With Thanksgiving welcoming everyone into the festive season and kicking off this special time of the year, which is filled with love, gratitude, and lots of relaxing (or not so relaxing) family time, the need for some heart-warming movies for a comfortable evening is certainly growing. There are numerous lighthearted movies that sweeten up the holiday season, but there is one specific movie that is simply the perfect match for Thanksgiving.
The Thanksgiving comedy Instant Family is the movie of the season, as it explores numerous themes and manages to evoke all the feelings throughout the entire duration of almost 2 hours. The film, directed by Sean Anders and starring Mark Wahlberg, Rose Byrne, Isabela Merced, and Octavia Spencer, is an allrounder and was loved by many back when it was released in 2018. Streaming on Paramount+, Instant Family still holds up today, and here is why.
- Release Date
- November 13, 2018
- Runtime
- 120
What Is ‘Instant Family’ About?
Instant Family centers around a couple whose wish is to start a family through adoption. Pete, who is portrayed by action-movie star Mark Wahlberg, and Ellie, who is played by Rose Byrne, have everything they could ask for. A lovely home, successful jobs, and a strong bond connecting them, but with everyone around them having children, they realize that they are missing a certain piece. Without further ado, they dive head-on into the preparation of adopting a child, underestimating how tough the process actually is. Thinking that they just come in and experience something like love at first sight, they are quickly taught a rough lesson. Even though they connect with a teenager named Lizzie, the girl’s two younger siblings, Juan and Lita, put a hold on their decision.
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Well, at least until the Thanksgiving dinner with Ellie’s family comes along, who show no hesitance when telling the couple that they doubt they would have what it takes to raise children. Fed up with their non-existent support, Ellie and Pete decide to go through with the adoption and take in all three kids. Chaos is inevitable.
‘Instant Family’ Depicts a Raw Portrayal of Family Struggles
There is no doubt that Instant Family is predominantly a comedy, which is there to put a smile on the viewers’ faces and leave them with a full heart. The dialogue, which is kept humorous as funny remarks are being thrown around, and some cheeky comments are made, certainly feels a little like other well-received comedy movies directed by Sean Anders, such as We’re the Millers or Daddy’s Home. It’s not groundbreaking or necessarily surprising, but it undoubtedly hit the sweet spot of just the right number of jokes.
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Instant Family is definitely driven by comedy and delivers multiple hilarious moments that will have you smirking long after the movie ends. However, the movie ensures that more serious elements are focused on as well. In particular, the relationship between the couple and the children is explored on a deeper level, as each individual experiences some sort of struggle and confusion in the position they are in. As the movie highlights dysfunctional families, the interactions between the new family are still somewhat helpless because, due to the children’s difficult background, the boundaries aren’t clear, which can certainly be seen in the TikTok video below.
Whether it is the children having to adapt to a new environment and suddenly facing new rules and routines or the adoptive parents learning how to care for the children’s individual needs, Instant Family allows such tricky moments to shine through. Even though the movie doesn’t exactly portray what adoption and foster parenting truly look like, Instant Family captures the complexity of growing into a family and understanding how the children’s past might impact their present.
‘Instant Family’ Was Well Received Upon Its Release
When Instant Family was released in mid-November 2018, the movie was received rather well and quickly turned into one of the best Thanksgiving movies. The majority agreed that Wahlberg and Byrne’s movie offered the perfect balance between funny interactions and challenging topics. As one of those movies that is entertaining and moving at the same time, Instant Family stands out for its ability to have its viewers cry from laughter but also from heartbreak.
Making this comedy movie a hit is the fact that it wraps its story up with a wonderful and heart-warming resolution, which brings a full circle moment and leaves you with a happy heart. Instant Family was a great watch back in 2018, and it still delivers an equally fulfilling watching experience, which will turn your Thanksgiving even more joyful. Instant Family is available to watch on Paramount+.