Netflix’s new romantic comedy ‘A Family Affair’ stars Nicole Kidman and Zac Efron and also stars Joey King. It has all the elements for a successful romantic comedy. It has a major movie star, his new girlfriend who coincidentally is also his assistant, and the mother of a Pulitzer-winning author. There’s enough conflict to make one invested, but the film just doesn’t move forward.

Screenwriter and director Richard LaGravenese of ‘P.S. I Love You’ fame is a master at making you fall madly in love. But, unlike his previous directorial venture, ‘A Family Affair’ lacks that zing without which it almost feels dull and boring. Chris Cole (Zac) is a goofy movie star who is so disconnected from the real world that he doesn’t know what a convenience store looks like. He is self-absorbed, mostly obnoxious and has almost no self-reflective qualities. His character is the exact prototype of a stereotypical movie star we hear about. His assistant is Zara (Joy), who naturally dislikes him as he forces her to do things and keeps telling her randomly that she’s fired. He even makes her buy gifts for their dogs with her paycheck! Yes, that’s the level of obnoxiousness we’re talking about.

His romance with Zara’s mother Brooke (Nicole) begins one day when he visits his assistant and finds a spark in her. The biggest hurdle in this romance is not public scrutiny or the 16-year age difference but Zara’s disapproval. Zara, who is well aware of her boss’ reputation, does not want to see her mother break down. So, this ‘family affair’ begins but does not progress.

Yes, it’s nice to see romances where a man isn’t intimidated by a more intelligent woman and is attracted to her. But the writing on a surface level doesn’t seem convincing enough. Chris’ dual personality never makes you believe what kind of a person he is. Sure, you understand the concept of ‘stardom’ and ‘loneliness’ and why he always uses the ‘popular’ card, but it never goes beyond the surface. However, Zac is amazing. His charismatic presence makes Chris worth watching.

Watch the trailer of ‘A Family Affair’ here:

Nicole is a star. She makes you sympathize with Brooke with all the conviction possible. However, the writing works in Brooke’s favor as her character nails it all. However, Joey King does a lot of slapstick and stands out as Zara. Efron and Kidman give the audience a good romance with their effortless on-screen chemistry. There is a lovely friendship between them, but the writing never really lifts.

The writing of the film is very lame and trite, with very little serious tone. It seems like they are confused about the romance they want to present. If you’re lucky, you’ll find yourself laughing once or twice during the runtime.

However, by the end you won’t know how to feel. Or maybe you’ll just breathe a sigh of relief that the movie is finally over.