A couple find themselves in over their heads when they foster three children.
Instant family really dives into a controversial theme of adoption in a modern world society and the fact that it challenges a modern theme is what especially intrigues and interests me about this film. Not only does Instant Family portray this theme in an emotional way but it also really grips the audience and doesn't let go of us, even after the credits. What's especially interesting about this film though is its theme and plot, the idea of two people deciding to adopt. This isn't really a new type of film that hasn't been done before and that's what makes this film on edge, is it just another family comedy or does this really create something new? Here are my thoughts.
Films like this with a family theme always have a problem of having too many characters in, which makes the individual characters confusing because they aren't introduced to the audience properly. Not a problem here, I really liked how the film introduced us to the main characters through an argument and by introducing us directly into the theme of the film straight away, not only did this help to clearly establish what the film was about but it also helped to allow us to learn who the various characters were, their importance and the relationships they have with each other. This helps to establish a really genuine and powerful impact from the characters in the film which I really liked. This also really helps to set off the flow and theme of the film well too, because we were able to see them up close and personal and their thoughts and opinions on adoption right from the very beginning. These relationships really have an impact on the film too because we see them develop so they feel genuine, seeing all of the adults in the adoption room and then consistently seeing them throughout the film helps to keep consistency and structure to the film, and it is also nice to see how they develop too and to keep us involved with a variety of different characters. This links really well into the great emotional impact that the film has too, obviously there are plenty of emotional and upsetting scenes but there are also enjoyable and humorous scenes too, and what makes these so powerful is that they actually mean something to the audience. For example at the end, when the adopted children spend their last night at the house, the children are sad and this relays really well to the audience. Because we see how they develop and their relationships and characteristics change, it makes the emotional scenes really sad but also the funny scenes really enjoyable! The humorous scenes are key to the impact of the film though, because they help to add a genuine impact and they really add in an impact of interest into the film, as there is a great mix of sad and emotional scenes to make the film powerful and moving, but also funny scenes (with actually funny humour) which help keep the film exciting and enjoyable.
The plot of the film was also excellent and exciting, not only was it brilliantly executed but it also made sense which was key to its success. The plot was simple and due to the few twists and plot changes in the film, it kept us guessing as to what would happen next which was enjoyable. But the film was by no means confusing, it seemed to move fairly slowly, whilst constantly developing and building up the characters so it was very easy to follow and understand. It was also really powerful and exciting too, so don't worry guys you probably won't fall asleep in this film! Due to the films plot being so well executed, it also makes the film really engaging for us too and seeing how the characters and themes change. Seeing the characters going from fairly hopeless parents to having a real connection with the children was powerful and really enjoyable to watch, because we could see the characters changing and new relationships being formed right in front of our very eyes. And seeing these real aspects of the characters relationships was refreshing too, because we got a real idea of what adoption is like, as well as seeing the types of characters in the film. The acting and character models in this film were top notch too, basically every main character in this film felt perfect for their role, Mark Wahlberg was absolutely great here, as was Rose Bryne. Sometimes, having these kinds of action film actors in a film like this isn't a good mix because the characters aren't engaging or believable, but here they were perfect and they really had a great and positive impact on the film! The child actors was epic too, Isabella Moner as Lizzie, the oldest child, was probably the best part of the film. She brought so much to the table and gave it all she had. She was also in the recent summer movie sequel Sicario: Day of the Saldado and she did well in that too. The other two kids, Gustavo Quiroz (Juan) and Julianna Gamiz (Lita), were very good too. Octavia Spencer was hilarious and amazing as always. This movie had some great humor, but it could also be serious and knew how to switch tones well. I also really liked how well tied up the film was, by showing all of the families together with their children it definitely felt as if a lot of time and effort was put into creating an ecosystem of characters within this film and was the perfect way of rounding the film off.
This film had a few issues though, albeit they were very difficult to find! The movie jumps from scene to scene which makes the children's actions seem out of place, going from happiness to tantrums for no apparent reason. This makes us feel disconnected from them at times, because there isn't a really clear cause of these emotion changes. It would have been nice for the film to have shown a little more emotion too, it connected with us very well but I feel that some more of these types of scenes would have really contributed well to creating a powerful and strong bond between the parents and the children. And in this sense, sometimes these key scenes were a little distracted by humour, when it would have been ideal to leave them alone in order to really hit home.
The film certainly still has its fair share of slapstick comedy features, but interwoven within the absurdities are references to the serious problems and prejudices that foster kids have to face.
Overall, I would give this film a 9.5. It feels slightly strange giving a comedy such high marks, however not only was this film hilarious but the characters, their relationships and the overall plot of the film was just too good to ignore. Not only did the film entertain us but it also really hit home and proved a powerful point by conveying messages about adoption and the challenges they face which was very well executed. The film was also very simple to understand which really helped to make it engaging and genuine for us too, of course there were a few problems but these were difficult to find, and arguably only done to create a fair review for the film. Some of the emotions could have been emphasised a little more to us but apart from that, there wasn't much wrong with this film at all in my opinion. Would I recommend this film? 100% yes! It's targeted for families, but this film is perfect and really powerful and enjoyable for all because of its varying levels of comedy. As well as the powerful themes that it constructs which mean that it doesn't delve too much into the comedy aspect or the emotional side, but instead it manages an even balance of the two. I would definitely watch this film if you have the time, hopefully it is nominated for an award because it definitely deserves recognition!
Thank you for reading my review, I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing this review and watching the film! I hope you have a lovely day! :)
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