Netflix keeps courting comfort-food rom-coms, but sometimes comfort tastes bland. A Family Affair had Nicole Kidman, Zac Efron, and Joey King—yet feels more like a missed RSVP than a must-watch.
Runtime: 1 hour 51 minutes
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Director / Writer: Richard LaGravenese / Carrie Solomon
Release Date: June 28, 2024 (Netflix)
Quick verdict: ★★☆☆☆ (2 out of 5 stars)
A star-studded cast can only do so much when the story plays it safe and the emotional stakes never quite land.
What’s the Story? (No Spoilers)
The film follows Clarissa (Joey King), an overworked assistant and daughter, who discovers that her famous movie-star boss (Zac Efron) is dating her mother, Toni (Nicole Kidman). What follows is a quirky romantic comedy about unconventional relationships and the awkwardness of family blending.
Given the pedigree of Kidman and Efron, expectations were high for a fresh take on the “older woman-younger man” trope. Unfortunately, critics have largely agreed that the movie struggles with tonal inconsistencies and leans too heavily on clichés.
What Works and What Doesn’t
Performances: Nicole Kidman brings her usual charm but feels underused in a somewhat surface-level role. Zac Efron leans on his natural charisma but doesn’t get much room for depth. Joey King carries most of the emotional weight, anchoring the film when the script lets her.
Writing & Tone: The screenplay plays it safe, offering few surprises or meaningful exploration of the age-gap romance. The film awkwardly shifts between broad comedy and tentative drama but never commits fully to either, leaving it feeling uneven.
Direction & Pacing: Visually polished with the hallmark Netflix gloss, but the pacing drags during the midsection, making some scenes feel like filler rather than forward momentum.
Chemistry: There are sparks between the leads, but the relationships feel more like surface-level setups than complex, lived-in dynamics.
Overall, it’s an easy watch if you want light background entertainment, but it falls short of the potential suggested by its cast and premise.
⚠️ Spoiler Alert — Read On Only If You’ve Seen the Movie or Don’t Mind Spoilers ⚠️
Spoiler Deep Dive
The central reveal—Clarissa finding out about her mother’s relationship with her boss—comes with plenty of awkward dinners and forced conversations. But the film resolves these tensions too quickly, sidestepping the emotional fallout you’d expect.
Clarissa’s resistance to the relationship barely registers as anything more than a comedic inconvenience, while Toni and Zac’s romance glides along without major bumps. The daughter’s arc feels rushed, ending with a quick acceptance rather than a believable transformation.
Key moments that could have been ripe for drama or humor, like the dinner scene where the trio awkwardly navigates their new family roles, instead feel undercooked.
The finale wraps up with a neat bow, glossing over any long-term consequences and leaving viewers wanting a richer exploration of these complicated dynamics.
How A Family Affair Could Have Been Saved: A Sitcom Reboot
Here’s the thing — the premise is actually a goldmine for a TV sitcom.
Shift the focus: Make the story less about a romantic fling and more about the relationship between Clarissa and her new stepfather (Zac Efron). Let their interactions, fraught with awkwardness and conflicting expectations, become the heart of the show. The mother (Nicole Kidman) would then serve as the quirky glue holding this unconventional family together.
Why sitcom? The episodic format allows time for slow-building emotional arcs and running jokes about blended family challenges — things a 2-hour movie just can’t do justice to.
Sample season arcs could include:
- Failed bonding attempts at family dinners, vacations, or therapy sessions.
- Clarissa’s journey from resentment to grudging acceptance (and maybe even friendship).
- Stepdad’s struggle to find his role and earn trust.
- Mom’s comedic obliviousness to the chaos she causes.
- Side characters adding spice — quirky neighbors, exes, or workplace antics.
Tone ideas: A mix of Modern Family’s warmth, Schitt’s Creek’s eccentric humor, and Ted Lasso’s optimistic heart.
In this format, the show could deeply explore the comedic and emotional complexities of blending families with a healthy dash of charm and relatability.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a light rom-com to breeze through, A Family Affair fits the bill. But don’t expect depth or surprises.
That said, the story’s strongest elements suggest it belongs on the small screen, where its quirky family dynamics could be unpacked episode by episode — giving us something truly fresh and heartfelt.
What do you think? Would you watch a sitcom about a stepfather trying to bond with his new adult stepdaughter? Drop your thoughts or casting ideas below!
Disclaimer:
This is AI generated content. This review contains spoilers for the movie A Family Affair. If you have not yet watched the film and wish to avoid plot details or key story developments, please stop reading now. The opinions expressed in this review are solely those of AI and do not reflect the views of the movie’s producers, cast, or distributors. This review is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only.
EssayBoard 
Leave a comment