A FAMILY AFFAIR

A Family Affair features the wonderful trio of lead performances from Nicole Kidman, Zac Efron and Joey King to create all the laughter and romance for this romantic comedy, but it is Carrie Solomon’s screenplay that doubles as a coming of age story for each main character that brings the depth and emotional gravitas to Richard LaGravenese’s latest film that makes it a true winner.

There’s always reason to celebrate when Nicole Kidman has a new film releasing, as you know you are going to get a quality performance from one of the best actresses in Hollywood. More often than not, Kidman stars in prestige dramas and blockbuster scale films, not frequently spending time in the romantic comedy genre. So when she does star in a romantic comedy, which she has not done since 2017’s How to Talk to Girls at Parties and 2011’s Just Go With It, there is an added level of excitement as it allows Kidman to flex her comedic chops in what audiences know is going to be a delightful film. This time around, it’s the newest film from Richard LaGravenese who is channelling his inner Nancy Meyers for this romantic comedy that co-stars Zac Efron, Joey King and Kathy Bates, and the film itself is a beautiful character piece that creates a highly entertaining experience that is sure to delight audiences this summer from the comfort of their own home.

There is something comforting about the romantic comedy genre where the audience knows what plot beats to expect over the course of the film. Guaranteed there will be romantic moments of bliss as our couple falls in love, a complication that puts their relationship to the test as the film enters its final act, leading to a grand romantic gesture at the film’s climax in hopes of repairing the love that you have become invested in over the course of the film. And Carrie Solomon’s screenplay has all of this in spades, delivering many moments that will have audiences swooning over the relationship between Kidman’s Brooke and Efron’s Chris, and numerous occasions where they will be laughing out loud thanks to the circumstances in which the story plays out as Brooke falls for her daughter’s movie star boss.

But, beyond this, Solomon has crafted a touching and moving coming of age story as all three of our main characters have to find themselves. Zara is trying to find her path in the world out of the shadow of her mother’s career, Chris is trying to elevate his career, and Brooke is trying to rediscover herself after raising her daughter and moving on from her husband’s passing years earlier. Pulling from her own experience as an assistant to an actor in a Broadway play while her parents were going through a divorce, Solomon balances the romantic comedy aspects of the story with compassion and understanding in the three individual character arcs to find something meaningful to say that will connect with viewers on a more emotional and human level. It gives a depth to the story beyond the humour and romance at the film’s surface, exploring self-discovery within all her characters that amplifies the romantic plot of the story to give it more gravitas. The result is that the emotional beats in the romantic relationship between Brooke and Chris and the mother-daughter relationship between Brooke and Zara hit harder, evoking the romantic comedies of Nancy Meyers that always had something more important to say about the characters, life, connection and love than the typical Hollywood romantic comedy focused on popcorn level laughter. It’s an exciting feature film debut for Solomon as a writer that has me excited to see what she does next, especially given her involvement in the new Margot Robbie Ryan Gosling Ocean’s Eleven spinoff that is in development.

While Solomon’s screenplay sets the runway for a strong film, it is the cast that makes A Family Affair the hilarious and heartwarming experience it is. As always, Kidman gives a nuanced performance as Brooke in which she wears Brooke’s inner turmoil in every scene as she falls for Chris and ignores her daughter’s warnings about his past dating history, opening herself up to a second chance at love after her husband’s passing. King delivers some standout comedic moments with some of the film’s best laughs as she reacts in utter disgust to her mother’s new found relationship with her boss, while also unpacking some unspoken emotional baggage as she struggles to find her own path in life. Her scenes with Kidman are some of the most profound of the film as the two actresses create an undeniable bond between their characters, exploring the ups and downs of their mother-daughter relationship to help deliver the emotional final act of the film. Efron is ever smooth and charming as superstar Chris Cole, but much like he did in The Iron Claw, he taps into a deeper emotional hurt within Chris who has never truly experienced love or found a safe place in his life to explore the possibility of it. As a romantic pairing, Efron and Kidman have a natural chemistry that allows their relationship to have a true passion between them, smouldering over the course of the film to build an honest intensity between the lovers. This creates a deeper connection between them that easily allows the audience to look far beyond the inherent age gap between their characters.

Liza Koshy and Sherry Cola have some great moments as Zara’s friends Eugenie and Stella, but it is Kathy Bates who consistently steals the film. While she has a small amount of screen time, there is never a second where Bates does not run away with the entire film as Zara’s grandmother and Brooke’s mother-in-law Leila, helping both Zara and Brooke navigate their life challenges. With a caring sentiment and wisdom that informs every second of her performance, Bates brings an insane amount of heart to the film that creates some of the most touching moments of the film, while also bringing a wicked sense of humour that makes for some laugh out loud moments that will leave you howling.

Fans of the romantic comedy genre are really being spoiled this year with so many great new releases, and A Family Affair is just the latest effort that is guaranteed to delight audiences. Despite its streaming release, A Family Affair quickly proves itself as one of the better romantic comedies of the year with its beautiful story that balances character development against the hallmarks of the fan favourite genre, bolstered by a talented cast at every turn. There is no doubt that audiences will be clicking play on Netflix this weekend thanks to the star power of Nicole Kidman, Zac Efron, Joey King and Kathy Bates, all of whom are nothing short of excellent in their roles, but what makes A Family Affair a truly great romantic comedy is the poignant and soul searching screenplay from Carrie Solomon that evokes the classic romantic comedies of Nancy Meyers to deliver as much laughter and romance as she does meaningful character exploration.