Review of Instant Family (2018) by Jon C — 17 Nov 2018

This has that made-for-TV Hallmark channel vibe.

But it reunites Mark Whalberg and Isabela Moner for a heartwarming story about having a family despite no blood relations.

Doesnt exactly paint a true picture of the foster care system but anyone hoping to adopt children will get some good sentiment out of it.

This is actually based on the director's real life as well and totally related to me on a personal level.

Mark Whalberg and Rose Byrne play a couple whom are both in a rut; they seem to be the only ones without children and putting it off for so long.

So they decide to fill that void adopting not 1, not 2 but 3 Latino kids.

The oldest is Lizzie played by Isabela Moner who traditionally goes through all the raging hormones but there's a reason she hates the world since her birth mother couldnt get her act together and ended up in prison and Lizzie was forced to be the parent for her siblings.

Now Whalberg and Bryne deal with the ups and downs of having kids around, at times they want to just throw in the towel but isnt that how every parent feels?

The job of parenting comes with good and bad, the only way through it is together, the kids need protection whether they want it or not, plus love is what they're supposed to provide.

Granted there's jarring tonal shifts here from being super dramatic to overly funny, some of it isn't balanced that well but there's enough of that close family vibe to recommend it.