A Family Affair, 2024.
Directed by Richard LaGravenese.
Starring Nicole Kidman, Zac Efron, Joey King, Kathy Bates, Liza Koshy, Sherry Cola, Wes Jetton, Zele Avradopoulos, Vince Pisani, Olivia Macklin, Vee Bhakta, J Boone Smith Jr., Sean Evans, and Ian Gregg.
SYNOPSIS:
An unexpected romance triggers comic consequences for a young woman, her mother, and her boss, grappling with the complications of love, sex, and identity.
Through no fault of the ensemble, everyone seems lost in A Family Affair. Ostensibly, it is about Zac Efron’s Hollywood superstar Chris Cole (famous from a series of Icarus-based superhero movies that, coincidentally, look like something soulless Netflix would actually greenlight and give the Russo brothers an outlandish budget for directing duties) gradually realizing that he is missing out on life by not only breaking up with every woman he gets close to (keeping his career prioritized) but also from a shut-in lifestyle reliant on his assistant Zara Ford (Joey King) micromanaging every aspect.
There is also a timely satire idea in poking fun at a Marvel-type actor who is financially successful but not necessarily artistically thriving and more recognizable based on the character he plays rather than anything about his talent or personal life. He is self-absorbed and overestimates his importance and popularity, which would be funny if the direction from Richard LaGravenese (scripted by Carrie Solomon) didn’t lean too far into treating the character like a cartoon boss from hell and a buffoonish, man-child punchline.
After all, this movie drops anything potentially interesting to explore there and veers into romantic comedy territory when Chris eventually meets Zora’s widowed writer mom, Brooke (Nicole Kidman using her natural Australian accent). This, in turn, forces Zac Efron, not the character in a naturalistic sense, to pull a 180 and behave like a normal human this intelligent woman would actually fall for. It’s more than tonal whiplash, straight-up breaking the personality the film has established for the character. Even throughout the first act and set-up to the sparks flying, Zac Efron seems unsure how to play this character and how to make any of it work. Regardless, it’s a character that’s a bit too bossy and dumb to make anything that follows feel grounded in reality.
Zora’s perspective is the other significant focus here, which naturally is a mixture of shock, hurt, and protective of her mom. She knows what Chris is like, often roped into helping out and softening the blow whenever he breaks up with a woman under the impression that the relationship is serious, and is understandably fearful that this will repeat itself once he gets bored, even if it’s clear to viewers that Brooke is different to him. Rather than explain this to her (or his abusive antics, such as being forced to write apology letters, sometimes for no reason consistently), the lazy script turns Zora into a similarly selfish, unlikable person who bottles that up, because a direct conversation about it would mean there is no need for a movie here. So, not only does the cast appear lost here, but the filmmakers also have no functioning comprehension of how to write characters that believably interact with one another.
There are several supporting characters and subplots that are dropped until it’s time to shove them into the inevitable happy ending, such as Zora trying to find her aspiring screenwriter friend Stella (Sherry Cola) work rewriting a horrendous draft for an action movie Chris is circling (it’s repeatedly and obnoxiously referred to as a cross between Die Hard and Miracle on 3rth Street), or being made an associate producer meaning that we get to witness the two of them bicker onset working on a superhero movie so cheesy it will leave one wondering how he became famous in the first place. Also, Zora becomes so wrapped up in trying to break her mom and Chris up, even when her grandmother (played by Kathy Bates and horny for the superstar) advises against it, she doesn’t notice that her best friend Eugenie (Liza Koshy) is in a crumbling relationship and could use some support.
To be fair, Kathy Bates is somewhat innocent here, also the closest thing A Family Affair to a likable character with wisdom to impart. Sometimes, even the great Nicole Kidman looks utterly confused about what is happening within these character dynamics and how to play it. There is a point here where I actually thought Brooke was bluffing about something she says to Zora, only to find out her lime delivery was straight. Since this is a talented ensemble, there are some laughs here (generally from Zac Efron in doofus mode and who does have decent comedic chemistry with Joey King), and the film is certainly tolerable, but this affair is otherwise a directionless, confused waste of time.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com
