(spoiler free)
Already proving an instant success stateside could the latest comedy drama from Sean Anders be as popular with U.K. audiences upon its release here? ‘Instant Family’ sees the writer/director once again team up with frequent collaborator Mark Wahlberg, with him and Rose Byrne playing a married couple who decide to become foster parents to three children. From a screenplay writer by John Morris and Anders, ‘Instant Family’ is based partly on Anders own experiences.
The film is a real mixture of outlandish mainstream comedy, akin to the likes of Wahlberg’s ‘Daddy’s Home’ or Byrne’s ‘The Internship’ and more heartfelt & touching family drama. Both of these elements work so well with the majority of the gags landing and the drama being really emotionally effective. However, at times the two elements don’t blend together as seamlessly as they could. In a few instances the rather silly humour, whilst funny in its own right, can undermine the more serious subject matter and it can be hard to keep up with the shift in tone. Despite this, the comedy does make this subject matter more accessible, helping to appeal to a larger audience and for that the occasional tonal imbalance can be forgiven. The film undoubtedly has its heart firmly in the right place and its crowd-pleasing nature will leave audiences forgetting any flaws and feeling more than satisfied with the finished product.
Mark Wahlberg & Rose Byrne are both fantastic comedic and dramatic performers and they further prove this with their work here. They have a believable chemistry as a couple and they sell every scene, delivering whatever it demanded of them. The young cast that portray the foster kids are wonderful too, each with their own distinct character. However, it’s their enthusiastic synergy between them that’s so valuable for the film. There are a whole host of supporting performers who play a multitude of smaller roles, some playing for comedy whilst others feature in the more dramatic moments. The ensemble is strong and thrives for this kind of movie. Of these performers its unsurprisingly Octavia Spencer, closely followed by Margo Martindale who entertains most. From her first appearance, her fantastic screen presence brings an effortless energy to the film which serves as a constant feature whenever she’s on screen. There’s no lack of this when she’s absent though as the cast as a whole excel in telling this story and entertaining their audience.
Sean Anders has succeeded in bringing to life one of his strongest films to date. Tonally it’s not quite as tight as it could be but the individual elements are executed with enough effect to overcome this issue. ‘Instant Family’ will have you laughing when you’re supposed to laugh, crying when it’s aiming for your heart and will hopefully educate and inspire families & individuals about all things adoption.
Written by Hamish Calvert
Rating – 8/10
Question: What is your favourite Sean Anders film or screenplay?
(Leave your answers in the comments section below!)
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