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A sweet if somewhat inconsequential entry into the annals of English comedy, Warren Fischer’s A Family Affair – no relation to the Nicole Kidman film set for release later in the year – makes the bold move of setting up a farce with tough economic realities and grief at its core. Set in an undisclosed rural location and populated by English television actors, it explores territory which will feel uncomfortably close to home for many viewers, but does so with a warmth and light-heartedness which hints at ways of coping and, perhaps, moving on.

Edward (Joe Wilkinson) has put everything into his dream hotel, a little island of tranquillity which, with the aid of hippy guru Rhys (Colin Hoult), he markets as a spiritual retreat – but whilst they’re running naked yoga sessions in the garden, customers are running to review sites to complain about everything imaginable. His inbox is full.

Stars: Joe Wilkinson, Laura Aikman, Jane Asher | Written and Directed by Warren Fischer

I always like to give British comedy a go because, in amongst plenty of poor shows and films has been a whole lot of great stuff. British comedy often feels a little bit different from many other countries, so with A Family Affair and debut writer and director Warren Fischer, I was hoping for the new British comedy director to take the World by storm. The story goes like this:

“A cash-strapped hotel manager (Joe Wilkinson) is forced to stave off interest from wealthy buyers at a public auction whilst hosting his in-laws on their wedding anniversary.”

I was also glad to see Joe Wilkinson on the cast list, and he does indeed play one of the main roles as Edward. After previously enjoying his work on Him and Her, and Ricky Gervais’ Derek and After Life,...

The film creatively uses space and is well-shot, but lacks a cohesive and engaging narrative. Blatant sexism and lack of character development make it difficult to invest in the story. Pacing issues and too many plotlines prevent the audience from fully enjoying A Family Affair's potential humor.

A Family Affair starts strong, indicating that it's going to be a slapstick comedy subverting the perception of quaint British life. However, what little raunch and quirks there are get lost along the way. In the film, a couple, Edward and Helen, played by Joe Wilkinson and Laura Aikman, face impending doom as their parents descend to spend the weekend amid their hotel going up for auction, since Edward can't pay the bills. Like most comedies, the conflict and story only matter in their ability to create opportunities for laughs. However, there wasn't enough comedy to justify the thin narrative.

4/10 ProsA Family Affair...