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Hollywood veteran Mark Wahlberg often faces difficulties when it comes to the critical or box office success of his movies. However, if there's one thing the Flight Risk star can often rely on, it's the triumph of his movies on streaming, with the regular top 10 of many a platform hosting at least one of his array of projects. The latest to prove popular is Instant Family, a comedy-drama starring Wahlberg and Rose Byrneas Pete and Ellie Wagner, a couple with no experience who dive head-first into the world of foster parenting by adopting fifteen-year-old Lizzy (Isabela Merced) and her two younger siblings, Lita (Julianna Gamiz), and Juan (Gustavo Escobar).

Currently, Instant Family is fifth in Netflix's top 10 most-streamed movies in the US, joining the likes of 2024 smash hit The Wild Robot, Vince Vaughn's latest film, Nonnas, and the streamer's latest Spanish film, A Widow's Game, in the list.

Mark Wahlberg is no stranger to comedies, with films like Date Night, Ted, and Daddy's Home. However, in 2018, he starred in a different type of film: the family comedy-drama Instant Family.

The comedy drama, which also starred Rose Byrne and Isabela Merced, followed a family who plans to adopt a baby, but ends up adopting three siblings. The film was a big success, and received positive reviews. After its initial success,Instant Family has found new popularity on Netflix, where it's been in the charts for the past two weeks, per Tudum.

The movie recently dropped on Netflix, and debuted in the charts for the week between May 12 and 18 in sixth place. It attracted 3.3 million views, with 6.6 million hours viewed. What's even more impressive is that all the views came from one territories: the United States. Domestically, it had debuted in third place.

For its second week, the movie went...

The streaming trend known as "newstalgia" continues, with forgotten TV shows and movies being presented to different audiences as if they were new. Netflix has been partaking in this trend for quite some time now. In fact, it might just be the king of newstalgia, as the streamer continues to churn up forgotten projects and give them a streaming-age renaissance.

In October 2024, for example, a forgotten Jason Statham actioner dominated the Netflix charts, only for yet another bygone Statham heist flick to top the Tubi rankings in April 2025. It's not just gruff British action stars that benefit from this phenomenon, either. The forgotten Dwayne Johnson action thriller "Faster" was reintroduced to audiences via Netflix in December 2024, while a forgotten Chris Hemsworth flop became an instant Netflix success in January 2025. Now, it's Mark Wahlberg's turn.

To be fair, Wahlberg has benefitted from the newstalgia trend as much as anyone, with...

Every year, there's some kind of special occasion that calls for an extended visit with relatives. Maybe it's a family reunion, or everyone's hopping in the van and heading home for the holidays. Whatever the case, a good family movie can help the act of reconnecting with relatives feel a little easier.

Watch these movies as a heartfelt reminder of what it means to be a part of a family. These feel-good films offer themes about family that resonate with a more mature viewership. Viewers can watch them alone on the couch before meeting up with relatives, or together, as a way to bond with those they haven't seen in years.

Instant Family Is a Sweet Movie That Everyone Will Enjoy Director: Sean Anders

MPAA Rating: PG-13 Runtime: 118 minutes Rotten Tomatoes Score: 82%

Instant Family shows the process of adopting a family and how it isn't always easy. Pete (Mark Wahlberg...

Steven Spielberg and the ensemble cast of his new film “The Fabelmans” will receive an honourable award this January.

The Palm Springs International Film Awards (Psifa) will present the director and cast members- Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, Gabriel Labelle, and Judd Hirsch- with the Vanguard Award at the upcoming awards ceremony.

Spielberg and the stars of his coming-of-age story are all expected to attend the ceremony to accept the Vanguard Award- “a group honour distinguishing a film’s cast and director in recognition of their collective work on an exceptional film project,” as per the Palm Springs International Film Festival.

Read More: Paul Dano Made Steven Spielberg Emotional During ‘The Fabelmans’ Casting Because Of How Much He Resembled The Director’s Late Father

(from left) Sal (Gustavo Escobar), Roger (Gabriel Bateman), Sammy Fabelman (Gabriel Labelle), Hark (Nicolas Cantu), Dean (Lane Factor) and Turkey (Cooper Dodson) in “The Fabelmans...

Harkening back to his earlier films about childhood, Steven Spielberg has cast a slew of young actors in his semi-autobiographical film about his adolescence as an aspiring filmmaker in Arizona, which has the working title of “The Fabelmans.”

