'A Family Affair' Review: Zac Efron and Nicole Kidman's tiresome Netflix rom-com is monotonous and dull
ATLANTA, GEORGIA: 'A Family Affair' started streaming on Netflix on June 28, 2024, and it features the ravishing Nicole Kidman and the charming Zac Efron in an age-gap rom-com. The film tells the story of a superstar called Chris Cole (Zac Efron) who falls in love with his personal assistant Zara Ford's (Joey King) mother Brooke Harwood (Nicole Kidman).
The film is directed by Richard LaGravenese and it also stars Kathy Bates, Liza Koshy, Wes Jetton, Ian Gregg, Sarah Baskin, Zele Avradopoulos, Vince Pisani, Sherry Cola, Olivia Macklin, Vee Bhakta, and others in addition to the three lead actors.
The film tries hard to be funny but its predictable tropes and forced comedy make it a hard one to watch. Here is our detailed review of 'A Family Affair'.
Uninspired writing and forced comedy make 'A Family Affair' hard to watch
The problems for this film begin with its writing. The writing of the film is too predictable and uninspired and in an age where people are consuming content and have better narratives available at the click of a button. The story ends up being cliched and predictable no matter how big the production design is or how visually pleasing the actors are.
The film at its core barely says anything of substance and the screenplay too offers nothing that has not been seen before. One of the biggest drawbacks of the film is its comedy.
The dialogues try too hard to make the audience laugh. In the second act especially, you feel the need for more physical comedy as words just become too hard to keep up with.
The inter-personal conflict in 'A Family Affair' just doesn't work
One of the things that don't work for this film is the interpersonal relationship between Zara, Chris, and Brooke. Zara tries hard to disapprove of the relationship between Chris and Brooke but her character isn't given enough meat to convince the viewer that her opinion is stubborn and won't change.
You almost know that she will be convinced by the end of the movie and agree to their being together. Another thing that doesn't work is Chris and Brooke accepting that they are in love. It is the age-old conundrum that has no new layers to it.
Finally, the end of the film doesn't leave the audience fulfilled. Despite a breezy runtime, the film appears to be long and dragging throughout its narrative in part due to repetitive sequences. The film would have benefitted from variety in its sequences and situations.
Zac Efron and Nicole Kidman's screen presence in 'A Family Affair' is the only saving grace
The only thing that makes this movie slightly watchable is the screen presence of Zac Efron and Nicole Kidman. While they do not have much to do in their roles, in terms of depth. Their staggering presence attracts attention naturally.
Joey King is also adorable in her role but her chemistry with Nicole Kidman is lacking. Kathy Bates as Leila Ford is a brilliant casting decision and she comes into her own in the climax of the movie.
'A Family Affair' Trailer
'A Family Affair' started streaming on Netflix on June 28, 2024