A Family Affair Review: Zac Efron-Starrer Romantic Comedy Is Actually A Romantic Tragedy

What the film calls ‘A Family Affair’ is in reality a serious case of workplace harassment and inappropriate behaviour.

As a film critic, I know when to keep my expectations in check. After all, expectations often lead to disappointment. Starring Zac Efron And Nicole Kidman, A Family Affair is the story of an under-appreciated personal assistant whose boss falls in love with her mother. The film simply doesn't have characters worth rooting for, neither is it interesting enough to keep one hooked to the screen for about two hours.

A Family Affair Plot

Zac Efron plays Chris Cole, a Hollywood actor who appears on the cover of GQ and is followed by paparazzi everywhere he goes. His assistant is Zara (Joey King). She runs errands for the actor—like going grocery shopping and getting his stuff back from his ex-girlfriend's house after they break up.

Zara feels constantly overwhelmed with her job to the point she asks Chris to fire her. Zara’s mother Brooke (Nicole Kidman) is a Pulitzer-prize winning writer who wants her mojo back. If the harassment faced by Zara wasn't enough, Chris starts a steamy affair with Brooke. And then Zara walks in on them having sex.

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A Family Affair: Performances

What I particularly disliked about the film, (besides the fact that it is too bland and uninteresting) is that it doesn’t question the complicated dynamic between an actor and his assistant but instead uses it as a plot device to explore Brooke and Chris's relationship.

The film is indeed a major disappointment coming from Richard LaGravenese—after all, he man gave us ‘PS. I Love You’, a gold standard for romantic dramadies.

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A Family Affair: Writing And Direction

What the film calls ‘A Family Affair’ is in reality a serious case of workplace harassment and inappropriate behaviour. The film, too, is a drag and frankly, unnecessary. Watching it isn't short of being a survival sport. In fact, it is a test of one's patience (thank God for 1.5x speed on Netflix).

Kathy Bates plays Leila Ford, Brooke's mother-in-law and Zoey's grandmother who helps Brooke hone her writing skills. It is an earnest performance, even if it is entirely overshadowed by poor writing.

A Family Affair What Works, What Doesn't

Somewhere in the film, writer Carrie Solomon and Richard LaGravenese wanted to make a larger point on Chris’ journey from a self-absorbed, vain Hollywood actor to a man who is comfortable with solitude and his insecurities. They do it in the most unconvincing way possible, to the point that it makes school skits look better.

Nicole Kidman's Brooke is the only character who seems to have depth. The complicated mother-daughter dynamic between Zoey and Brooke is barely explored to its full potential and leaves much to be desired. Never has a rom-com been this dislikable. While Kidman, Efron and King bring their respective charms to the role, there is only so much they can do to save this romantic trage…I mean, comedy.

Rating: ⅕ stars

A Family Affair is now streaming on Netflix.