Instant Family
2018 · Directed by Sean Anders
Original language: English
- comedy
- drama
The story
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.
What it’s like
Bright, warm household comedy shot in ordinary suburban interiors: sunlit kitchens, cluttered living rooms, the bustle of a family home with a barking dog underfoot, and the occasional cut to a fluorescent-lit courtroom or social worker's office for a cooler, more institutional contrast. The camera stays close and conversational, mostly medium shots and two-shots during dinner-table chaos, with a light, bouncy score that eases into softer piano when the mood turns tender. Its vibe is warm, scrappy and good-humored, with a sincere undercurrent of tenderness. Pacing is brisk and sitcom-like, with plenty of crowd-pleasing set pieces such as a trip to an amusement park, and the emotional arcs follow a couple learning to become a family while a guarded teenager slowly lets her guard down. Intensity is mild: there is sweary, crude humour and some talk of past neglect and substance abuse, but no real violence, gore or sexual content, and the hard backstories are handled with a gentle touch. It suits a relaxed Friday night, a family movie with teenagers, or an easy comfort watch for people who want heart and laughs without anything bleak.
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