10 Best Movies Like Netflix’s A Family Affair

Summary

• Movies that feature age-gap relationships take on many different subjects, but they all deal with the potential fallout from the connection.
• Sabrina and Charade both star Audrey Hepburn in romantic entanglements with complex older men.
• Something’s Gotta Give demonstrates the power of finding love later in life and features a stellar cast of veteran performers.

A Family Affair recently premiered on Netflix, and since its release, it’s been exciting to draw comparisons to the best movies like it in the romance genre. Whether other films of this type are pure rom-coms like A Family Affair or more serious takes on love, the subjects that A Family Affair tackles aren’t foreign to any audience familiar with watching relationships unfold onscreen. It stars Nicole Kidman and Zac Efron as the romantic leads who embark on a whirlwind romance despite their age gap. Additionally, it features Joey King as Kidman’s daughter, who doesn’t approve of the relationship.

When watching
A Family Affair
, it’s easy to see why audiences seek out these types of romances.

Like any good rom-com, A Family Affair doesn’t take itself too seriously and is in conversation with all the preceding works of the genre. There’s a long history of age differences portrayed onscreen in romantic movies. The cast and characters in A Family Affair elevate the story and ensure that the film doesn’t go unnoticed amongst Netflix’s other rom-com offerings. It does this by rounding out its more steamy elements with a heartfelt comment on familial dynamics. When watching A Family Affair, it’s easy to see why audiences seek out these types of romances.

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Related A Family Affair Ending Explained

Zac Efron and Nicole Kidman star in A Family Affair, a Netflix rom-com about one young woman’s mother dating her boss, resulting in much drama.

10 Sabrina (1954)

Directed by Billy Wilder

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Not only is there an age difference between Sabrina and Linus, but the issue of class and money also comes up continually throughout the film.

Sabrina has been remade, but the definitive version is the 1954 iteration starring Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart. What begins as a plot to ensure that Sabrina (Hepburn) doesn’t marry Linus’ (Bogart) playboy younger brother soon blossoms into a romance that neither party could ever see coming. Not only is there an age difference between Sabrina and Linus, but the issue of class and money also comes up continually throughout the film. Linus initially doesn’t want Sabrina to marry into his family because she has a lower social standing and little money.

In many modern rom-coms, money, and class are forgotten about and brushed over to deliver the perfect fantasy where all the characters are opulent and are on equal footing. However, Linus’ ability to overcome his prejudice and see the error of his ways ultimately makes his connection to Sabrina feel real. In A Family Affair​​​​​​, the relationship between Brooke (Kidman) and Chris (Efron) is also complicated by a family member. Zara (King) isn’t romantically interested in Chris, but she has misgivings about the relationship, like in Sabrina.

Sabrina (1954) Romantic ComedyDrama Where to Watch

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Director Billy Wilder Release Date October 15, 1954 Cast Audrey Hepburn , Humphrey Bogart , William Holden

9 Harold And Maude (1971)

Directed by Hal Ashby

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There’s an extreme age gap in Harold and Maude, a film that ruminates on the meaning of life and love and subverts expectations. Harold (Bud Cort) is young but treats the world and his life like it’s already over, obsessing over death and planning for the day his life ends. Conversely, Maude (Ruth Gordon), who’s approaching the final years of her life, lives life to the fullest and enjoys every moment of her existence. Through their relationship, Harold is forever changed and learns to find happiness in the small moments of living, even reveling in the joys he never noticed.

It’s undeniable that Harold and Maude has many moments of darkness. However, these are balanced by the absurdist nature of the film. Using humor to juxtapose the intensity of the characters’ backstories and their life journeys allows Harold and Maude to communicate more complex themes than any other romantic comedy. It’s unlikely that A Family Affair will enjoy the same notoriety and acclaim that Harold and Maude has today, but Harold and Maude is an excellent follow-up to the Netflix film if audiences are looking for something darker and more introspective.

Harold and Maude PGComedyDocumentaryDramaRomance Where to Watch

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Director Hal Ashby Release Date December 20, 1971 Cast Ruth Gordon , Bud Cort , Vivian Pickles , Cyril Cusack , Charles Tyner , Ellen Geer

8 America’s Sweethearts (2001)

Directed by Joe Roth

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The story of
America’s Sweethearts
is influenced directly by the pressures of fame.

The star-studded America’s Sweethearts is one of Julia Roberts’ lesser-known movies. While some parts of the film haven’t aged well, others remain charming, and the performances of Roberts, John Cusack, and Catherine Zeta-Jones are a large part of this. Unlike A Family Affair, the obstacle between the two romantic leads isn’t their age difference. However, the movie is just like A Family Affair in that a close family member is the reason they’re apart. Additionally, the story of America’s Sweethearts is influenced directly by the pressures of fame.

