Stop Watching A Family Affair, Nicole Kidman’s 90s Romcom Is So Much Better
Although it presents an affair that isn't a family one, it’s much more convincing.
These days, Netflix ’s top is dominated by Nicole Kidman and Zac Efron ’s romcom about a movie star who falls for his assistant’s mother. It is now criticized for being generic and too inconsistent, and it’s reflected in its shameful score of 39% on Rotten Tomatoes.
More than 30 years ago, when Kidman was only rising to fame, she starred in a 96%-rated romantic flick that was clearly overshadowed by her later movies. However, it’s still worth a try, and it’d be certainly curious to see what start the actress had.
The plot of this film revolves around Danny, who is sent by his parents to attend an all-male boarding school. Luckily, an all-female prep school is located nearby, so the year promises to be not as boring as it could be.
Eventually, Danny falls for one of the wittiest girls of the campus, Thandiwe, who comes from Uganda and tries to make it through racial prejudice. Their love story is threatened to be ruined, but it is the school’s prefect Nicola (played by Kidman) who helps them.
This flick combines elements of comedy, drama, romantic tales and, besides, coming-of-age movie anthems, just like the cultish drama Dead Poets Society (1989).
These films share a boarding school setting and have charming characters who help their younger friends, if we take Kidman’s Nicola and Williams’ John Keating into account. They both explore the themes of teenage rebels and struggles of growing up.
It’s also remarkable that this comedy is based on the director John Duigan’s own experience of studying at a boarding school. That’s why the film’s humor feels so relatable, while its drama aspect will touch the heart strings of every romcoms’ hater.
Titled Flirting, this must-see flick stars Noah Taylor (Game of Thrones, Peaky Blinders ) and Thandie Newton (Westworld ) as Danny and Thandiwe and, of course, Kidman, before these brilliant actors made their successful transitions to Hollywood.
“My favorite growing up. Elicits an entire era, and an other world. Great lines. Complex characters,” concludes one Redditor about this hidden treasure of a movie.
Therefore, if you want to watch a movie with our favorite Nicole Kidman that would be better than A Family Affair, you shouldn’t miss Flirting, as it’s now available on Prime.