From writer-director Sean Anders, and just in time for the school holidays, comes Instant Family: a nuts and bolts family feel-good drama whose pure intentions make up for its heavy sentimentality and incongruous tone. Starring Mark Wahlberg, Rose Bryne and Octavia Spencer, the story centres on the adoption of three children and is based on the director's real experiences, with the screenplay co-written with John Morris imbued with a real heart and charm you will find difficult to resist.
When Pete and Ellie Wagner begin considering the idea of adopting a child, they enrol in a foster parents course led by two social workers, Karen and Sharon. Despite initial concern about raising a teen, they agree to a meeting with Lizzy and her two younger siblings, Juan and Lita. From there, the five experience the ups and downs of the adoption process, including learning to love and let go.
Some will say that Instant Family is heartwarming, otherwise will complain its manipulative, but with a message as pure and well-meaning as this, who can really complain if it aims for the tear ducts and succeeds? While it's both heavily formulaic and rough around the edges, it's presentation of a contemporary issue in such an accessible way should be applauded; sure, it can be rose-tinted and it can't escape a cliched Hollywood ending, but it touches on some dark and heavy themes which enrich it with texture and depth. It doesn't always handle the tonal shifts successful, sometimes jarring and discordant, but life isn't the smoothest of rides either.
Morris and Anders keep the screenplay well-rounded with humour and heart to spare. It's light and frothy when it needs to be, peppered with montages that succeed in showcasing the evolving family dynamic and present the knockbacks with tenderness and sympathy. Of course, not everything works and the conventions are as frequent as they are predictable, often overwhelming in their sentimentality. Burdened further by an overstretched 117-minute runtime, it's on the long side and clunky at times but it more than competently explore its subject matter in the broadest, most mainstream way possible which widens the audience it will attract attention from.
It wouldn't be the enjoyable piece it is without an array of great performances though. Wahlberg and particularly Bryne - who flexes the comedic muscles that formed her scene-stealing turn in Paul Feig's Spy a few years back - are charming as the out-of-their-depth parents, balancing the laughs with the tears very effectively. These endearing honest, authentic performances that are so needed to sell this crowd-pleasing affair with believability, crafting a dynamic and chemistry we cannot help but be compelled by.
Isabela Moner approaches a tricky role with confidence, providing a compelling performance that conveys empathy despite the barriers put up by her character. Octavia Spencer and Tig Notaro are fantastic in a supporting capacity and you find yourself eager to spend more time with Sharon and Karen. Meanwhile, the kids are more than up to the task, with Gustavo Quiroz and Julianna Gamiz impressive with their comedic timing and the sensitivity of their performances. Across the board, the cast is solid; this is a fine ensemble effort.
Instant Family isn't groundbreaking as family-friendly entertainment but its heartfelt, inspiring message will lead to real change, which can only be an incredible thing. It's entertaining, enjoyable and will tug on the heartstrings pretty profoundly -- you won't want to resist it, either! It's not perfect - the flaws are clear and its schmaltzy almost to a fault - but with such pure intentions, genuinely affecting developments and engaging cast performances, with Rose Bryne shining brightest, those shortcomings are easily overlooked.
http://www.instantfamily.org
http://www.instantfamily.org
Summary: A heartwarming, important tale that should lead to real change, Instant Family is no doubt broad and tonally inconsistent at times but with passion in its storytelling and terrific cast performances, there is more than enough to like.