Instant Family-Kids’ Movie Review

Pete and Ellie (Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne) have a very comfortable, good life. They’re in their forty’s, happily married, making a good living flipping housing. However, their life dramatically changes the day they decide to fill their five bedroom home with children. They come across a foster care center and initially plan to foster one young child. Instead they end up with three siblings, including a rebellious 15-year-old girl. Though Pete and Ellie have tremendous guidance from their case workers (Octavia Spencer, Tig Notaro), nevertheless, their nice and simple life turns into complete chaos. Inspired by screenwriter and director Sean Anders and his wife who have fostered, then adopted, three children of their own.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 popcorn buckets
Release Date: March 5, 2019
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 13+
Sexual Content: Moderate
Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Kids Like It? Yes

Talking Points:

Sexual Content: Moderate

A teenage girl is caught trying to take a nude selfie to send to an older boy. We don’t see anything.
It’s mentioned numerous times how a boy sends “dick pics” to a girl he likes.
There are references made about in vitro fertilization and fertility.

Violent/Disturbing Content: Moderate

One of the kids continually gets hit in the face with a ball which causes a bloody nose.
A kid drops a nail gun on his foot and the nail goes through his foot.
Parents beat up a young adult who’s been sending nude photos to their daughter.
It’s mentioned that foster children suffer physical and mental abuse.

Crude or Profane Language: Moderate