Well, this film totally got more hype than anyone could have guessed. I really think it is impressive for a comedy by the director of both Daddy’s Home movies to get this much attention during awards season.

Whether or not it deserves all the attention I’m still not sure. On one hand this is a sweet and genuinely touching family drama that handles series issues in relatable ways and manages to shed light on a topic that a lot of people don’t know much about while appearing to have been a largely positive contribution to the conversation.

On the other hand it is still an awkward and poorly directed comedy that fits perfectly with the below-par work Sean Anders and Mark Wahlberg have become associated with.

I think that the touching family drama aspect shines through more clearly in this case, this certainly isn’t as awkward or annoying as I first presumed it to be.

Rose Byrne actually offers a pretty funny performance in places and Margot Martindale absolutely kills her comedic timing but for every good joke or well placed one-liner another lands way too on the noes or just completely flat.

At one point the film bites off slightly more than it can chew and takes a leap into the absurd while attempting to address a very series issue but given the overall subject matter and the message of the film being that adoption is not as easy as many people believe it to be (or as many other films have made it out to be) I have to commended the film for attempting to dive in to the gritty details.

Overall it’s a real mixed bag but I have to give a mild recommendation for this one.

A very charming portrayal of the ups and downs of the foster/adoption process. As someone that knows people that have gone through this process I can say this movie helps show the hardships of the process (although the movie is still a tad idealistic). It lets people know that while rewarding, its not all good times and it's not something you should embark on just to feel good about yourself and especially **not** on a whim like Pete and Ellie. Nevertheless it's a great message to bring perspective about this issue to a big audience.

As for the movie itself the leads are all fantastic. Mark and Rose have great chemistry and actually feel like a couple. Isabela does a great job at playing what is a essentially a cliche teenager but with the added jadedness of someone that's been through some shit and is not just being an asshole for no reason. The younger actors are fantastic (holy shit that little girl can shrill). Tig and Octavia do a fantastic job providing needed comic relief at times while also doing the harder drama parts well too.

Once niche point I'll give this movie is those sweeeet wipe transitions. They felt very satisfying for some reason. Just another example that VFX are not just used on big action blockbusters.

Major kudos to Sean Anders for directing a great mix of comedy and drama while delivering a heartwarming family film with great wit and pacing. 8/10

First of all, the acting in this film just perfect. In every scene, you can see and tell that all the actors and actresses were giving it their one hundred and ten percent. Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne played compelling characters that seemed like real people. I think any parent will be able to relate to them in one way or another. The kid actors did great, especially Isabela Moner who plays Lizzy. Just like how Mark and Rose played characters parents can relate to Isabela played a character that a majority of teens can relate to. I know I could easily relate to her. The pacing in the film was surprisingly great. I thought for a film like this they would want to rush some scenes but no. All the scenes seemed to have the perfect pacing in them and only a few of them were cut a bit too short but that didn’t bother me too much. The humour in this film was placed in the right places and didn’t seem forced. This film will take you on an emotional rollercoaster. At some parts, you’ll be happy and laughing while in others trying to hold back tears. I also really enjoyed how the film felt like you were a fly on the wall during all the scenes. I think my only big problem with this film is when they tried to throw more conflict into the film. I won’t say what they did but it was unnecessary and could have just been cut out of the film altogether. Also, the few scenes that should have been longer but weren’t also kind of bugged me but didn’t ruin my enjoyment of the film. In the end, this film is an excellent film for the whole family to go and see. I give Instant Family a 9.5/10.