I have SO many thoughts about this movie. Watching it as a mother I think really influenced how I felt about this film, so I’m not sure what other young adults without children will think (though, I’m eagerly awaiting my sister’s opinion on the movie because I loved it that much!). 

At first glance, I really thought this would be a cheesy B movie (and to some, it might be still), but after about halfway through the movie, I found that it touched me in a way that I didn’t think it would. While the first half of the movie was still okay, the second half is really where it shines. 

Our main characters are Zara (Joey King), the assistant to Chris and Brooke’s daughter, Brooke (Nicole Kidman), who is a writer and Leila’s (Kathy Bates) daughter-in-law, and Chris (Zac Efron), the movie superstar who falls in love with Brooke. That’s just a short, hopefully effective, description of our three main players in this movie.

Let me tell you, Nicole Kidman blew me away. She was adorable as Zara’s mom and watching her fall in love was beautiful. A lot of this movie focuses on Brooke’s ability to feel again after only caring what her daughter feelings are. As a mother, you really lose a lot of your identity for your children. Seeing that whole theme play out in a movie and how Brooke deserves to be able to be herself and feel swept away really made this movie shine in my eyes. Not only that, but the family dynamic between Brooke and her mother-in-law was so heartwarming that it almost made me cry. We need more relationships like that with mothers-in-law onscreen!!! Some mothers-in-law are completely amazing (I know mine is) and we don’t get to see that enough. Also, who doesn’t love Kathy Bates??

Zara, I’m not gonna lie, is pretty annoying throughout the whole movie, but I grew to love her towards the end once she’s had her huge character shift. I’m at a different point in my life than Zara, so I really couldn’t relate to Joey King’s character as much as I think as intended. 

With Chris, Zac Efron really was such a charmer. He and Nicole Kidman had so much chemistry and were this ooey gooey ball of romance and cuteness that often made you want to puke because they we so adorable. I think Zac Efron had this boyish (kind of immature but not trying to be) vibe going on that totally made me fall for him. His character grew a lot in this movie and I loved that. 

Overall, this movie focuses more on character than it does on plot, but it was beautiful in a way that it gave everyone someone to relate to. I related to Nicole Kidman’s character because being a mom and trying to also be yourself is honestly so tough. Truly, though, I loved this movie. One of the better Netflix movies I’ve seen for sure. 

(P.S. [Small spoiler alert] As a writer, I legitimately DIED when Chris gave Brooke the anthology of all of her work. Literally the best gift ever.)

Where to Watch: Netflix