna, played by Union) clawing her way back into the fashion industry after a humiliating firing.
The problem? Her new job puts her in close quarters with Eric (Keith Powers), her boss’s 22-year-old son, and the chemistry between them is so palpable it practically steams up the screen.
That chemistry is the film’s greatest strength—and, in a way, its biggest weakness. Union and Powers have an undeniable spark, the kind that makes you root for them even when the script leans into rom-com tropes so hard they groan. There’s a scene early on where Jenna and Eric banter over coffee, their flirtation simmering just below the surface, and it’s the kind of dialogue that could’ve been lifted from any number of ’90s rom-coms.
But Union sells it. She’s got this way of delivering a line with a mix of exhaustion and playfulness, like she’s both in on the joke and living it. It’s the same energy she brought to Being Mary Jane, but here, she’s given room to breathe.
The supporting cast is equally strong, particularly Gina Torres as Darzine, Jenna’s icy, intimidating boss. Torres plays the role with a delicious mix of menace and dry humor, delivering lines like “You’re a walking HR violation” with the precision of a scalpel. It’s the kind of performance that makes you wish the film had given her more to do.
Audience Opinions
Audience 6.5/10
"A lighthearted rom-com with charming leads but a formulaic plot that keeps it from standing out."
Gabrielle Union and Keith Powers deliver warm, engaging performances that carry the film, making their romance feel genuine and enjoyable. latestnetflix.com's read is that however, the story relies heavily on familiar rom-com tropes, leaving little room for surprises or deeper emotional resonance, and some side characters feel underdeveloped.
What viewers praise
- Strong lead chemistry Gabrielle Union and Keith Powers have a natural, appealing dynamic that makes their romance feel believable and engaging.
- Feel-good tone The movie’s lighthearted and uplifting vibe makes it an easy, enjoyable watch for fans of romantic comedies.
- Gabrielle Union’s performance Union brings depth and charisma to her role, elevating the material with her presence.
Common complaints
- Predictable plot The story follows well-worn rom-com formulas, offering few surprises or fresh twists.
- Underdeveloped side characters Supporting roles, including friends and family, lack depth and often feel like afterthoughts.
- Lacks emotional depth While pleasant, the film doesn’t explore its themes or conflicts with enough nuance to leave a lasting impact.
Recommended for
Rom-com enthusiasts Gabrielle Union fans Lighthearted movie nights Keith Powers admirers Feel-good story lovers
Full Plot (Spoilers)
Spoiler warning
This section contains the full plot, including major story reveals. Overview above stays spoiler-free.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsGabrielle Union’s Risky Rom-Com: The Inside Story of The Perfect Find
Netflix’s The Perfect Find dropped in June 2023, serving up a steamy workplace romance with a twist: a 40-year-old fashion editor falls for her boss’s much younger son. Gabrielle Union leads the charge as Jenna, a woman navigating career chaos, a ticking biological clock, and a forbidden attraction to Keith Powers’ Eric. latestnetflix.com's read is that but behind the glossy rom-com sheen, the film’s journey to the screen—and its reception—has been anything but predictable.
From Page to Screen: A Long-Awaited Adaptation
The Perfect Find began as a 2016 novel by Tia Williams, a buzzy read that blended fashion-world glamour with the messy realities of dating over 40. The book’s adaptation took years to materialize, finally landing in the hands of director Numa Perrier, a Haitian-American filmmaker known for her work in independent projects and digital storytelling for Black audiences 
. Perrier, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Leigh Davenport, brought a fresh, intimate lens to the material—one that resonated with the film’s themes of reinvention and risk.
The project’s world premiere at the Tribeca Festival in June 2023 marked a major moment for Perrier, whose career has often flown under the radar despite her influence in early digital content creation . For Union, the role of Jenna—a woman whose career and personal life are in freefall—offered a chance to flex her dramatic chops in a genre she’s dominated for decades.
The Age-Gap Romance That Divided Viewers
At the heart of The Perfect Find is Jenna’s taboo relationship with Eric, her boss’s 22-year-old son. The film leans into the tension of their age difference, with Jenna’s internal monologue wrestling with societal judgment and her own insecurities. Union, who has been vocal about Hollywood’s ageism, especially for women, brought depth to the role, but not all viewers were sold.
Some Netflix subscribers took to social media to air their grievances, with one recurring complaint: the age gap felt too stark, even for a rom-com . Critics, however, praised Union’s performance, noting how she balanced humor and vulnerability in a role that could’ve easily veered into caricature. The film’s supporting cast—including Gina Torres as Jenna’s sharp-tongued boss and La La Anthony as her ride-or-die best friend—added layers to the story, but the spotlight remained firmly on Union and Powers’ chemistry 
.
Behind the Scenes: A Director’s Vision
Perrier’s direction brought a raw, unfiltered energy to The Perfect Find, a departure from the polished rom-coms that often dominate streaming. Her background in independent film and digital content—where budgets are tight and creativity is king—likely shaped the movie’s intimate, character-driven approach . The film’s fashion-world setting, filled with high-stakes photo shoots and cutthroat office politics, also gave Perrier a chance to play with visuals, though the evidence doesn’t specify how much of the book’s lavish descriptions made it to screen.
Union, a producer on the project, had a hand in shaping Jenna’s arc, ensuring the character’s struggles—professional and personal—felt authentic. The film’s release on Netflix, a platform known for its algorithm-driven rom-coms, positioned The Perfect Find as a contender in the crowded genre, but its reception suggests it didn’t quite break the mold for everyone.
The Verdict: A Flawed but Fearless Rom-Com
The Perfect Find isn’t a perfect film, but it’s a fearless one. Union’s performance anchors the story, and Perrier’s direction keeps it from slipping into cliché. The age-gap romance will continue to spark debate, but that’s part of the point—the film forces its characters (and audience) to confront uncomfortable questions about desire, ambition, and the cost of taking risks.
For now, The Perfect Find stands as a testament to the power of mid-budget rom-coms, even in an era dominated by big-budget franchises. Whether it becomes a cult favorite or fades into Netflix’s endless library remains to be seen, but one thing’s clear: Gabrielle Union isn’t afraid to get messy on screen.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.