Summary
Nicole Kidman and Zac Efron’s new Netflix romantic-comedyA Family Affairgets a Rotten Tomatoes score. 2012’s dark Lee Daniels crime dramaThe Paperboystarred Kidman as a woman in love with an incarcerated man (John Cusack), who herself becomes an object of infatuation for Efron’s character, the troubled younger brother of a reporter (Matthew McConaughey).Kidman and Efron’s newest movie strikes a much lighter note, pairing them for a rom-com about a shallow Hollywood star (Efron) having an affair with his assistant’s mother (Kidman).
The Paperboybombed in 2012, and Kidman and Efron’s try at 2024 redemption isn’t going much better, asA Family Affairdebuts to a poor 53% fresh rating onRotten Tomatoes. With only 19 reviews tabulated at the time of this publishing, the movie could still end up with a better rating.
How A Family Affair’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Compares To The Paperboy
ThoughA Family Affairhas debuted with a less-than-fresh Rotten Tomatoes score, it still beats out Kidman and Efron’s prior teaming, according to the review aggregator. The duo’s currentNetflixrelease could still rise from its 53% fresh rating, but even if it continues to sag, it would have to slip significantly to fall belowThe Paperboy, which currently sits at 45% fresh. The audience rating for the 2012 film is at 33%, which is exactly whereA Family Affairsits with its own audience rating (though less than 50 reviews have been posted).
45%
33%
$3.78 million
53%
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A Family AffairandThe Paperboymay share two big stars in common, but the movies could not be more different. The 2012 film was a melodrama in the vein of classic, steamy crime movies likeCape Fear, while the 2024 release is a decidedly breezy rom-com of the type Netflix seems to mass produce.
A Family Affairwas supposed to be released in November 2023, but was delayed due to the strikes
If the two films truly have something that binds them together, it’s that both to some degree bank on Kidman and Efron’s chemistry as an unlikely pairing.The Paperboywas about a lot more than the Kidman-Efron relationship, of course, but Efron’s infatuation with Kidman was a big part of the movie’s plot.A Family Affairhas a third major character in Joey King’s Zara, but the movie’s big selling-point is the Kidman-Efron relationship. It seems the duo have struck out twice now as a movie team, thoughA Family Affaircould catch on in the long-run.
A Family Affair
Cast
A young woman discovers her mother is having an affair with her boss, complicating her professional and personal life. As she navigates the emotional fallout, unexpected relationships and family secrets come to light. The film delves into the complexities of love, loyalty, and the ties that bind, offering a blend of drama and comedy as the characters confront their intertwined fates.
