‘My Family Affair’ Movie Recap & Ending Explained: Did Chris And Brooke Reconcile As A Couple?

Romantic comedies have been in vogue for many decades. Every other week, there is a romantic drama or comedy that releases with the same template: a boy meets a girl, the couple faces obstacles, then eventually finds their way back to each other. My Family Affair is the latest addition to the romantic comedy genre and boasts an amazing cast. Nicole Kidman, Zac Effron, Joey King, and Kathy Bates star in the new Netflix original film about two people meeting and falling in love.

Spoilers Ahead

How did Zara know the superstar, Chris Cole?

Hollywood superstar Chris Cole was known for his superhero franchise films. His assistant, Zara, had been by his side for years. Chris was waiting for her at a restaurant in Los Angeles as he was conversing with his current girlfriend. Zara rushes to the same restaurant, beating the peak traffic, realizing she could get fired if the box of jewelry does not reach her boss. She passes forward the jewelry box that contains a pair of diamond earrings, which he then offers to his girlfriend as a breakup gift. Chris, on the way back, claims to have no time for a relationship as his third film in the franchise was about to start and he had to focus on it. Chris was a typical self-obsessed star who refused to work out of his comfort zone despite Zara asking him to consider off-beat screenplays. His biggest concern was to get better writers for the sequel, and Zara was looking for one in the hope she could be an executive producer with his production company someday.

Why did Zara quit her job with Chris?

Zara could not handle the unnecessary work pressure that came with carrying out his errands. The young girl felt her work was unacknowledged, and after years of being threatened by Chris with losing her job and having to write apology letters like a schoolgirl, Zara quit working for him. Initially, Chris had a meltdown over her leaving, as she was the only person he trusted. Zara quit because Chris never took her opinion seriously, and she was supposed to be working as a producer with his company by now, as per his promise while hiring her. Chris did not offer her the post of executive producer citing Zara’s lack of experience. He only wanted her around as his assistant. This falling out led to Zara having to look for another job and face her mother. 

What was Zara’s relationship with her mother, Brooke, like?

Zara was raised by a single mother, Brooke, who was a famous published author. She had lost her husband to a terminal illness many years ago, and ever since, she’d raised her daughter all by herself. However, Brooke was keen on publishing her new book, and her mentor and mother-in-law, Leila, was encouraging her to get going. She had kept herself busy writing for Vogue, and in return, she received clothes from them that she never wore. Zara and Brooke were close to each other as mother and child, yet they had their differences when it came to their career choices. Brooke’s career took a step back after the birth of her child and the passing of her husband. Zara believed her mother had strong opinions about her life choices in her eyes which included losing interest in any job she took up. 

How did Brooke and Chris meet?

A few days after Zara quit her job, Chris began to miss her. In the hope of giving her the job back, he visits her home, only to run into Brooke. Both have an instant connection when they talk about their past and the shared trauma of losing a loved one many years ago. They were drinking alcohol while conversing, and as one thing led to another, Chris and Brooke kissed and began to get intimate with each other, which was completely unexpected for both. Brooke was sixteen years older than Chris, and it was unlike them to be with someone who was the opposite of their nature. 

Was Zara okay with the relationship between her boss and her mother?

Zara was out with her friend, taking care of errands and contemplating her life choices by comparing herself to her mother. Her grandmother advised her to chart her own path instead of looking at her mother and feeling incompetent. On reaching home, Zara was astounded to find Chris and Brooke together in her mother’s bed, and the sight put her off her rhythm. As Brooke and Zara were discussing her having Chris as her potential boyfriend, the daughter didn’t have a kind word to say about the man, as she had watched him operate with women in close quarters. Brooke had been sensitive ever since she lost her husband, and Zara would not want a heartbreaker to swoop in and create chaos in her mother’s life. Zara was not keen on seeing them as a couple, but she learned his reason for visiting her was to offer her the position of associate producer on his movie. Zara reluctantly took up the job only for the money. 

Who invited Chris for Christmas dinner?

Zara was not exactly excited to find out her mother and Chris had begun to date, with him even taking her to a charity event. The couple initially were radio silent about their dating life because they liked each other’s company. However, Zara was unhappy to find her mother working making changes in the screenplay as she was looking for another writer. This was a betrayal of her trust, as Chris and Brooke never took her feelings into consideration. This led to a fight between the mother and the daughter, and Chris chooses to step away as it had become too complicated, especially for Zara. Zara was surprised to hear her grandmother speaking in favor of Brooke. As a woman, she advised her granddaughter to treat her as a woman and not as a parent. Leila reminded Zara that her mother had lived more than half of her life without a partner, and now that she had the chance to have a future with a person who made her happy and secure, Zara as a woman should be supportive. Leila invited Chris over for Christmas after her conversation with Brooke and Zara, and she wanted to set things right for her widowed daughter-in-law and her new potential boyfriend. 

