Entertainment
New Netflix film with A-list cast slammed for ‘copying’ rival’s recent hit-Tori Brazier-Entertainment – Metro
The starry movie comes out later this month.
![New Netflix film with A-list cast slammed for ‘copying’ rival’s recent hit-Tori Brazier-Entertainment – Metro](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/SEI_201974127-16bf.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=1024)
Streaming platform Netflix’s latest film has come in for some criticism after its trailer dropped (Picture: Netflix)
Netflix has released the trailer for its latest original film, stuffed full with A-list actors, but it’s attracted the ire of fans who claim it’s suspiciously similar to another recent movie on streaming rival Amazon Prime.
A Family Affair stars Zac Efron, Nicole Kidman and Kathy Bates, and promises a steamy age-gap romance with plenty of laughs.
The official synopsis reads: ‘A surprising romance kicks off comic consequences for a young woman, her mother and her movie star boss as they face the complications of love, sex, and identity.’
The Iron Claw star Efron, 36, plays obnoxious movie star Chris Cole, who gets involved with his put-upon assistant Zara’s mother, played by 56-year-old Nicole Kidman.
Obviously, Zara (Joey King) is less than impressed at this turn of events, fuming in the trailer: ‘After two years of being his assistant, I know him very well. He’s self-absorbed and selfish.’
While the film’s spicy scenes between its two stars are sure to make headlines, it’s been accused of being just another version of Prime Video’s The Idea of You.
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A Family Affair stars Nicole Kidman as the mum of Zara (Joey King, C), who starts an affair with her daughter’s obnoxious boss, played by Zac Efron (Picture: Netflix)
That recently released film on Netflix’s rival focused on the affair between a 24-year-old boyband singer (Nicholas Galitzine) and a 40-year-old single mother (Anne Hathaway), which she puts on hold for the sake of her daughter – who was also a big fan of his group when she was younger.
‘Wasn’t Anne Hathaway just in this movie?’ asked fan Kel as they reacted to the first look at A Family Affair.
‘The Idea of You and A Family Affair both [are] coming out this year,’ observed Courtney Myrden A the trailer released, adding: ‘I just find myself suspicious of Hollywood giving us two older woman/younger man romcoms at the same time.
‘I’m ALWAYS suspicious when it looks like they’re suddenly subverting old and baked-in formulas.’
Rick G. Rosner then tweeted: ‘Hey ChatGPT – I need 800 words on how A Family Affair is the same dang movie as The Idea of You. Not that that’s a bad thing.’
Some fans have criticised it for appearing similar to Prime Video’s The Idea of You, with Nicholas Galitzine and Anne Hathaway also playing lovers with an age gap (Picture: Prime Video)
However, others rubbished the claims that the films were too similar, just because they featured age gap romances with an older woman.
‘Bro there is no way they knew about each other’s movies and it’s a completely different premise,’ insisted @elithebomberx3798 on YouTube.
‘Nobody copied but it has similar vibes,’ observed @kincyy, while @delrey wasn’t a fan of the competition anyway.
‘Well, this looks a little better than The Idea of You. That movie was a cringe fest,’ they commented.
Others also pointed out that A Family Affair had its release delayed to after The Idea of You’s May 2 streaming release due to the 2023 Sag-Aftra actors’ strike, which pushed it from the original planned date of November 17, 2023.
‘They started filming this movie BEFORE the idea of you and it was supposed to be released in late 2023,’ posted @dashithedoberman.
Kidman, 56, and Efron, 36, engage in some pretty steamy scenes (Picture: Netflix)
However, others defended the movie from accusations of ‘copying’ (Picture: Aaron Epstein/Netflix)
It’s also worth pointing out that the tone of both films is different, with The Idea of You leaning more towards a sweet and yearning romance with the odd laugh, while the trailer for A Family Affair suggests a much broader comedy take.
From King’s slapstick hitting her head on the doorframe in disgust over discovering her mother and boss in bed together to Efron complaining about only having two of his ‘one of a kind’ shahtoosh (wool from a rare Tibetan antelope) and referring to his Teen Choice Award, it’s not quite the same vibe.
Efron previously opened up about the movie’s racy scenes, admitting that he was rather nervous to star opposite Hollywood heavyweight Kidman once again.
The pair previously shared the screen in 2012’s The Paperboy – where their characters were also intimate and Kidman memorably urinates on him – but that was a gritty drama, about a reporter who returns to his Florida hometown to investigate the case of a death row inmate.
A Family Affair is the second time Kidman and Efron have worked together onscreen, but this time it’s for a comedy (Picture: Netflix)
Speaking to People Magazine, the actor described their chemistry onscreen as ‘seamless, natural and fun’.
‘I was still a bit apprehensive but reuniting with Nicole is always so great and as talented as she is an actress, she is equally kind, caring and wonderful to spend time with,’ he praised.
A Family Affair releases on Netflix on June 28. The Idea of You is streaming on Prime now.
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