Romantic movies can be delightful, but only when everything comes together harmoniously. A stellar cast can be a significant draw, provided they have a solid script to work with. Unfortunately, more often than not, we end up with disappointment.
This sentiment holds true for A Family Affair, the latest romantic comedy with an impressive cast including Nicole Kidman, Joey King, Zac Efron and the legendary Kathy Bates. Despite such star power, the film ultimately delivers a lacklustre experience.
The story revolves around Zara Ford (Joey King), a 24-year-old assistant to famous movie star Chris Cole (Zac Efron). Fed up with her job, Zara quits, prompting Chris to realise his mistake and chase after her. After meeting Zara's mother Brooke (Nicole Kidman), Chris and she quickly hit it off, much to Zara's annoyance. What follows is a complicated web of relationships as the three deal with the consequences of their actions.
While not entirely boring, A Family Affair fails to stand out. It manages to get some things right with its romantic premise and character dynamics, yet ultimately fails to leave a lasting impression. Among the main characters, Joey King shines the brightest as Zara who has relatable aspirations and frustrations.
Chris Cole, played by Efron, isn't quite as interesting. He's a typical douchey diva actor who has to have everything done his way, but somebody else has do it for him. This persona doesn't really change much even as time goes on. I think Efron probably tried his best with the role he's given, but he can't escape the cliches writing he's forced into.
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Similarly, Kidman as Brooke lacks complexity. Though Kidman delivers a decent performance, her character -- a struggling writer facing creative block -- is underdeveloped and fails to engage beyond the surface.
Kathy Bates, as Leila Ford, introduces a subplot that ultimately goes nowhere, contributing to the film's uneven pacing.
The dialogue offers occasional humour, largely from Zara's reactions to Chris' antics, but the pacing fluctuates erratically, disrupting the film's flow and coherence. This issue extends to the romantic elements, which suffer from disjointed transitions.
While the film attempts a blend of seriousness and humour, the execution often falters, resulting in tonal inconsistencies. However, it avoids trivialising the age gap between Chris and Brooke, opting for a more sincere exploration of their relationship.
Despite occasional glimpses of potential, the movie treads predictably throughout, failing to capitalise on its promising premise. It maintains a baseline competence but never rises above its formulaic conventions, exacerbating its inherent flaws.
Ultimately, A Family Affair is another one of many bland romance movies that doesn't take full advantage of the premise it tries to pull off. I wish the movie had turned out better, considering the actors involved. Everything about it is executed adequately, but it never goes beyond its broken conventions, which makes its flaws even more glaring. Unfortunately, films like this will continue to be made as long as audiences consume them.