What did Zara notice in Chris’ luggage?

Chris was more than happy to be spending Christmas with Brooke, Zara, and their small family. Zara was open to the idea of having Chris as a permanent member of the family. She also noticed Brooke was indeed happy with him and witnessed a different side of them. On their way back to the city, Zara noticed the same small red jewelry box that had the infamous pair of diamond earrings. Since Zara was aware of Chris’ breakup routine, it was startling for her to find out he was considering breaking up with her mother. On reaching back home, Zara confronted Chris in front of Brooke and wanted to discuss why he was carrying the red jewelry box. Brooke was upset at the revelations and the fact that Chris was probably not serious about her, and it broke her heart. However, she also admonished her daughter about handling the situation more delicately, sans all drama. Chris tried to explain his predicament and situation, but all of his pleas about wanting to stay in the relationship went unheard as Zara knew way too much about her boss.

Were Chris and Brooke moving on?

Chris and Brooke broke up, and it was a hard time for the two of them. Zara moved out of her home and began to live with her best friend. There was a lull period in which none of them spoke to the other except Brooke and Zara on New Year’s Eve. A while later, Zara was still working with Chris as a producer, and both had conversations about what went wrong. Chris acknowledges Zara’s role in making his life easy. He also admits to having fallen for Brooke, and says he has not felt complete and comfortable in a long while. Chris acknowledges the fear Zara had and admits the earrings were meant as a breakup gift, but he changed his mind and got Brooke another gift as a Christmas present that would be meaningful. This meant Chris was willing to step out of his comfort zone and make himself comfortable and vulnerable around Brooke. Zara was amazed to find Chris having feelings for people besides himself, and she accepted his explanation. Brooke, however, was moving on, as she had planned to join Princeton University as a faculty member. Zara tried to understand her mindset about the breakup, but her mother was clear about wanting to move ahead and not worry about Chris at all. Brooke had faced a bigger tragedy in her life, which was why moving on from Chris was not hard, but Zara was quick to pick up the tinge of pain her mother experienced in her heartbreak. 

Did Chris and Brooke reconcile as a couple?

Chris had mentioned to Zara his reluctance to visit a supermarket just out of fear of being mobbed by people. To help him get over the fear, Zara took him to the supermarket she was a regular at. Zara was slowly becoming a positive influence on Chris, who was getting over his inhibitions caused by his stardom. Chris certainly liked the attention; his fear of becoming obsolete and irrelevant would become a reality if he visited a regular place like a supermarket and found that no one would recognize him. Zara was there to help him through a situation such as this. He was a self-centered man, but slowly he was willing to accept that it was a major flaw. 

Meanwhile, Leila dropped Brooke off at the same supermarket, and it was obvious at this point that Leila and Zara had orchestrated a meeting between the two to make it look like an accidental run-in. Chris and Brooke did run into each other, and the latter knew this was a setup for the two to meet and have a conversation. This was probably Zara’s idea, as she had heard each version of what the relationship meant for them. She took advantage of the proximity she had to her mother and Chris to make them come together and talk about their feelings. Zara admitted to having made mistakes but wanted her mother to be happy. Zara could understand that her mother had given up a lot ever since her father passed. She never wanted Brooke to put a hold on the whirlwind romance Chris could guarantee during their relationship. 

Chris and Brooke, however, have their deep conversations about the way they feel about each other in the middle of the vegetable section of the supermarket. It was easy to notice they both loved each other and were willing to take the leap of faith despite their age differences and him being Zara’s boss. Both were willing to work on it for the sake of love they had not felt in years for any other person. The movie ends with Zara trying her hand at production by giving the final kiss a typical rom-com treatment by showering water to make it look like rain. 

Zara was not sure if she was any good, but her work would help her get there. The last scene involves Zara working with Chris at his production company. It was assumed he and Brooke were still together as he made an inappropriate joke about his mother without realizing he was conversing with Zara. This indicates Chris was indeed a womanizer before, but he has been trying to change his habits ever since Brooke became a part of his life.