Married couple Pete and Ellie Wagner, feeling a void in the marriage, visit a foster care center. Two social workers, Karen and Sharon, guide the hopeful parents on the steps to getting into becoming adoptive parents. The couples are brought to a fair where they have the chance to go up to kids that they are interested in adopting. Pete and Ellie walk by the teenagers, although Ellie shows hesitance over raising a teen, one of the teens, Lizzie, informs Ellie that they all kn... (Full plot summary below)
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| Movie Source | Available | Offers | Added | Views | Quality | Format | Rating | Link | Share |
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Married couple Pete and Ellie Wagner, feeling a void in the marriage, visit a foster care center. Two social workers, Karen and Sharon, guide the hopeful parents on the steps to getting into becoming adoptive parents. The couples are brought to a fair where they have the chance to go up to kids that they are interested in adopting. Pete and Ellie walk by the teenagers, although Ellie shows hesitance over raising a teen, one of the teens, Lizzie, informs Ellie that they all know no one wants to adopt the teens. Pete and Ellie talk to Karen and Sharon over potentially taking in Lizzie. The social workers inform the couple that Lizzie's mother is a drug addict who is currently in jail, and she set their home on fire because she left the crack pipe lit. They also find that Lizzie has two younger siblings, Juan and Lita. Although this seems like more of a challenge for Pete and Ellie, they agree to meet the siblings. Pete and Ellie have Thanksgiving dinner with Ellie's family, where they all make comments about never having confidence in the Wagners adopting kids. Ellie has enough and decides that they will go through with the foster care to prove that they can be good parents.
Leave your thoughts about Instant Family.
| Reel Honest ReviewsPamela PowellThis superb balance between drama and humor in the film is present from start to finish. Just as a situation pulls on your heartstrings and you're about to cry, Anders finds a way to put a safety net beneath you and you find yourself laughing. |
| We Live EntertainmentScott MenzelBy incorporating his own story along with many others, Sean Anders has created something extraordinary that has the potential to help hundreds, if not thousands of children in foster care find homes. |
| FILMINK (Australia)Cain Noble-Davies...this film's heart is undeniably in the right place. |
| Sarah's Backstage PassSarah Knight AdamsonIf you've ever wondered how the foster care system works in America, "Instant Family" provides an up close & personal snapshot from Sean Anders the co-writer and director. |
| Splash ReportJ. Don BirnamProvides a stunningly sincere and touchingly funny perspective on the joys, challenges, and pitfalls of foster parenting and adoption. A perfect family film about the power of dedication, mixed in with easy physical humor |
| Crooked MarqueeEric D. SniderFunny and relatable.... The happy tears and good feelings it produces are well earned, not forced. |
| Tolucan TimesTony Medley...both Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne are at the top of their games, using their comedic licks without going over the line into slapstick or parody. |
| Quad City Times (Davenport, IA)Linda CookHow could any viewers, regardless of whether they are adopted, not embrace the most heartwarming (so far) film of the year? |
| HollywoodInToto.comChristian TotoVery few movies can literally move the needle on public opinion. Instant Family just might regarding foster care kids. |
| KXL-FM (Portland, OR)Gary WolcottA predictable but surprisingly entertaining feel-good-flick that doesn't shy away from the reality of the foster care programs in this nation and how much they suck. |
