Netflix’s rom-com A Family Affair has a similar premise to Prime Video’s The Idea of You, but it did one thing better than Anne Hathaway’s successful rom-com. The genre of rom-com has been going through a resurgence with movies that have captivated the audience and, in some cases, have also won critics over. One that was a hit with critics and general audiences was The Idea of You, directed by Michael Showalter and based on the novel of the same name by Robinne Lee, with Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine as its main actors.
The Idea of You follows Solène (Hathaway), a divorced single mother who, after meeting boy band member Hayes Campbell (Galitzine) at Coachella, begins a relationship with him, despite the age gap and their very different lifestyles. The Idea of You was a huge success for Prime Video, and now Netflix has a rom-com with a similar premise in its catalog: A Family Affair. However, despite the similarities between their stories and characters and their opposite critical reception, Netflix’s movie did one thing better than The Idea of You.
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A Family Affair Explored The Family Dynamic Better Than The Idea Of You
A Family Affair Lived Up To Its Title
Directed by Richard LaGravenese, A Family Affair follows Zara (Joey King), the personal assistant of self-absorbed Hollywood actor Chris Cole (Zac Efron). When Zara quits, Chris goes to her house to offer her a position as assistant producer so she will work for him again, and there he meets Zara’s mother, Brooke (Nicole Kidman). Chris and Brooke hit it off, and after being caught by Zara having sex, they promise they won’t see each other again, but end up starting a relationship behind Zara’s back.
A Family Affair and The Idea of You share the premise of a single mother who gets into a relationship with a celebrity many years younger than them, but the former did something better than the latter: the family dynamic. While the romance between Brooke and Chris is at the center of A Family Affair, the movie takes more time to explore the dynamic between Brooke and Zara and the effect that Brooke’s relationship with Chris has on her relationship with her daughter.
The character of Leila (Kathy Bates), Zara’s grandmother and Brooke’s mother-in-law in A Family Affair, is key to this, as through her the audience learns more about Brooke’s personal struggles with her husband’s passing and the aftermath of it, as well as how Zara is handling her mother’s relationship. A Family Affair focused more on how the relationship between Brooke and Chris affected the former’s family dynamics rather than how the relationship was affected by the guy’s fame, which was a main topic throughout The Idea of You.
The Idea of You didn’t go into Solène’s family dynamic with her daughter until the third act, when the media attention she and Hayes were getting started to affect her daughter, and yet it wasn’t a proper exploration of it like in A Family Affair. The Idea of You focused more on how Hayes’ fame impacted his relationship with Solène and the latter’s lifestyle and routine, and while it worked for the movie, it lacked more depth in Solène’s other personal relationships.
A Family Affair Is More Believable Than The Idea Of You
A Family Affair’s “Meet Cute” Is Much Better
As good as The Idea of You is, it isn’t a believable story. Solène meeting Hayes so casually at Coachella, their second meeting during the meet-and-greet (in which they spent too much time talking when, in reality, fans barely have time to say “hello” to the artists and take a photo with them at these events), Hayes dedicating a song to her at the concert, and him showing up at her gallery all work in the world of romantic movies but aren’t believable at all. A Family Affair, on the other hand, made the start of Brooke and Chris’ relationship a lot more believable.
Zara having a direct link to Chris as his assistant and Chris showing up at her house to convince her to work for him again are easier to believe than using the wrong bathroom at the Coachella’s VIP lounge and meeting again shortly after in a meet-and-greet. This also makes it easier for the audience to care about Brooke and Chris’ connection, and makes their brief breakup more relatable than Solène and Hayes’.
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Why The Idea Of You Ranks Higher Than A Family Affair
The Idea of You Was Better Received By Critics
Despite all this, The Idea of You is still ranked higher and is regarded as a better rom-com than A Family Affair. The Idea of You has an 81% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics calling Hathaway’s performance and charm as the movie’s biggest strength, along with Showalter’s direction. Critics also praised the script of The Idea of You for not being superficial, which would have been an easy mistake to make given its themes.
A Family Affair, on the other hand, has a 42% critics score, with some pointing out a lack of chemistry between Kidman and Efron – and, interestingly enough, others praising their chemistry. Critics also didn’t like the combination of comedy and drama in A Family Affair, and found the script to be weak and uneven. Ultimately, A Family Affair and The Idea of You are two different takes on the same premise, and each one has its strengths and flaws.
A Family Affair (2024)
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.
The Idea of You (2024)
Based on the acclaimed, contemporary love story of the same name, The Idea of You centers on Solène (Anne Hathaway), a 40-year-old single mom who begins an unexpected romance with 24-year-old Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine), the lead singer of August Moon, the hottest boy band on the planet. When Solène must step in to chaperone her teenage daughter’s trip to the Coachella Music Festival after her ex bails at the last minute, she has a chance encounter with Hayes and there is an instant, undeniable spark. As they begin a whirlwind romance, it isn’t long before Hayes’ superstar status poses unavoidable challenges to their relationship, and Solène soon discovers that life in the glare of his spotlight might be more than she bargained for.
