Instant Family (2018)
Comedy
2/5 stars (Fair/passes the time)
Director: Sean Anders. (12a)
Synopsis
Pete (Mark Wahlberg) and Ellie (Rose Byrne) are a contentedly married couple who have just bought a dilapidated house, with a view to doing it up and selling it for profit. During the renovations and with the constant talk of babies from their families, they decide to try fostering a child to see if their parental instincts will kick in.
After numerous training sessions with Social Workers Karen (Octavia Spencer) and Sharon (Tig Notoro) they take in troubled, sulky teen Lizzy (Isabela Moner) and her two younger siblings – nervous, accident-prone Juan (Gustavo Quiroz) and aggressive, tiny Lita (Julianna Gamiz).
Within their pristine, ordered home, only chaos on ensue.
Review, by @Reelreviewer
I worry I’m losing my ability to sit down at the multiplex and chomp through a too large bag of salty/sweet mixed popcorn to enjoy a daft movie.
I’ve spent too long feverishly typing notes to myself for reviews, but that ‘distanced professional’ approach gives a helpful perspective.
Take this ‘slap-schtick’ pap which has you believe that Social Workers would ‘give’ a family of three children to a privileged, emotionally frigid couple, despite alarm bell ringing concerns about their suitability.
I’m not social work trained myself and don’t know the ins and outs of the profession, but the disparity in this movie between the trained, caring professionals of real-life and the ‘three for one’ bargain sale of humanity depicted here give this knockabout comedy a nasty tinge.
For more, read the full review: http://bit.ly/instantfamilyfilm
Cast & credits
1hr 57mins/117mins. Paramount. (12a)
Producers: Sean Anders, Stephen Levinson,
Writers: Sean Anders, John Morris.
Camera: Brett Pawlak.
Music: Michael Andrews.
Sets: Clayton Hartley.
Mark Wahlberg, Rose Byrne, Isabela Moner, Gustavo Quiroz, Julianna Gamiz, Julie Hagerty, Joan Cusack.
