Instant Family will make you laugh and it will make you cry. There are moments that will melt your heart while other moments will make you never want to have kids, ever. No one really knows what it is like to adopt kids until you do, even then there is no telling what is in store for your life. Based on true events, Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne play a couple who adopt a teenage girl and her two younger siblings.
Much like anything in life, there is a honeymoon phase and then utter chaos. Imagine that this particular chaos is two kids running around screaming and breaking things. Moments like that can break even the strongest person. When times are calm and everyone is getting along, following the rules, and laughing, that’s when you realize that it was all worth it. Everyone says that parenting is the hardest thing they could ever do in life, which is really what Instant Family is all about.
The best part of story/film is it is grounded and real. You can sit back and laugh at their misfortunes but should come to appreciate the fact that some people actually do this on a daily basis. There are millions are good kids in foster care all over the world. Some have been through terrible things, left with scars that take a lifetime to heal. Instant Family shows you the highs and lows of the system, with a little sugar coating to keep the rating respectable. There are some harsh realities out there, but this was meant to be a family comedy, not a documentary.
This movie sets out to elevate some of the stigma associated with adopting kids. Some people would never consider it while others embrace the opportunity. Thanks to some brilliant performances from everyone in the cast, we get to see how crazy and fun raising kids can be. 8/10
Ten Stars or Less 