Synopsis
When Pete and Ellie decide to start a family, they stumble into the world of foster care adoption. They hope to take in one small child but when they meet three siblings, including a rebellious 15 year old girl, they find themselves speeding from zero to three kids overnight.
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Cast
- Mark WahlbergPete Wagner
- Rose ByrneEllie Wagner
- Allyn RachelKim
- Isabela MercedElizabeth “Lizzy” Viara
- Julie HagertyJan
- Tig NotaroSharon
- Octavia SpencerKaren
- Gustavo EscobarJuan Viara
- Margo MartindaleSandy Wagner
- Julianna GamizLita Viara
Recommendations
- 82
TheWrap
Instant Family is a decent, involving, endearing story, with funny performances and heartfelt, entirely earned dramatic crescendoes. - 80
IGN
Successfully walking the line between sharp comedy and thoughtful dramedy, Instant Family delivers, warming the heart and generating plenty of belly laughs. When it’s funny, as it often is, it’s damn funny. One of the superior comedies of the year, it’s not a classic, but it’s rich, smart and emotionally satisfying and an accomplished step forward for director Sean Anders. - 75
Entertainment Weekly
At its heart (and it’s a big corny heart, for sure), the film’s message is one of unconditional love and embracing family wherever you find it. It’s hard to argue with. Especially when it’s served up with such spiky laughter-through-tears sweetness. - 70
Variety
It redefines family craziness as normal in a way that those who seek it out will gratefully relate to. - 70
The Hollywood Reporter
While the film commits errors of taste and tact, and is generally all over the place from start to finish, those issues come off here as byproducts of a certain generosity — a sense that Anders wants to convey a full range of experience, including the messy stuff in between the usual formulaic notes and beats. - 67
The A.V. Club
Instant Family balances its sitcom tone with some real, unexpected heart. - 63
Movie Nation
In the roller coaster between serious and silly that Instant Family bounces along on, Byrne is the Fast-Pass holder, and she makes this uneven dramedy a hoot, and more importantly, makes it work. - 63
Washington Post
While the movie doesn’t shy away from confronting the obstacles of foster parenthood, it never fully earns its happy ending.
