Writer and Director: Warren Fischer
Edward and Helen operate a country manor house as a ‘silent retreat’, but after months of poor performance, the bank threaten to foreclose on the property. On the same day as the terrible bank news arrives, both Edward and Helen’s parents turn up full of their own angst, there is a public auction at the property, a fortieth wedding anniversary, all while the in-house spiritual ‘guru’ hosts a naked retreat in the background. Unsurprisingly, chaos ensues.
While A Family Affair has the some good foundations to its premise, and uses some elements of the farce genre quite successfully, including mistaken identities, slap stick comedy and comic surprises, it struggles to get the consistent laugh out load moments we would expect.
Farce is dependent on pace and timing, with plot escalation being key. Think of those classic British shows like Fawlty Towers. While this film takes from the genre’s staples with far-fetched misunderstandings and outrageous situations, the dialogue and narrative escalation doesn’t provide the rapid fire lines and plot pace necessary to create the chaotic and out-of-control world the narrative needs.
A farce also depends on strong characters to fuel tension and comedy. While the protagonist Edward is well performed (Joe Wilkinson) the character itself rather anchors the action than drives it. His dialogue is sparse, his responses bewildered. While these may be deliberate writing decisions, the character interactions from the such a core character slow the pace, rather than drive the plot escalation .
While the film has its positive notes – clever setups and decent ensemble acting, the plot devices are predictable, which we might expect, but many also feel dated.
While tending to resurface fairly regularly in live theatre, Farce has gone out of favour over the years in film, largely because they rely so heavily on stereotypes that contemporary filmmaking is moving away from.
Overall, the A Family Affair is a good premise and a solid foundation for a comedy, but the execution has left it a little short. Fans of the genre will definitely enjoy the humorous exchanges between the characters though, and it is sure to entertain those who enjoy an old-school British comedy.
A Family Affair will be available on Digital Download from 20th May.
