Instant Family's reviews
Media reviews
The Wrap
'Instant Family' is a decent, involving, endearing story, with funny performances and heartfelt, entirely earned dramatic crescendoes
Screen Crush
'Instant Family' didn?t just exceed my low expectations; it obliterated them. It?s the kind of honest, human comedy that?s so rare from Hollywood these days that when one finally comes along, you sit there in the theater in slack-jawed amazement and wonder: How does a movie like this happen?
Entertainment Weekly
At its heart (and it's a big corny heart, for sure), the film's message is one of unconditional love and embracing family wherever you find it. It's hard to argue with. Especially when it's served up with such spiky laughter-through-tears sweetness.
The Hollywood Reporter
While the film commits errors of taste and tact, and is generally all over the place from start to finish, those issues come off here as byproducts of a certain generosity ? a sense that Anders wants to convey a full range of experience, including the messy stuff in between the usual formulaic notes and beats.
The A.V. Club
'Instant Family' balances its sitcom tone with some real, unexpected heart.
Roger Ebert
A movie with good intentions but is uneven in tone, leaving me with mixed feelings. It felt like the speech was preempting any criticism with sentimentality. The uneasiness continued in the film?s wild swings between tragedy and goofy comedy
Indiewire
Never as hackneyed as it is heartfelt, 'Instant Family' takes the stuff of real life and turns it into a touching reminder of what love can do for the people who need it.
Vulture
'Instant Family' is a surprisingly foul-mouthed, filled-to-bursting roller coaster of a comedy-melodrama that tosses you in eight different directions before leaving you a teary, conflicted mess. And when it works, it?s genuinely funny and moving. But when it doesn?t, hoo boy, it?s atrocious.
Rolling Stone
It?s a shame that Instant Family reduces the complexity, pain and joy of parenthood to a multiplex-palatable family comedy. The real story is probably far more interesting ? and hopefully funnier.