INSTANT FAMILY: Delivers Laughs, Tears & Some Tonal Whiplash

After the wild success of Daddy’s Home (and the relative financial disappointment of its sequel), writer/director Sean Anders gets serious and personal with Instant Family, a dramedy about the trials and tribulations of the foster system. Reportedly based on his own life experiences, the film walks an almost impossibly thin line between hilarity and poignancy, jumping between broad laughs and the kind of tear-jerking moments that audiences crave around the holidays. In fact, the line is so paper thin that I genuinely couldn’t tell whether certain scenes were supposed to be moving or funny; sometimes it’s very clear, other times it’s a whole lot blurrier.

Perhaps the best example of the film’s tricky tonal concoction comes in the first act, when Pete (Mark Wahlberg) and Ellie (Rose Byrne) are attending a seminar for foster parent hopefuls. Led by experts Karen (Octavia Spencer) and Sharon (Tig Notaro), the first meeting is fast and loose, as the potential parents introduce themselves, trade jokes, and even share some laughs over their respective struggles. The vibe of the entire room changes entirely when a former foster child enters to give a speech, where she chronicles how she grew up near a meth lab and later became addicted herself, only for loving parents to come show her the way.

It’s a radical departure from the jovial mood, marked by a sudden change in the film’s intonation and delivery. It is a prime example of tonal whiplash, and it’s far from the only occurrence throughout the course of Instant Family‘s (surprisingly lengthy) runtime. Despite these random oscillations, you might be a little taken aback to find that the film mostly works, even though its comedic touches are far more effective than its attempts to empty the tear ducts of everyone in the audience.

Navigating the Crazy World of Parenthood

First, a little more about Pete and Ellie. They’re experts at flipping houses, but they haven’t paid much attention to the idea of having a family, to the extent that Ellie’s sister (Allyn Rachel) even infers that kids aren’t in the picture for the couple. Naturally, this provokes a reaction and sets Pete and Ellie on a path towards adoption. They’re not sure if they’re up to the task, but after meeting devout Christians and opportunistic would-be parents at the adoption meeting, it’s clear that they’re in better shape than most.

At an adoption fair, they wander around for hours, meeting a range of kids who have little to no interest in them. When Pete and Ellie hesitantly approach the teenage section of the fair, Lizzie (Isabela Moner) catches their attention with her no-nonsense demeanor. The couple is ready to take a chance on one of the older kids, but much to their surprise, Lizzie comes with two younger siblings: Juan (Gustavo Quiroz) and Lita (Julianna Gamiz).

One kid is fine. Two kids would even be doable. But three? It seems like a tall order. Somehow, Pete and Ellie make the jump, taking in the three kids who grew up in the most difficult situation imaginable. At first, everything is great – they’re convinced that this was the right choice. But as tensions in the household develop, Pete and Ellie realize they’re in for a bumpy ride.

Amusing Beats & Great Performances

It’s strong material, and the cast is as good as you could ever hope for in this kind of mid-budget vehicle. Coming off a trio of a poorly received Peter Berg collaboration, a failed Transformers sequel, and a relatively flat attempt at Oscar attention, Mark Wahlberg delivers his best work in a very long time here. When faced with the inherent weaknesses of his macho persona, it’s easy to forget that Wahlberg actually has impeccable comedic timing. And as an added bonus, he’s playing more than just a variation of Mark Wahlberg for a change, which is fun to watch.

Well, it also doesn’t hurt when your co-star is Rose Byrne, who possesses a rare sort of effortless likability that elevates virtually everything she’s in. Instant Family thrives off her funny, empathetic performance, as well as her chemistry with Wahlberg and their younger co-stars. Speaking of the kids, they’re all pretty solid, even if Juan and Lita get significantly less screentime than Isabela Moner‘s Lizzie. Yet even if there’s a bit of a missed opportunity for the younger kids, it’s not difficult to see why Anders and co-writer John Morris made Lizzie the focus; Moner is a commanding presence and Lizzie is by far the most complex character in the film.

The supporting cast is also stacked with scene-stealing turns, from Spencer and Notaro‘s no-BS foster specialists to Margo Martindale‘s brief role as the overly affectionate Grandma Sandy. Plus, Airplane!‘s Julie Hagerty has a small part as Byrne’s mother. There’s so much to love in this ensemble.

Difficult Shift to Full-Blown Drama

But throughout Instant Family, something is lurking under the surface; soon enough, it becomes all too obvious to see where this is headed. Anders is content to let this play out as a family sketch comedy for a while, albeit one with a series of dramatic interludes that interrupt the laughs. The funnier impulses of the script have their share of ups and downs as well (some of the comedic digressions are unnecessary), but there isn’t much of a concrete narrative beyond Pete and Ellie’s core struggle to form this new family.

Eventually, that isn’t enough for the film. By the time all is said and done, this is a full-blown courtroom drama. Pete and Ellie are locked in a custody battle with Lizzie, Juan, and Lita’s birth mother, and it’s bound to break someone’s heart.

I’m sure this is all based in some semblance of reality, but the movie loses some of its spirit when it shifts gears in such a major way. It’s a comedy with moments of pathos until it’s a drama with moments of levity – for me, that reversal was just a bit too ambitious. For all its jarring bursts of tonal whiplash, the first half of Instant Family operates on a strong, consistent current. By the end, it’s a bit more scattered.

Instant Family: Conclusion

This won’t be a complaint for many, but I also found the film to be just a bit too broad for my tastes. As the story resolves happily, everything is wrapped up with the tidiest possible bow, culminating in a shot that seemingly represents the old “It takes a village…” adage. I mean, the movie even throws in a PSA about the foster system at the end. It’s really trying to cast a wide net here.

So yes, Instant Family goes for arguably easy targets, but judging by the sniffles of the woman seated next to me, it hits them with razor sharp precision. I was frequently amused by the film, mostly thanks to the wonderfully funny duo of Wahlberg and Byrne. Problems aside, if you’re a sucker for a very blatant tear-jerker, you’ll get what you came for. And if you’re a bit of a Grinch like me, you might be pleasantly surprised. Set your expectations accordingly.

What did you think of Instant Family? Were you a fan of director Sean Anders’ previous films? Let us know in the comments below!

Instant Family was released in the U.S. on November 16. For full international release information, click here.