Instant Family

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2:27

Instant Family

PG-13

Released Nov 16, 2018

1h 59m

Comedy

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

82%

Tomatometer

155 Reviews

83%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

When Pete and Ellie decide to start a family, they 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, they find themselves speeding from zero to three kids overnight. Now, Pete and Ellie must try to learn the ropes of instant parenthood in the hope of becoming a family.

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Critics Consensus

Instant Family may not quite capture the complexity of real-life adoption, but fittingly for the unconditional bond it honors, this flawed yet well-intentioned dramedy is ultimately worth the investment.

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Andrea Gronvall

Chicago Reader

It's embarrassing to watch Tig Notaro, Octavia Spencer, Julie Hagerty, and Joan Cusack struggle to find footing in this abyss.

Feb 22, 2020

Full Review

Simran Hans

Observer (UK)

Anders and his wife are parents to three adopted children, and there's a sense of verisimilitude and attention to detail regarding both the joys and the travails of foster care.

Rated: 3/5

Feb 17, 2019

Full Review

Mark Kermode

Kermode & Mayo's Film Review

I was surprisingly taken by it.

Feb 16, 2019

Full Review

Calum Cooper

Source (Scotland)

The right amount of heart is definitely in the screenplay, and the characters are fleshed out well enough that we find ourselves laughing at the funny moments and empathising with the dramatic moments.

Rated: 3/5

Jul 14, 2024

Full Review

Charlotte Harrison

Charlotte Sometimes Goes to the Movies

A real surprise when it came out, a film as full of laughs as it is heart.

Sep 19, 2022

Full Review

M.N. Miller

Ready Steady Cut

Instant Family is a heartfelt mainstream comedy without the gross-out gags, yet is still funny and surprisingly moving.

Rated: 3.5

Aug 17, 2022

Full Review

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thiago s

Filme mais ou menos, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são mais ou menos, a história é fraca, o elenco é bacaninha, mas ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

07/01/25

Full Review

Vanessa H

A happy, heart warming and emotional film! Highly recommend

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/07/25

Full Review

Audience Member

What a surprisingly great movie! I looked it up because of the janitor beatdown scene that showed up in my FB newsfeed, but it was so much better and tear jerking than that. Great performances all around and really dealt with the complexities of fostering, reunification efforts, and adoption.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

06/04/25

Full Review

Yaroslav S

This film is one of the few films that exceed expectations. While watching you experience a range of emotions. The films raise a lot of problems that modern families face, highlight the "struggle of generations", and very emotionally convey all the moments that we encounter in our own lives. It was shot simply incredible, the main actors for the game 10/10, a must-see

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

06/03/25

Full Review

john h

Given the known struggles of child actors struggling to maintain a dependable reputation over the many years that pass, Isabela Merced manages to break from the Nickelodeon American Television Series "100 Things to Do Before High School" and explode into an emotional in-depth comedy like Instant Family with flying colors. The performances of the parents, Mark Wahlberg and Rose Bryne confirm their timeless acting abilities. These three celebrities have if not one thing in common, that being, their ability to act and adapt to their age. The foster parents are executed wonderfully, and Merced is able to not portray a rebellious, lost teenager with rose-tinted glasses.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/01/25

Full Review

Jay Q

I loved this movie!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/23/25

Full Review

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Sean Anders

Director

Mark Wahlberg

Pete

Rose Byrne

Ellie

Octavia Spencer

Karen

Isabela Merced

Lizzy

Tig Notaro

Sharon

Instant Family: Official Clip - Nail Gun Emergency

2:12

Instant Family: Official Clip - Naked Selfies

2:13

Instant Family: Official Clip - She's Not Coming

2:09

Instant Family: Official Clip - Daddy for the First Time

1:16

Instant Family: Official Clip - You Were What Was Missing

2:03

Instant Family: Official Clip - Pervert Punishment

2:13

Instant Family: Official Clip - Cool Grandma

2:13

Instant Family: Official Clip - Christmas Dinner Hell

2:13

Instant Family: Official Clip - Smashing Therapy

2:11

Instant Family: Official Clip - Drug-Using Teenagers

2:02

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Instant Family: Trailer 1

2:27

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Synopsis

When Pete and Ellie decide to start a family, they 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, they find themselves speeding from zero to three kids overnight. Now, Pete and Ellie must try to learn the ropes of instant parenthood in the hope of becoming a family.

Director: Sean Anders
Producer: Mark Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson, Sean Anders, John Morris, Marc D. Evans
Screenwriter: Sean Anders, John Morris
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Closest to the Hole
Rating: PG-13 (Sexual Material|Language|Some Drug References|Thematic Elements)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 16, 2018, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 19, 2019
Box Office (Gross USA): $67.3M
Runtime: 1h 59m
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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