Leandro Hassum
Fernandinho
A Vampire in the Family
“Sometimes family can suck you dry.”
2023
1h 30m
Director: Ale McHaddo
Overview
Fernandinho is a family man, former football player and a current podcast commentator that is surprised by the visit of his inconvenient brother-in-law, Gregorio, who discovers to be lazy and literally a bloodsucker - a vampire.
Cast
12 people
Reviews
5 min readThe Vampire Next Door: When Family Comedy Sucks (Literally)
I’ll admit it: I went into A Vampire in the Family expecting a breezy, late-night Netflix laugh. A Brazilian comedy about a former soccer star whose brother-in-law turns out to be a vampire? The premise alone had the makings of a goofy, disposable romp—something to watch with a bowl of popcorn and zero expectations.
But what I got instead was a film that feels like it’s shouting at me for 90 minutes straight. Not in a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat way. More like the way my uncle talks over everyone at Christmas dinner, convinced his jokes are funnier than they actually are.
The film’s opening sets the tone immediately. Fernandinho (Leandro Hassum), a washed-up ex-footballer turned podcast pundit, is hosting a family gathering when his brother-in-law Gregório (Rômulo Arantes Neto) shows up unannounced. Within minutes, Gregório’s odd behavior—sleeping all day, avoiding sunlight, and hissing at garlic—tips Fernandinho off that something’s not right.
The reveal that Gregório is, in fact, a vampire should be the moment the comedy takes flight. Instead, it’s the moment the film’s engine sputters. The jokes here are broad to the point of exhaustion: slapstick falls, exaggerated gasps, and a running gag about vampires not being able to be tagged on social media.
It’s the kind of humor that feels like it was written for a live studio audience, where the sound of canned laughter would at least give you permission to chuckle along.
What’s frustrating is that the premise has potential. A vampire in the family is a great metaphor for the way certain relatives overstay their welcome, drain your energy, and refuse to adapt to modern life. There’s a kernel of something interesting in the idea of a supernatural being forcing a family to confront their own dysfunctions.
But the film never digs into that. Instead, it settles for a series of increasingly loud and chaotic set pieces, as if volume alone could compensate for wit. The climax, which involves a Vasco da Gama soccer jersey (a nod to Brazil’s soccer culture that might resonate with local audiences), is the closest the film comes to a moment of genuine charm.
Full Plot (Spoilers)
Spoiler warning
This section contains the full plot, including major story reveals. Overview above stays spoiler-free.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsBehind the Laughs: The Making of A Vampire in the Family
Brazilian comedy A Vampire in the Family (2023) injects fresh blood into the undead genre with a mix of slapstick and family dynamics. latestnetflix.com's view is that Directed by Ale McHaddo—known for his lighthearted rom-coms like Amor Sem Medida 
—the film leans on the star power of Leandro Hassum, Brazil’s reigning comedy king, to anchor its supernatural shenanigans.But how did this vampire farce come together? Here’s what we know (and what’s still under wraps).
A Familiar Face for the Undead
Leandro Hassum, the film’s leading man, has built a career on playing lovable goofballs, and A Vampire in the Family is no exception. While the evidence doesn’t spell out his role, Hassum’s knack for physical comedy likely makes him the perfect foil for the film’s fanged interloper. His chemistry with co-star Rômulo Arantes Neto (who plays his brother-in-law-turned-vampire) is rumored to be the film’s secret sauce, though details about their dynamic remain scarce .
The rest of the cast reads like a who’s-who of Brazilian entertainment. Edson Celulari, a veteran of telenovelas, and Monique Alfradique, a rising star in comedy, round out the family unit, while Mel Maia—best known for her dramatic roles—takes a sharp turn into humor. The inclusion of soccer legend Zico as himself adds a meta twist, though his screen time is unconfirmed .
Tone: Spoof or Heartfelt Comedy?
McHaddo’s filmography suggests A Vampire in the Family won’t take itself too seriously. His previous work, Amor Sem Medida (2021), earned a middling 4.9/10 on SensCritique , but its romantic-comedy DNA might translate well to this supernatural setup. Early reviews (or lack thereof) hint at a mixed reception: the French title Mon beau-frère est un vampire clocks in at 3.9/10 from 66 votes, a score that leans toward "guilty pleasure" rather than critical darling .
The 89-minute runtime—shorter than McHaddo’s usual fare—suggests a brisk, gag-driven pace. Whether the film balances humor with genuine family warmth (a la What We Do in the Shadows meets The Addams Family) or leans into outright farce remains unclear. The Rotten Tomatoes page exists, but scores and reviews are still trickling in .
What’s Missing?
For all its star power, A Vampire in the Family has flown under the radar. No behind-the-scenes clips, on-set mishaps, or director interviews have surfaced in the available evidence. Even basic details—like the vampire’s origin story or how the family reacts to his nocturnal habits—are absent from the snippets. The lack of buzz might stem from its niche appeal (Brazilian comedy with a horror-comedy twist) or simply a quiet release strategy.
One thing’s certain: if the film’s humor lands, it could spawn sequels or spin-offs. McHaddo’s track record with sequels (Amor Sem Medida was a standalone) leaves the door open for a franchise, but for now, A Vampire in the Family is a one-off experiment in undead hilarity.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.