A Family Affair

" I love romcoms, and while this movie is lighthearted and enjoyable for its escapism, with a luxurious seaside setting, beautiful homes, good-looking & successful characters, and a nice soundtrack, the film's characters and improbable romance (they fall in love within minutes with no character build-up!), make this film less believable and not as compelling as "The Idea of You" (another #romcom featuring a big age gap). NEVERTHELESS, it’s still an “okay” movie, but not a blockbuster hit by any means. ⭐️3/5⭐️ "

"Loved this little movie. Just seeing so much of Zac Efron's bare body parts was worth it. 😍 "

"4⭐️ A fun entry into the flipped-script age-difference trope! I’d say I fall somewhere between @miaparker and @carolyn1 on this one. I found it hilarious for maybe the first half. The opening scene in the car seemed to set the stage for a witty satirical take on the romcom, and Zac Efron’s perfectly delivered spoiled-movie-star lines were laugh out loud funny (It’s one of a kind! I only have two of them! 🤣). His chemistry with Joey King was almost shockingly fantastic and he and Nicole were very sweet together. I was hoping the sharp banter would hold up through the inevitable dramatic conflict but unfortunately the pointed comedic elements do drop way off. A few other quibbles: The mother/daughter relationship is more like Joey King’s character is the typical immature 16 year old rather than 24 year old career person she’s meant to be. Is it possible that’s realistic these days?🤷‍♀️ The choices made by Nicole’s character with her don’t seem to be. Lotsa lyin’ that’s all I’ll say. And yes the instalove is a little TOO instant but sometimes insta-attraction CAN be intense so it’s really just a minor quibble for me. If I’m going to make a comparison to The Idea of You I’d say the emotional depth of that movie made it the better one for me. Though I still would have appreciated the comedic approach of this film had it stayed amped up throughout. When all is said and done however, if you don’t expect too much from it, it IS good. Delivers a lot of what I like in a romcom, has an all-star, talented and charismatic cast (let’s not forget the wonderful Kathy Bates!), and is just the light feel-good escape for when that’s needed!"

"If you can tune your vibe to a middle aged white woman then this is an average family melodrama with a fun cast. The writing is so uneven and polar. But there’s also some scenes so well written that every person with a mom should be mandated to watch. Also, I too harshly criticized Nicole Kidman post surgery appearance in Lioness Special Ops. Because whatever she got done definitely worked. I know it’s all lighting but she enchantingly glows in this. "

"I did not realize what this was about until I was already watching it, and so as soon as it was clear that this was Netflix's version of The Idea of You (older sophisticated woman and young celebrity fall for each other), I was kinda annoyed. This movie took a more light and comedic approach to the subject, and I'll admit I got some good laughs from it. However it felt too long and frankly, The Idea of You did it better, from beginning to end. Also, Joey King's character was too over the top for me in her reactions, as if she was talking to everyone in the building and not just the person standing in front of her. 5/10🎬"

"This was an OK movie it kind of picked up at the end. I usually like Joey King‘s movies so I thought I should get this a try but this movie reminded me of the idea of you. It has the same feeling to it "

"Love this! Funny and cute. My only critic is that I don’t think Nicole Kidman was the right fit for her character. "

"Loved this movie! The chemistry between zac and Nicolas was cute and entertaining. The death of complexité of characters are balanced as well. I recommend if you want a little cute funny romcom to watch! Enjoy! #comedy #romcom #romanticomedy #Netflix "

"I don't think I've ever hated a main character more than I do now. At least she has a redeemable arc. I will give her that, but man, did I hate watching this girl do absolutely everything. Whether it was her high & mighty attitude or the way she treated people. She did have her own revelation near the end of the movie, but you can see it coming just by how awful she is towards the people around her. When she's finally being good, she slips back into sucking but only in the worst possible way. I don't want to reveal the storyline by telling you what I mean, but you'll see it as you watch the film. The redeeming parts are every other character. You'll love every single one of them but her, which only makes the big climax all the worse. Still, you'll end up far too invested in every other character to end the movie before its over. It's kind of cute watching them all even though they have a toxic main character around them. She has character progression, it just sucks that she causes so much pain to everybody else in the movie. Now the movie. It's Netflix so it's completely cringey, it throws in some political statements, & is entirely predictable. The love story doesn't explain itself either & it very much prides itself on that. They lean into the theatrical parts of it to make you forget about the problems with it, but we also dont see said problems so maybe its okay. In total, it is very relatable & realistic. I can give it that. The characters & their problems seem real. They also match one another like people would in real life. The family dynamic is sweet & endearing, the friend is one everyone wishes for. Overall, it's something you don't expect with a few giggles here & there. & some awful Zac Efron edited aging thrown in too. To finish off my review, I would love to mention how this main character also can't park either. Which was truly the cherry on top of my hatred for her as that is a huge pet peeve of mine, but it's not the whole of the movie."

"Did it have good comedy? Yes. Was it romantic? Yep. Did it have cheese? Unfortunately. "