I thought that was Sean Penn.

Because of all the jpeg that’s in it now instead of film noise.

I’d say it’s because they’re rich and lived in a mid century modern home, which is a fairly mainstream style today. MCM style is now being used in “cookie cutter” new construction. For example, the sconce looks like something I could buy at home depot. The home has very clean lines, is unadorned, and well manicured which are hallmarks of the style.

Also, the dad is dressed in a throwback 1920s style suit and hair. This contrast of “prohibition era” fashion and MCM design makes it more difficult to date. We see a lot of design mashups in today’s world, but it was less common in past decades, so that may be adding to the illusion imo.

For some reason his expression seems more modern to me. It’s like he’s a looking at the camera to tell us we’re probably wondering how he got here, but it’s so beyond the days of Ferris Bueller, which is itself decades beyond how this picture feels, that the subject doesn’t even need to say the line. They know we know they’re looking straight into the camera, that the 4th wall is dead. That feels postmodern to me and therefore contemporary.

This just looks like an old picture to me

Because his dad has a bitchen hairdo!

the thing that stands out to me is that he’s acknowledging the camera. feels more intimate and like we know them