INSTANT FAMILY OPENING NOVEMBER 16 STARS MARK WAHLBERG AND ROSE BYRNE

INSTANT FAMILY stars Mark Wahlberg (Pete) and Rose Byrne (Ellie) as a couple who decide to start a family and stumble into the world of foster care adoption. They hope to take in one small child but when they meet three siblings, including a rebellious 15-year-old girl Lizzie (Isabela Moner), they find themselves speeding from zero to three kids overnight. Now, Pete and Ellie must hilariously try to learn the ropes of instant parenthood in the hopes of becoming a family.

INSTANT FAMILY is inspired by the real events from the life of writer/director Sean Anders. Along with Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne, Instant Family stars Octavia Spencer, Tig Notaro, Margo Martindale,  Julianna Gamiz,  Gustavo Quiroz and Isabel Moner.

 

As poignant as it is funny, as heartwarming as it is authentic, INSTANT FAMILY celebrates the notion that a family can come from anywhere. Opening November 16, INSTANT FAMILY is a comedy that teases your funny bone, tugs at your heart, sneaks up and surprises you, coaxes your tears, gets under your skin and moves in to live with you for a while, just like kids.

One of my friends who also an adoptive parent said from the trailer it seems it might a bit “syrupy sweet.” Yes,  there are those very funny moments but on the other hand, there are some heartbreaking and truthful scenes.  And there are definitely real-life and angry conversations,  as when the older daughter Lizzie confronts Ellie and accuses her of being just another “white couple” making themselves feel good by taking she and her siblings in because they are Hispanic. “Ouch,” but I am sure her sentiment or cynicism from an older child who has been in and out of so many homes in their short lives is accurate.

Let’s face it, if the director Anders,  had made a movie that’s a gut-wrenching drama, most people would be afraid to see it so I think he does strike a balance that makes this a very enjoyable and uplifting movie.

In my opinion,  there are many amusing and poignant moments but some of the best scenes are between social workers, Tig Notaro (Sharon) and Octavia Spencer (Karen) whose role is to guide all prospective foster parents through the foster care/adoption process. Their chemistry and banter were absolutely sublime, funny and sometimes awkward but perfect bringing what Notaro describes “We call ourselves Webble and Wobble rather than Ying and Yang.” Sharon (Tig Notaro) is the more positive, sincere and informational of the two while Karen (Octavia Spencer) is the more direct one.  I say Hollywood give these two their own buddy movie!!

 

I definitely recommend Instant Family for anyone looking for an uplifting and funny family movie. It will make you laugh, cry and most importantly offer up a positive perspective of foster kids and foster families. 

 

4 Things I Learned from The Cast and Filmmakers 

1. Director Sean Anders (Daddy’s Home and Daddy’s Home 2) and his wife actually did make the life-altering decision to adopt three biological siblings from foster care. According to Anders, “A lot of the things that happened were funny and a lot of it was frustrating. To go into a situation where you bring people into your home who all of a sudden become your children and you don’t even know them and they don’t know you, it is just like a comedy of manners right out of the gate.”
2. The favorite days for the young stars were  Julianna Gamiz  (Lita) “ketchup” scene and for Gustavo Quiroz (Juan) who plays the young son was happy when craft services offered Mexican food. Don’t you love kids?
3. According to Producer Mark Evans, when Sean Anders showed him the script, Anders thought based on the subject matter, it would be just a small Sundance film but Evans had other ideas and thought it was actually perfect to be released on a much larger scale. The film that is being released is pretty much the script he saw when they first talked.
4. There was deliberate effort to not sugar coat the birth mother but not to vilify her either. And I would agree with how she is portrayed versus what we know and read in the media.  It’s not that simple as they say.  It shows that it’s not always easy for the kids who do want to reunite with their biological mother or the birth mother who does want to change to be with her kids. It’s all very complicated.

Instant Family opens November 16. I recommend it’s the perfect movie to see this holiday season! 

 

Disclosure: NYC Single Mom attended a screening and press interviews to facilitate this post. Opinions are 100% my own.