Before seeing Instant Family, I was expecting it to be a comedy. But in my opinion, it is much more than that. Instant Family tells a true story in a way that leaves the audience with a warm as well as hopeful feeling.

The film is about a couple, Ellie (Rose Byrne) and Pete (Mark Wahlberg), who buy and renovate houses much like the show Fixer Upper. Both Ellie and Pete feel that something is missing in their lives, but they feel that they are too old to have a baby. Ellie begins to research the couple’s potential options, which gives them the idea of adoption. After weeks of foster parent training, the two bring home a 15 year old girl named Lizzie, her younger brother Juan and their little sister Lita. At first the couple is only fostering the three children, but as their love for the children grows, they begin to think it is time to adopt them.

I enjoyed how the movie made Ellie and Pete think that they would be able to “renovate” their children in the same way that they renovate houses for their business. It takes longer than expected, but eventually the two realize that children can not be changed like houses.

Ellie and Pete struggle with Lizzie’s constant teenage mood swings. She is troubled from living in foster care as well as having to care for her brother and sister while her mom was in prison. She does not let Ellie in which makes it difficult for them to bond and make a connection. Juan is very sensitive and prone to getting hurt; so someone is always needing to keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn’t hurt himself. Lita is used to being in charge and has difficulties listening to authority figures because she was never taught to do so; she also constantly throws fits when she does not get what she wants. These combined traits of the three children causes many problems for Pete and Ellie, to the point where they do not know if they can be their foster parents anymore. Ellie and Pete both struggle with parenting several times, especially when dealing with some of their children’s problems.

I enjoyed how the movie made Ellie and Pete think that they would be able to “renovate” their children in the same way that they renovate houses for their business. It takes longer than expected, but eventually the two realize that children can not be changed like houses.

While watching the movie the viewer may second guess whether they are the movie or not because of the way Rose Byrne and Mark Wahlberg show how much they care for the three children. Throughout the movie you feel the the struggles, happiness, sadness, anger, and fear that the characters feel. You feel as though you are in the movie; this aspect  is a big part of what makes this movie so powerful.

It is hard to make light of a situation that the family experiences, but Instant Family had just the right amount of laughs while still making sure there were emotional parts.

What starts out as a sad story ends up having a happy ending. Instant Family is an all around amazing movie, the story behind the movie is beautiful and it is a film that everyone should experience.