LizaKoshy – Credits Rolling

In Netflix’s newest romantic comedy offering, Zara Ford (Joey King) works for movie superstar Chris Cole (Zac Efron) who is the worst boss ever. By a twist of fate, Chris strikes up a relationship with Zara’s mother Brooke (Nicole Kidman).

This is not the first time we’ve seen a relationship blossom between an older woman and a younger man. I liked how this time around the age factor wasn’t the focal point of the story. Instead the audience is invited into the worlds of these characters as they embark on a journey of self discovery. Of course some hijinks ensue. There are some laugh out loud moments and one in particular that had my husband reaching for the remote to rewind it and watch it again.

At the core is a heartfelt story about finding yourself and growing up. Sure Chris and Brooke form the central romance, but I really liked the depiction of the mother daughter relationship between Zara and Brooke and that of Brooke and her mother in law Leila (Kathy Bates). It really helped tie it all together for me.

The cast was what definitely made the film. King, although a bit whiny at times, was relatable as the lead. Efron proves he’s still a heartthrob and Kidman is as lovely and beautiful as ever. At first I didn’t buy their chemistry, but I have to say that it did eventually win me over. The fact that they got Bates for the grandmother was genius and we can’t leave out the supporting cast of Liza Koshy and Sherry Cola as Zara friends Eugenie and Stella.

Overall, A Family Affair may not add anything new to the genre, but it is a perfectly fine flick with something everyone can enjoy. Thanks to the star studded cast and the emotional material it left me feeling satisfied.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️

In Netflix’s latest rom-com venture, Mack (Gina Rodriguez) is a sportswriter who has been making hook up plays with her best friend Adam (Damon Wayans Jr.) and their crew (Augustus Prew, Joel Courtney and Liza Koshy) for years. When she unexpectedly falls for hotshot reporter Nick (Tom Ellis), her plans are thwarted, and she is forced to rethink everything she thought she knew about the games she crafted.

Players looked like a cute film from its trailer. The cast is great with the likes of Rodriguez, who is not only stunning but full of charisma, Wayans Jr. who has great comedic chops and the delectable Ellis fresh off his run from the streaming platform’s Lucifer. But as I settled in and the story progressed, the excitement soon disintegrated.

The chemistry between the core group of friends was playful and fun. I enjoyed the various plays they made at the beginning, like the fishing one. The tone changed, however, when Mack started pursuing Nick. The lead up was entertaining and then the cracks started to show. Nick turned out to be a pretty awful person and it was hard to watch the scenes they shared together.

In fact, the main problem I had with this movie was in its characters. It is obvious from the get go that Adam has always held a torch for Mack, but we’re grasping at straws trying to piece together their history. And then there is Mack who is clearly running away from her true feelings. She makes a lot of questionable decisions which made it hard to root for her. Perhaps having some flashbacks with her and her parents showing their strong bond would have made me understand why she was so closed off in relationships.

Overall, Players could have been a home run, but instead it never really got off the ground. Had the characters been reworked slightly with more fleshed out backstories, it would have been more compelling and well rounded. I also would have cared about them more as a result.

Rating: ♥️♥️.5