Instant Family

Instant Family

Starring Mark Wahlberg, Rose Byrne, Isabela Moner, Octavia Spencer

Directed by Sean Anders

The Story:
Childless couple Pete (Mark Wahlberg) and Ellie (Rose Byrne) Wagner decide they want a child, because they're getting older and find something missing in their lives.  They decide to adopt with the help of social workers Karen (Octavia Spencer) and Sharon (Tig Notaro), and choose teenager Lizzie (Isabela Moner) - but she also comes with her two younger siblings, Juan (Gustavo Quiroz) and Lita (Julianna Gamiz).

As they adjust to being new parents of three children, Pete and Ellie discover all the pitfalls and positives that come with being adoptive parents, as they deal with the three children who were raised in a broken home try to fit into this new family dynamic, with all their ups and downs, and learn to become a family.

The Synopsis:
Adoption is something that's not really talked about in Hollywood, but something that millions of families in America decide to do.  It's not easy, and there's issues there that don't happen when you have biological children, but if you find a loving couple willing to open their home to children not of their own blood, they still find a way to become a family - just not in the traditional sense.

Based off the real-life story of director and writer Sean Anders, "Instant Family" takes a look at the trials and triumphs of adoption, and doesn't shy away from both the positive and negative aspects of it.  Delivered as a comedy, there's several moments in the film that are tear-jerkers, as well as cringe-worthy moments as well.  Basically, the film perfectly shows the life of a newly adopted family trying to come together.

Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byne give terrific performances as a couple who decide to adopt because they find something missing in their lives, and they also do a great job at portraying newly-ordained parents.  They're not perfect, and this isn't the Brady Bunch.  There's moments of pure joy for them, but also moments of sheer terror and fear, mixed in with anger and frustration that's highly palpable.  In one very truth-telling moment, the couple are in bed talking about how much they hate their kids, and wonder if they should just send them back and return to their normal lives.  Most films would showcase these parents as the most loving, loyal, and forgiving couple ever, but this isn't Hollywood - it's real life - and there's moments I'm sure every parent thinks about what life would be like without children, but ultimately they realize it's more precious with them than without.

The true standout star is Isabela Moner as teenager Lizzie, who performs with a perfect blend of teenage angst and wise-beyond-her-years, a young girl who had to be a parent to her two younger siblings while also trying to maintain a normal teenage life.  She blends well with Wahlberg (whom she co-starred with in "Transformers: The Last Knight") and Byrne and you really feel a connection with her character through it.  This is a true rising star who's excelled in action (the aforementioned "Transformers"), drama ("Sicario: Day of the Soldado"), and dramedy here (although her next role is a live-action version of "Dora the Explorer," so we'll see if she can handle that), and she steals the show as Lizzie, who on the outside is tough, smart, and determined, but inside she's a scared girl who's worried no one truly loves her.

Rounding out the stellar cast is Octavia Spencer and Tig Notaro as the social workers who are both brutally honest and honestly sincere, Margo Martindale and Julie Hagerty as the grandmothers, and especially young actors Gusavo Quiroz and Julianna Gamiz as Juan and Lita.  It's interesting to note how all these characters tend to act in pairs, along with Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byne, while Isabela Moner's character is often alone - much like how most teenage adopted children must feel in a world where it seems adoptive parents moreso want a young child to adopt than a hardened teen.

While the film does hit several high notes of comedy, it also serves as a great mechanism to let our guard down when the serious moments kick in, but none of them seem too flushed out.  One particular moment involves Lizzie and a boy at school, which is much more than it seems, and without going into spoiler territory would've been a much bigger story than what was given.  It's this odd balance of humor and seriousness that's the only small pitfall of the film, where it tends to cheapen some serious moments for the sake of comedy, but at least they still address those issues.  Other than that, this is a perfect blend of an imperfect blended family, showcasing all the positives and negatives in a deeply human way without being too preachy or cheesy.

The Summary:
Highlighting the importance of adoption, "Instant Family" doesn't skimp on the seriousness of adoption, but delivers some truly heartwarming laughs and tender moments mixed in, showing what life is really like for a family - adopted or otherwise.

The Score: A