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Fame plays a large role in A Family Affair, as Chris is a movie star, and the media has plenty to say about him and his relationships. In America’s Sweethearts, Kiki (Roberts) is in love with Eddie (Cusack), but it’s her job to get him back together with Gwen (Zeta-Jones), a fellow movie star and Kiki’s sister. The press wants Eddie and Gwen together, but it’s obvious that Kiki and Eddie should be together. Though Gwen is a villain in the film, Zara is important to Brooke, and both women overcome their sense of duty to find what they want.

Watch
America’s Sweethearts
on Max.

7 The Idea Of You (2024)

Directed by Michael Showalter

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It’s hard to count the number of similarities between The Idea of You and A Family Affair as they tread familiar ground on a similar story. Like A Family Affair, The Idea of You sees Solène (Anne Hathaway), a mother looking to reclaim her sexuality and desire. She throws herself into the deep end with a famous singer, Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine). Their relationship takes a toll on Solène and the people in her life because of Hayes’ fame, but it’s important that she experiences this connection as a reminder that she’s still her own person, much like Brooke.

A Family Affair leans more heavily into the comedic elements of its story, and its characters are all older than the subjects of The Idea of You, but the core of the plots are virtually the same. However, A Family Affair is better than The Idea of You because it uplifts the relationship between Brooke and her daughter, Zara. Since Zara is older than Solène’s daughter, Izzy, and is an adult, Brooke’s relationship with Chris is characterized as something that doesn’t hurt Zara so much as make her anxious. Solène makes many romantic decisions so Hayes’ fame doesn’t affect Izzy.

Watch
The Idea of You
on Prime Video.

The Idea of You (2024) RDrama

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. 

Director Michael Showalter Release Date May 2, 2024 Cast Anne Hathaway Nicholas Galitzine , Ella Rubin , Annie Mumolo , Reid Scott , Perry Mattfeld , Jordan Aaron Hall , Mathilda Gianopoulos Runtime 115 Minutes

6 Something’s Gotta Give (2003)

Directed by Nancy Meyers

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While
A Family Affair
and other films with age gaps explore similar themes,
Something’s Gotta Give
twists the story in a uniquely endearing way.

Something’s Gotta Give is in direct conversation with the delicate subject of older men dating exclusively younger women and the implicit sexism that can go hand-in-hand with this tendency. Led by Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson, the movie sees the slow unraveling of Harry’s (Nicholson) aging playboy persona and Erica’s (Keaton) realization that she still gets to fall in love and build new relationships later in life. Though Harry begins the movie with a much younger woman, Erica’s daughter, it ends with two older people creating a life together.

It’s refreshing to see a movie that centers on two older people and treats them both as romantic and desirable beings who have a lot of life left to live. While A Family Affair and other films with age gaps explore similar themes, Something’s Gotta Give twists the story in a uniquely endearing way. Keaton and Nicholson are well-known actors, and they disappear into their roles and approach the story with vulnerability. Unlike some other romance films, Something’s Gotta Give was a huge critical success and has been singled out as one of the best movies of its kind.

Something’s Gotta Give PG-13ComedyRomanceDrama Where to Watch

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Director Nancy Meyers Release Date December 12, 2003 Cast Jack Nicholson , Diane Keaton , Keanu Reeves , Frances McDormand , Amanda Peet , Jon Favreau Runtime 128 Minutes

5 How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998)

Directed by Kevin Rodney Sullivan

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Before Taye Diggs became the iconic he is today, he made his debut in How Stella Got Her Groove Back next to the already incomparable Angela Bassett. Bassett plays Stella, a woman struggling to find personal fulfillment outside of her high-powered career and being a full-time mother. On a spur-of-the-moment trip to Jamaica, she meets Winston (Diggs), a man twenty years younger who she connects with more than anyone she’s ever met. However, the film doesn’t stop with the discussion of their relationship and does an excellent job of making Stella a fully developed, complex character.

Additionally, Winston has his own power and autonomy, communicating to Stella that though he is younger and less experienced, this doesn’t make him any less capable of love and commitment. Their love affair is punctuated by Stella’s personal ups and downs and her anxieties about giving in to love. Like Brooke in A Family Affair, Stella has misgivings about her age and desires but takes the leap to open her heart and see where it leads her. Additionally, the audience feels in both movies that the lives of the women are not completed by their relationships but expanded and joyous.

How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998) RRomanceComedyDrama

Director Kevin Rodney Sullivan Release Date August 14, 1998 Cast Angela Bassett , Taye Diggs , Whoopi Goldberg , Regina King , Suzzanne Douglas , Michael J. Pagan , Sicily Johnson , Richard Lawson

4 Charade (1963)

Directed by Stanley Donen

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Though Grant was much older than Hepburn at the time of filming, aging out of most romantic leading roles, he’s in no way less charming or handsome.

