A Family Affair

Synopsis:  Personal assistant’s horrible movie star boss starts to date her mom. (Streaming on Netflix)

It’s so beautiful when two people with cosmetic surgery come together. The latest entry into the hot older woman, hot younger man subgenre of rom- coms has Nicole Kidman and Zac Efron playing two people who bond over how bravely they are defying Time and Nature. Or at least this is what the muted trailer for the movie A Family Affair suggests.

I imagined Nicole’s character tearfully proclaiming that she would not let Time undo the perfection which Nature bestowed upon her. And Zac? I figure he’ll confide that not every pretty boy can handle a powerful new jawline like he can. They are both very brave.

But it turns out that the movie has nothing to do with cosmetic surgery! Instead, A Family Affair is about a mother who ruins her daughter’s life by dating the daughter’s horrible boss.

Joey King is the daughter, Zara. She rises above the material in spite of a script that demands she repeatedly cry and huff over mommy Brooke refusing to stop sleeping with her horrible boss. Zac Efron plays her boss, Chris Cole, an action movie star. He hired Zara as a personal assistant with the promise that he’d promote her to managing his career and producing his movies. But she’s stuck being his gofer.

Spoiled Zac has Joey driving around LA doing his bidding. When he wants to break up with a woman, he appoints Joey to buy the soon-to-be ex some farewell jewelry and pick up the pieces. And if any little thing goes wrong, he threatens to fire her.

Joey is ambitious and sensible, bunking with her successful writer mom.  Zac is a foolish narcissist who lives by all the Hollywood trends. We see the cupping-induced purple circles on his back before he plunges into an ice bath.

Zac has no friends because he is focused on his career and very self-centered. Joey has a bestie, Genie (Liza Koshy). Genie is in an up & down relationship with her boyfriend, but Joey barley notices because she’s always complaining about her job. She probably doesn’t even know what her friend’s job is. You might expect that, as a movie best friend, Genie is always oohing and awwing over how amazing Joey is; but in a twist, her character is amazed by her friend’s mom. She gawks at Nicole in her leotard and leggings and practically drools, uttering: Pilates body. Right, twenty-something women in LA are always doing this over middle-aged ladies.

Joey finally gets fed up with Zac’s punishments over the wrong latte orders and his many microaggressions, and quits. Quitting; the fantasy of all cash-strapped assistants. While Joey is out bitching to her friend Genie about her stalled movie producer career, Zac decides he needs Joey back. He books it over to Joey’s place and lets himself in the front door. Nicole is cleaning house while singing along to some Boomer music: Blondie, I’m pretty sure.

Zac and Nicole start talking and he becomes a smitten kitten in no time. After some day drinking they end up in bed. Guess who walks in on them?

Joey screams and pitches a fit. She asks Zac to put on some clothes. She reluctantly agrees to come back as his manager, but only if her mom & boss agree to no more sex. They agree.

Joey is now on set everyday, coaching Zac while he shoots his latest action movie. He looks like a character in Kingdom Hearts, as he monologues on a snowy outcropping in front of a bluescreen.

If you think that Zac and Nicole will stay away from each other, you are wrong. Before you know it, they are ordering Thai takeout from Nicole’s place. Just what anyone wants to see when they get home from work; the boss they just saw, now in the kitchen with mom.

Zac and Nicole have a requisite meaningful conversation, then they’re off to Zac’s beach house. They walk along the beach together, laugh on the deck together. And, most importantly, Nicole goes through a rotation of wearing fabulous sweaters. I couldn’t tell if the video montage took place over a day or a long weekend, but Zac gets in on the action too. He shows off his pricey sweaters at a ratio of three of Nicole’s sweater changes to one of his.

Joey tries to be understanding, but her rage builds. I thought A Family Affair might turn into a horror movie, with Joey issuing one last ultimatum to her boss and her mom. I do agree with her that this is an ungodly union that no grown child should be subjected to.

I couldn’t help but compare this flick to a rom com that appeared on the scene/screen recently: The Idea of You. Likewise, the movie featured a hot older woman, Anne Hathaway, and a hot younger man, Nicholas Galitzine. Long story, short: the acting is fine in both movies, but the chemistry? Gotta give it to the couple in The Idea of You. However, Anne wins the hair prize: all long, lush Princess Kate locks versus Nicole’s brittle-looking creamsicle orange hair.

One thing Anne & Nicholas had in their movie, was chemistry. And, although Nicole is an excellent actor, she doesn’t seem to be into Zac. Maybe her love for husband Keith Urban prevents her from connecting with Zac’s character. Zac, on the other hand, looks swept away with his feelings for Nicole. He’s come a long way since High School Musical.

Ultimately, A Family Affair (dull title), is a humdrum story with a few laughs. But one could do worse than spending part of a night with Joey, Nicole and Zac. Then you can get online and look over the speculation about Hollywood stars and their did-they or didn’t-they cosmetic procedures.

P.S.  Check out The Idea of You Movie Loon review.

Movie Loon Movie Review Shortcut:

Grade:   C

Cut to the Chase: Cute, but thin. A good showcase for Joey King.

Humor Highlight:  How Joey’s character’s grandma (Kathy Bates) is always available for wise advice and saucy quips.