A new starry film on Netflix with an A-list cast and high hopes surrounding it has been met with poor initial reactions, even being slated as a ‘laundry film’.
Nicole Kidman, 57, and Zac Efron, 36, have reunited onscreen once more for rom-com A Family Affair, which has hyped up its steamy age-gap romantic scenes in publicity.
The movie, which also stars Oscar-winner Kathy Bates and Joey King, follows obnoxious film star Chris Cole (The Iron Claw’s Efron), who gets involved with his put-upon assistant Zara (King)’s mother, played by Kidman, obviously leaving her less than impressed.
A Family Affair hit Netflix today (Friday June 28), with reviews embargoed until just hours before its wide release on the streaming platform – and sadly neither critics nor early viewers have been especially kind.
The film is currently rated as ‘rotten’ in both the eyes of professionals and fans on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, with 19 critics contributing to its 53% score on the Tomatometer, while the audience score is only on 50%.
It’s been described as ‘awkward’, ‘less than amusing’ and ‘by-the-numbers’.
Nate Adams of The Only Critic cuttingly described A Family Affair as ‘a ‘laundry’ movie’, explaining it’s ‘the type of low-stakes, minimal investment comedy where you can just do chores around the house and fold laundry and not worry about missing anything of importance’.
So not exactly glowing praise, even if there were positive aspects.
Meanwhile, The Wrap commented: ‘It’s almost worth watching for Zac Efron and Nicole Kidman’s magnetism alone. If by ‘almost’ you mean ‘not really.’’
The Wall Street Journal was also left confused, commenting: ‘As a parody of Hollywood excess and narcissism it is frequently laugh-out-loud; as a wannabe Hallmark Channel holiday movie – a segue that is nothing short of baffling – it is less than amusing.’
For The Independent, A Family Affair came across like ‘a heavily-medicated The Idea of You’, with the outlet referencing perceived similarities in its plot with the Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine rival film on Prime Video in its two-star takedown.
Fans were also sharing their thoughts on social media.
‘I’m halfway through watching A Family Affair and this movie is soo bad. Cannot believe Nicole Kidman agreed to do this,’ posted @notyazterz on X, observing that it was ‘not soo bad in a way that you’ll continue to hate watch it, it’s actually so hard to finish’.
‘Also Zac Efron’s acting is not it :(.’
‘Enough time has passed. the idea of you >> a family affair,’ added @m_ensaturno.
However, not everyone was against the film, with Ruchi Kokcha writing: ‘A Family Affair is such a cute feel good movie. Nicole Kidman looks ravishing.’
Other critics also praised the ‘hilarious chemistry between King and Efron’ and found the movie ‘light, fluffy and charming’.
A Family Affair is streaming on Netflix now.
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