Movie Review: ‘A Family Affair’

Launch in Netflix on June 28, ‘A family affair‘ continues the trend –– apart from the most famous recent example ‘Nobody but you‘ –– that the romantic comedy film finds a more natural home on streaming than in theaters.

And while this latest instance of the genre doesn’t seem particularly standout, it at least has enough laughs to sustain it, while also managing a slightly refreshing premise without dipping too deep into the maudlin cheese.

Related article: Joey King and Zac Efron talk about ‘A Family Affair’ and working with Nicole Kidman

Will it make you fall into the ‘A Family Affair’ trap?

The premise of cross-age romance isn’t exactly new, but the fact that Kidman’s character is the older woman who falls for a younger man is explored far less often. Add to that the wrinkles of King’s character’s reactions/connections to the new relationship and you have the building blocks for a solid romantic comedy.

Not everything in the film works (some of its portrayals of a Hollywood star who is also a nervous, demanding diva also come off as tired and shallow), but those are simply one layer of this story, which thankfully has more to say.

Script and direction

Carrie Solomon makes her writing debut with the film, partially channeling her own experiences working as an assistant on films and for a Broadway stage performer (who, she is at pains to say, was nothing more than the spoiled, immature character she invented and who is brought to life by Zac Efron in the film).

The script for ‘A Family Affair’ is surprisingly funnier than the trailers made it seem, letting the craziness of the first act fade into the background for a slightly more nuanced look at the impact of love on a tight-knit family. He does enough to make you identify with the main trio, and even Efron’s character proves that he is more than just a show-off actor.

It’s all clearly inspired by characters like Nora Ephronbut it never reaches that high level.

As for the director Richard LagraveneseThe visual style isn’t great, but it does its job of providing a decent enough environment for the characters and script to do their work. There’s a bit of a flare when Efron’s character takes over. Nicole KidmanShe’s on a nighttime tour of a studio and it’s lit up for her, while scenes set in a Big Bear house decorated for Christmas are appropriately snowy (despite the film being shot in Atlanta).

Performances

With the typically stellar cast that Netflix’s deep coffers can provide, you may wonder why people of this caliber agreed to make this particular film, but their roles are meaty and satisfying enough that you can finally see their appeal.

Nicole Kidman as Brooke Harwood

Even though Kidman’s storied career seemingly left her behind making films like this, it clearly felt like a change of gear (and she did agree to appear briefly in the ‘Aquaman‘ continuationso not every choice is a winner, even for someone with her taste and ability to choose.) Naturally, she brings movie-star charm to the role, seemingly ageless and yet totally comfortable playing a woman who overcomes heartbreak and finds love in an unexpected place.

Her chemistry with her co-stars is clear (Efron, of course, has been her on-screen love interest before, in ‘The newspaper deliveryman–– this is at least less embarrassing than that) and it goes well.

Zac Efron as Chris Cole

When we meet him, Cole is your typical Hollywood superstar: he appears in a giant movie franchise, has a beautiful house (more than one), and someone who takes care of his every need, but he still complains that he can’t go to the grocery store. . She can find the world’s smallest violin in aisle six.

Still, that’s just part of her comedy DNA, and Efron gives her the humanity to be more than that, eventually evolving into someone Kidman’s Brooke might find worthy of her time.

Joey King as Zara Ford

joey king She has the biggest role in the film, as Zara, Chris’ harried assistant (whom he promised to help train to be a producer) and Brooke’s daughter. You can completely understand why she might freak out upon learning that her mother is sleeping with her boss, and while not every twist in her story makes sense (would she really still work for him after the revelation and quit spectacularly at the beginning?) , King and writer Solomon at least infuse him with some self-awareness so he doesn’t seem like a whiny Gen Z person.

It’s also that the script makes her well-rounded enough that it doesn’t have to introduce any romantic complications for Zara herself, preferring to focus on her reactions to a situation that’s already giving her enough headaches.

Kathy Bates as Leila Ford

Kathy Bates She’s a pro at this kind of scene-stealing elder stateswoman role (witness her recent role in ‘Are you there, God? It’s me, Margaret.’) and here, you might initially feel like she’s wasted playing Brooke’s ex-mother-in-law (her son was Brooke’s late husband) and editor of her writing career. But she’s soon given some decent scenes to show what she does well, both in terms of sage advice and entertaining life and soul.

Final Thoughts

‘A Family Affair’ hardly breaks the rom-com mold, but it modifies it enough to offer gentle entertainment for those looking for something akin to Main videorecent of Anne Hathaway romantic drama ‘The idea of ​​you‘.

It’s mild, harmless, and provides an adequate level of laughter.

‘A Family Affair’ receives 7 out of 10 stars.

What is the plot of ‘A Family Affair’?

Zara (Joey King), a young woman who works as a personal assistant to self-centered Hollywood star Chris Cole (Zac Efron), discovers that her boss is having a secret romantic relationship with her widowed mother (Nicole Kidman).

Who is in the cast of ‘A Family Affair’?

• Zac Efron as Chris Cole
• Joey King as Zara Ford
• Nicole Kidman as Brooke Harwood
• Kathy Bates as Leila Ford
• Liza Koshy like Eugenia

(L-R) Nicole Kidman as Brooke Harwood and Zac Efron as Chris Cole in ‘A Family Affair.’ Photo: Aaron Epstein/Netflix © 2024.

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