Netflix’s A Family Affair stars Joey King as Zara Ford, a 24-year-old aspiring Hollywood producer working as a personal assistant to action movie star Chris Cole, played by Zac Efron. She lives with her mother, Brooke Harwood, a renowned author portrayed by Nicole Kidman.
One day, sparks fly when Chris meets Brooke at Zara’s house. With Zara watching nervously, a romance soon ignites between the famous actor and her elegant mother, who’s been widowed for over a decade.
Directed by Richard LaGravenese and released on Netflix in June 2024, the film explores how this unexpected relationship impacts the tight-knit trio and causes tensions to rise within their unconventional “family affair.” With humor and heart, it examines what happens when love collides with careers and crosses generational lines.
Love Complicates Life For This Non-Traditional Family
The new Netflix romantic comedy A Family Affair introduces us to three intriguing characters whose lives are about to become intertwined in unexpected ways. We first meet Zara Ford, a driven 24-year-old woman working as an assistant to big-time Hollywood actor Chris Cole. Zara lives with her mother, Brooke Harwood, a renowned novelist who’s been widowed for over a decade.
Zara has long suffered as Chris’s right-hand girl, doing everything from mundane tasks to rushing out expensive gifts when he breaks up with his girlfriends. She lives in hope that this unpaid apprenticeship will lead to bigger opportunities. Meanwhile, Brooke spends her days focused on writing, still mourning the loss of Zara’s father years ago.
Things take an unanticipated turn when Chris shows up unannounced at their home one day. Drawn to Brooke’s sophistication and intelligence, the narcissistic leading man strikes up an instant connection with her. Before long, the two are embracing a passionate new romance they never saw coming.
Naturally, this comes as a major shock to Zara. Not only is Chris her demanding boss, but seeing her mother with a much younger man, and one with Chris’s reputation, doesn’t sit well. Tensions escalate between the three as they each try to follow their hearts while navigating judgment from others.
Adding layers of complexity is the tight bond between mother and daughter. Brooke longs for intimacy again after her long widowhood, while Zara struggles to accept this shift in her family dynamic. Chris pursues Brooke with uncharacteristic care and maturity, though altering their work relationship proves complex.
With interweaving storylines and blossoming romance offset by familial discord, Richard LaGravenese’s comedy explores the messiness of modern love in the most unconventional of settings. But through empathy and understanding, might this non-traditional family find a way to embrace life’s ever-changing realities?
Lifelike Leads Lend Layers to Complex Characters
Nicole Kidman dazzles as the delightfully dynamic Brooke Harwood. Having endured over a decade of solitude, Brooke understandably craves intimacy yet proceeds with caution. Kidman gracefully portrays the vulnerability beneath Brooke’s poised veneer, revealing unexpected desires awoken by Chris’s charm and care.
Her luminous line delivery imbues even casual exchanges with nuanced emotion. Together with Efron, Kidman creates palpable chemistry, selling their characters’ irresistible allure despite obstacles.
As Chris Cole, Zac Efron delivers a layered performance beyond the superficial stunt roles he’s known for. Frustratingly full of himself at first, Efron subtly shows the loneliness driving Chris’s actions. Warmth emerges as his feelings for Brooke deepen, beautifully conveyed in tender touches and gazes shared with Kidman.
Efron excels in both comedic and emotional scenes, crafting a character with surprising depths that one believes may evolve for the better. His ability to seamlessly shift tones keeps viewers guessing as to Chris’s true nature.
Joey King turns in a tour de force as the spirited but troubled Zara Ford. King taps into Zara’s restless ambitions and protective instincts through brilliant facial expressions and body language. Whether unleashing pent-up fury or breaking down in tears, King fully commits to the moment.
Her comedic timing and delivery shine in scenes with Efron, generating true believability in their on-again, off-again rapport. King makes Zara’s guarded heart accessible, revealing new layers with every nuanced reaction, establishing her as the emotional anchor of the piece.
Notable yet Nuanced Direction
Helming A Family Affair is directed by veteran director Richard LaGravenese, known for adeptly juggling multiple storylines in scripts like The Fisher King and The Bridges of Madison County. LaGravenese navigates this rom-com’s complicated family dynamics and conflicting emotions deftly, never allowing scenes to grow heavy or characters to become unlikeable.
He elicits superbly natural performances from his stellar cast, capturing sweet romance and humor amid the raw feelings sparked by Brooke and Chris’ connection. However, LaGravenese doesn’t fully unleash his comedic strengths, with some story beats left a tad flat or stretched.
