Instant Family (2019)

Rating: 9/10
Genre: Comedy
Related Titles: We Brought a Zoo, Daddy's Home, Bad Neighbours
By Leanne Harragan

Pete and Ellie hope to foster a young child, but when they meet three siblings they suddenly go from having no kids to three in one day! They try and figure parenthood out in hopes of becoming a family.

Instant Family is the latest overly family feel-good comedy to grace the big screen, it's completely over processed, overly cheesy and pretty predictable. However, all these things don't take away from how fantastically heartfelt and human this is. I wasn't expecting to be so moved by this film, but with the director Sean Anders basing it, (in part) on his experiences, it feels all the more real. 

Rose Byrne is a great cast as foster mum Ellie, her speech at her family's thanksgiving dinner table is brilliant, the way she shuts every onedown is brilliant. She is always on a roll with her comedic timing (Bridesmaids, Spy, Bad Neighbours I rest my case) and I'm so glad she moved away from horror/thriller films as she is hilarious. Mark Wahlberg (Peter)is well accustomed to playing the role of dad after his recent performances in Daddy's Home and Daddy's Home 2. Wahlberg and Byrne make a great onscreen couple and a fantastic set of parents to three foster kids: Lizzie, Juan and Lita portrayed equally brilliantly by Isabela Moner, Gustavo Quiroz and Julianna Gamiz. If these guys are the some of the future actors then I think the future is bright. Whilst on the subject of cast it's only fair to mention Octavia Spencer, playing one of the foster care support workers, her blunt statements and dry humour providing the often needed comic relief. Also would like to add that the appearance of Joan Cusack in the final moments was bizarre! She's a great actress but her cameo in this film was strange and kind of took away from the emotional scene just a bit. 

There are plenty of great bonding moments between the parents and their kids, one of my highlights is when Pete takes teen Lizzie to blow off steam in the most destructive way possible, it's really fun to watch and provides for a great bonding moment. Similarly Lizzie has a real moment of bonding with Ellie brushing her hair, if this shit doesn't get you - nothing will. Comedic relief is also provided by Juan - possible the dopiest, most uncoordinated kid I've ever scene, he has some incredibly funny scenes.

Obviously me being a big film fan, I enjoyed the references and comparisons to Avatar and The Blindside, both being great films and both being used in pretty comical ways. The Blindside being constantly referred back to continually entertained. Instant Family also has a great soundtrack attached, I especially liked the tracks Little of your Love by the wonderful Haim, the emotional and well-timed use of We're Going Home by Vance Joy and especially the track I'll Stay performed by Isabella Moner herself during the credits was a nice touch. 

While it's by no means going to win any big awards, it's well worth a watch because I'm sure all audiences will find something they can relate to. From parents, grandparents, teens and children, there's really something for everyone in this incredibly moving picture. I'll be very surprised if people don't laugh, cry and feel genuinely moved watching this film. It also raises awareness of something that is super important, with an estimated 438,000 children spending time in the U.S foster care services. 

Rating: 8/10

By Rebecca Mannick

Instant Family was an emotional rollercoaster - it's the best of both worlds on the basis that it is constantly switching from light hearted comedy to deep and meaningful content. Pete and Ellie wanted to start a family but instead of trying to conceive themselves - they went down the route of adoption. At first they were greeted with a lot of resistance and hesitation from their friends and family and to be honest the decision was extremely difficult. While at an adoption 'open day' they saw all the teenagers hanging out together, this is because its usually the little kids who get adopted first. Pete then approached a teenager called Lizzy - they decided they were interested in adopting her, however she also came with two older siblings. Ellie and Pete adopt all three of them and the hard part just starts to begin as the kids adapt to their new life and their new parents. 

The true story element of the film was really fantastic - you could really tell that the screenplay was based off the families accounts of what happened. It also made the audience more sympathetic and involved in the family - knowing that it actually happened to someone. I think the casting of Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne was amazing. They were believable and played off each other very well. Their roles as parents were quickly established - and cracks in the relationship started to show but their love towards one another was so heartwarming that you could only just root them on and love their characters. 

It also showed the importance of trust and how it is earned. The kids obviously didn't trust Pete and Ellie at first - they tried to push all their buttons because they assumed that the responsibility of three children were too much - also they didn't know how to behave because they didn't have any reliable type of authoritative figure in their lives. Therefore it took them all such a long time to gain trust and make progress in their relationships. 

There honestly isn't much more that I would ask of Instant Family. I think the trailer is ace, the acting was very suitable and the story was funny and heartwarming. It had me in fits of laughter and it also made me cry a lot. It also brought into light the whole adoption process and how there are a lot of children just waiting to be adopted. It makes me sad to think theres so many children without a loving family and without no fault of their own. Anyway give Instant Family a try I'm sure you'll enjoy it.