Hepburn plays Regina in another movie featuring an affair with an older man, Peter (Cary Grant), in Charade, almost ten years after she explored familiar territory in Sabrina. However, this time, the romance is accompanied by a thrilling investigation into the murder of Regina’s husband and the search for an enormous amount of treasure. Though Grant was much older than Hepburn at the time of filming, aging out of most romantic leading roles, he’s in no way less charming or handsome. If anything, he became more suave and debonair with age, and his character’s mysterious nature adds to this persona.

When watching movies like A Family Affair today, it’s clear that they’re influenced by classics like Charade, even if there’s no heist to pull off in A Family Affair. However, stars like Hepburn and Grant and their chemistry showcase what modern Hollywood is trying to achieve. Charade is one of Audrey Hepburn’s best movies, and watching it is a reminder of why classic Hollywood rom-coms are so difficult to replicate in the modern era. A Family Affair engages with a new kind of Hollywood legacy and has a modern take on age differences in relationships.

Watch
Charade
on Tubi or Prime Video.

3 Liberal Arts (2012)

Directed by Josh Radnor

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Written by, directed, and starring Josh Radnor, Liberal Arts was a departure for the actor best known for the sitcom How I Met Your Mother. He plays Jesse, a lost man approaching middle age who longs to relive his glory days in college, preventing him from making lasting connections with the people who populate his present life. His life changes when he meets the college student Zibby (Elizabeth Olsen), who, despite being much younger, has a more sage outlook on life. However, it becomes clear that no character in the film knows how to successfully navigate their period of life.

Liberal Arts deals with several generations of people and chronicles Jesse’s difficulty accepting that he’s no longer young but that there is pleasure and joy in growing old. It’s a much more serious, quiet, and contemplative movie than A Family Affair, but is still a fantasy. Jesse walks through the world trying to avoid the harsh realities of his own actions but can only grow when faced with the consequences. Unlike A Family Affair, engaging in these relationships that push the boundaries of age eventually leads the characters to find love with someone in their stage of life.

Liberal Arts PG-13ComedyDocumentaryDramaRomance Where to Watch

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Director Josh Radnor Release Date September 14, 2012 Cast Josh Radnor , Elizabeth Olsen , Richard Jenkins , Allison Janney , Elizabeth Reaser , John Magaro Runtime 97 minutes

2 Set It Up (2018)

Directed by Claire Scanlon

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In some ways, the characters are similar to Zara, as she’s a young professional who wants her boss to be better.

Glen Powell has been having a renaissance in recent years with his work in Hit Man, Top Gun: Maverick, and Anyone But You, but his work as a romantic leading man goes back a long time. In 2018, he starred alongside Zoey Deutch in Set It Up, the charming Netflix rom-com focused on love, ambition, and success. Charlie (Powell) and Harper (Deutch) are passionate about their chosen fields and are climbing the ladder. However, they’re struggling to please their bosses, so they hatch a scheme to set them up, accidentally falling in love along the way.

While there’s no age gap between Harper and Charlie, they still struggle to communicate and make time for each other because they’re so dedicated to their work and determined to advance in their careers. In some ways, the characters are similar to Zara, as she’s a young professional who wants her boss to be better. The bosses in A Family Affair and Set It Up all find romantic connections, but in Set It Up, the younger romance is more surprising. As two of Netflix’s better rom-coms, A Family Affair and Set It Up stand out among the other films available.

Set It Up TV-14ComedyRomance Where to Watch

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Director Claire Scanlon Release Date June 15, 2018 Cast Zoey Deutch , Glen Powell , Lucy Liu , Taye Diggs Runtime 105 Minutes

1 Mother Of The Bride (2024)

Directed by Mark Waters

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In one of Brooke Shields’ best movies from the past few years, she plays Lana, a woman who unexpectedly reconnects with her college sweetheart. Will (Benjamin Bratt) broke things off with Lana without a trace after graduation, and she’s been holding onto that pain and grudge ever since. However, when Lana’s daughter marries Will’s son, they have no choice but to get along and enjoy the festivities. Of course, it doesn’t take long for them both to realize that there’s more of a spark left than they thought.

Like Brooke in A Family Affair, Lana has spent her life giving to others, especially her daughter, and it takes time for her to reconnect with her desires. Lana and her daughter aren’t in as direct conflict, as Emma (Miranda Cosgrove) is invested in her own wedding and relationship. Despite this, they still have a hard time seeing each other as individuals. However, by the end of the film, Lana has opened herself back up to love with someone from her past instead of a younger man from her future.

Mother of the Bride ComedyDramaRomance

Lana’s daughter Emma returns from abroad and drops a bombshell: she’s getting married. In Thailand. In a month! Things only get worse when Lana learns that the man who captured Emma’s heart is the son of the man who broke hers years ago.

Director Mark Waters Release Date May 9, 2024 Cast Brooke Shields , Benjamin Bratt , Miranda Cosgrove , Rachael Harris , Sean Teale , Chad Michael Murray , Michael McDonald , Wilson Cruz Runtime 88 Minutes

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