Cinematographer Don Burgess’ colorful yet conventional visuals also lack memorable flair, though production design aptly brings the posh Los Angeles locations to life. While not fully fulfilling comedic or cinematic potential, LaGravenese remains a director sensitive to nuances in human relationships.
Developed Characters Among Familiar Themes
The screenplay by Carrie Solomon introduces some well-developed central characters navigating predictably yet meaningful themes. With Zara, Brooke, and Chris, we see fuller portraits than typical rom-coms offer.
Zara feels real frustration as her assistant job fails to creatively fulfill her, yet she’s also entitled and inconsiderate of others at times. Her assistant role captures the nuances of navigating difficult work relationships. Meanwhile, Brooke emerges as a wise woman, reconnecting with herself after years alone. Both women experience the family tensions arising from a new romance, showing how age differences impact kin differently.
Chris, too, has depth beyond the surface. While self-absorbed, he clearly masks inner doubts about his public image. Brooke alone perceives this, their bond touching on themes of finding understanding between conflicting public and private selves.
Relationships are Solomon’s central theme, as her characters’ care for one another develops amid career and generational divides. The interweaving storylines keep interest while leaving space for authentic emotions to shine through contrived plots.
However, some secondary characters feel two-dimensional, which offsets these strengths. Zara’s friends provide little beyond predictable advice. And despite realistically capturing moods, Solomon sometimes advances relationships hurriedly when fully developing changing dynamics could strengthen themes.
While formulaic, Solomon injects nuance into familiar genres. With expanded scenes allowing deeper character insights, her
Finding Connection Beyond Convention
In exploring unconventional romance, A Family Affair draws comparisons to The Idea of You. Both center aging women pursuing passion’s promise with far younger suitors. Yet where the latter emphasizes superficial fantasy, Solomon’s screenplay touches on depth seldom seen in the genre.
Where The Idea of You feels content glossing romance’s surface, A Family Affair shows us the messy complexity beneath. Brooke, Chris, and Zara struggle with how their intertwined roles of mother, lover, child, and colleague might transform—or tear them apart. Through it all, Solomon respects each character’s humanity beyond stereotypes. We see how fears and hopes interconnect and how understanding might flourish between seeming opposites.
Some blame the relationship’s quick start for lacking credibility. But Solomon prioritizes the genuine connections that can emerge when people suspend judgment to get to know one another. Not all find love, or define it, as convention expects. By endeavoring to portray multifaceted lives, not just play out formulas, her screenplay suggests relationships matter most for the meanings we make together, not those society imposes.
Whereas many films treat non-traditional romance as fantasy, A Family Affair sees in it the potential for realizing our shared humanity. Maybe that’s why, for all the dramatic tensions, its characters feel so achingly real.
An Uneven Romantic Comedy
“A Family Affair” shows promise in its premise, following a famous author whose unexpected romance with her daughter’s younger boss stirs up drama. However, the movie ultimately fails to live up to its potential.
While the cast is delightful, with Kidman, Efron, and King all turning in strong performances, the characters themselves feel shallow. Their motivations and developing relationships aren’t convincingly explored. The script also lacks memorable laughs or insightful commentary on its Hollywood setting.
Direction is an issue as well, with scenes playing out in a dull, mechanical way. Opportunities for steamy chemistry between the leads are squandered. Production values also underwhelm at times.
Of course, not every movie needs intense depth. Some simply aim to entertain. But for a rom-com hopeful, “A Family Affair” lacks the warmth, wit, or escapism one hopes for.
Unless you’ve got little else to watch, this movie probably won’t leave much of a lasting impression. While its cast does their best, “A Family Affair” remains an uneven romantic comedy that doesn’t quite hit the mark. For those seeking feel-good viewing, it may be better to search for alternatives.
The Review
A Family Affair
While A Family Affair assembles a talented cast and touches on topics of interest, it fails to bring much spark to the screen. By smoothing over its characters' complexities and skimming conflicts rather than exploring them in depth, the film stays in superficial territory. Though it offers lightweight entertainment, there's little about this generic rom-com that demands a recommendation.
PROS
- Interesting premise exploring unconventional romantic relationships
- Strong lead performances from Kidman, Efron, and King
- Humorous industry satire and insider Hollywood references
CONS
- Lack of chemistry between Kidman and Efron
- One-dimensional, poorly developed characters
- A predictably formulaic plot that fails to address deeper themes
- Shallow direction that doesn't maximize comedic or dramatic potential
