Genre: Comedy, romance
The success of a good romantic comedy depends on believable chemistry, but A Family Affair features two leads without a shred of attraction between them making for a lacklustre and predictable story that fails to hit the mark, despite a star-studded cast.
Zac Efron plays Chris Cole, an eccentric, delusional movie star who falls in love with Brooke (Nicole Kidman), the mother of his overworked and underappreciated assistant Zara (Joey King).
Zara does everything she can to put a stop to the relationship, while Brooke deals with the complexities of finding love 11 years after her husband’s passing.
Efron and Kidman’s mechanical interaction fails dismally to sell any attraction that may be blossoming between their characters.
The complete lack of expression on their faces makes it difficult for them to even look like they like each other which results in intimate scenes that feel forced and are simply awkward to watch.
The lack of chemistry further impacts the believability of a plot already riddled with mediocre writing. The story feels rushed and poorly developed. The predictability of the storyline also contributes to the lack of entertainment. There too many similarities to the previously released rom-com The Idea of You, which followed an almost identical plot.
Despite the chemistry problem, Efron shines, as he plays the role with the right touch of irony. Many of his individual scenes and the scenes he shares with King are funny, accentuated by his witty one-line deliveries.
Efron’s comedic brilliance is supported by a strong cast such as Kathy Bates who plays Brooke’s mother-in-law, and who is just brilliant in her role as the “voice of reason”.
Special mention must also be made of Liza Koshy, who brings a fun element to her character Eugenie’s friendship with Zara.
Kidman’s portrayal, however, seemed stiff and emotionless, a definite no for a lead role in a romantic comedy.
Unless you’re a fan of any of the three leads, you lose nothing by giving this one a skip.
A Family Affair is available for streaming on Netflix.
