Just like the recent trend of age-gap romances featuring a younger man and an older woman, “A Family Affair” steps into the spotlight, drawing comparisons to Amazon’s ‘The Idea of You’. The premise centers around Zara Ford, an ambitious assistant aiming to produce films using her celebrity boss, Chris Cole. Simultaneously, her mother, Brooke Harwood, a single author, unexpectedly finds a connection with Zara’s famous employer. This sets the stage for a romantic comedy relying on familiar tropes. However, while romance movies often thrive on clichés, their success hinges on chemistry, an engaging plot that offers something beyond the typical, and compelling performances. Unfortunately, “A Family Affair,” despite its promising Cast Family Affair, falters on several key fronts.
Romance movies live and die by the spark between their leads. Age gaps in romantic storylines are not inherently problematic, but the crucial element is believable chemistry. Regrettably, “A Family Affair” suffers from a significant void in this department. The pairing of Nicole Kidman as Brooke Harwood and Zac Efron as Chris Cole lacks any discernible romantic connection. Instead of being drawn into their supposed love story, viewers might find themselves distracted by their appearances – both actors’ noticeable cosmetic procedures become an unavoidable element, hindering immersion. While such distractions could potentially be overlooked with genuine on-screen chemistry, its absence here is a critical blow to the film’s romantic core.
Beyond the chemistry vacuum, the acting in “A Family Affair” is disappointingly weak, particularly from Kidman and Efron. Efron’s performance especially feels more akin to a made-for-television movie than a feature film. The exceptions, and the film’s saving grace, are Joey King as Zara Ford and Kathy Bates in the role of Brooke’s mother. King delivers a standout performance, injecting energy and believability into her character. Bates, as always, adds a layer of seasoned talent that elevates every scene she’s in. Indeed, Joey King’s storyline, focusing on her character’s aspirations and interactions with her demanding boss, presents a genuinely interesting angle and King’s execution is a highlight. She becomes the anchor of a film that otherwise struggles to stay afloat.
The premise of “A Family Affair” held potential, but the execution, particularly concerning its lead cast family affair and their connection, ultimately undermines the film. Adding to its challenges, the movie’s release timing, closely following another similar film starring Anne Hathaway that also suffered from a lack of lead chemistry, further diminishes its impact. What could have been an enjoyable romantic comedy is hampered by miscasting and underwhelming performances in key roles.
Ultimately, “A Family Affair” is best viewed, if at all, for the performances of Joey King and Kathy Bates. They manage to bring a degree of watchability to a film that is otherwise let down by its central romantic pairing and their lackluster chemistry. If you’re searching for a swoon-worthy romance, you might want to look elsewhere, but for fans of King and Bates, there might be just enough here to warrant a cautious viewing.