Gabriel Bateman (“Child’s Play”), Gustavo Escobar (“Instant Family”), Nicolas Cantu (“The Walking Dead: World Beyond”), Cooper Dodson (“Fear the Walking Dead”), Lane Factor (“Reservation Dogs”) and Stephen Smith (“The 15:17 to Paris”) are playing the friends of the character loosely based on Spielberg, portrayed by Gabriel Labelle.

They join a sprawling ensemble that includes Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, Paul Dano, Judd Hirsch, Sam Rechner, Oakes Fegley, Chloe East, Julia Butters, Jeannie Berlin, Robin Bartlett, Jonathan Hadary and Isabelle Kusman.

Spielberg co-wrote the screenplay for “The Fabelmans” with his regular collaborator Tony Kushner. They’re both also producing the film with Kristie Macosko Krieger, backed by Spielberg’s company Amblin Partners. The film is currently in production,...

If there was a film which proves the old adage never judge a book by its cover, Instant Family would be the prime example of it. Marketed as yet another “feel good comedy” with a family twist, the film has surprisingly turned out to have so much more depth and humanity than anyone would have imagined.

Directed by Hot Tub Time Machine writer Sean Anders, Instant Family not so much as redefines the family comedy, but it does the next best thing, it makes its audience care deeply and root for its protagonists in a way which is very rarely achieved within this particular genre.

Rose Byrne and Mark Wahlberg are Ellie and Pete, a hard working couple who despite having been together for some time find that they might have left it too late to have children of their own. Hilarity and much soul-searching ensues when our hapless duo...

DaniElle DeLaite talks to Mark Wahlberg and Daddy’s Home writer/director Sean Anders about Instant Family and bringing Ander’s true story of raising his own family and how this film is a love letter to them. Wahlberg talks about using his own family dynamic worked their way into the script, and how he jumped at the chance to make the film.

They both talk about working with a serious issue with a heartfelt edge, to best appeal to families of all kind. They acknowledged that many adoption stories begin with tragedy, and their determination to tell a truthful story as well as making a comedy.

The film also stars Rose Byrne, Isabela Moner, Octavia Spencer, Gustavo Quiroz and Julianna Gamiz.

Instant Family is out in the UK on the 15th of February, 2019. Here’s the interview.

The post Exclusive: Mark Wahlberg on the heartfelt adoption family comedy Instant Family appeared first on HeyUGuys.

Steven Soderbergh will be the 2019 recipient of the Founders Award at the Slamdance Film Festival, the festival announced Tuesday.

His latest film “High Flying Bird” will also receive a sneak preview at the festival taking place in Park City, Utah, between Jan. 25-31. Soderbergh will participate in a live discussion about the film with Slamdance co-founder and president Peter Baxter ahead of the preview.

The Founders Award is given to Slamdance alumnus who continue to represent the Slamdance organization and support the filmmaker community of Slamdance well into their careers. Christopher Nolan won the inaugural award in 2015, and “Avengers” directors Joe and Anthony Russo won the prize in 2018.

Also Read: Jordan Peele, Rosamund Pike, Steven Soderbergh Projects Announced for 2019 Sundance Indie Episodic, Shorts Slate

“‘Don’t ask for permission!’ That was Steven Soderbergh’s advice to us when Slamdance was getting started and it continues to be the core of our brand.

Instant Family opens the weekend before Thanksgiving, in time for families to see it together. Based on co-writer and director Sean Anders’ experience adopting foster children, the comedy is a tribute to the laughs and hardships of the system. Pete (Mark Wahlberg) and Ellie (Rose Byrne) decide to adopt instead of having kids. In real life Anders joked about adopting a five-year-old to get a head start, because he was already aging. Pete says that line in the film. They adopt Lizzie (Isabela Moner) and her siblings Juan (Gustavo Quiroz) and Lita (Juliana Gamiz). After a honeymoon phase, they face […]

The post Instant Family director Sean Anders on the truth about adoption and Blind Side moms appeared first on Monsters and Critics.

So the family’s all together for the big holiday, well why not head over to the multiplex to enjoy a family film? And hey, “family” is even in the title. That’s what the studios are counting on, hoping audiences will go for a breezy all-ages comedy in between those somber awards contenders. Most of the time, the studios will go a couple of different ways with a “family” comedy/drama. Either it’s a multi-generational gathering of uncles and cousins like Parenthood and more recently, the reviled Love The Coopers, or it’s about a family with lots and lots of kids like Cheaper By The Dozen (original and remake) along with blended families like Yours, Mine, And Ours (ditto), which begat that iconic TV show and its feature film The Brady Bunch Movie. But this new flick has fewer kids and a message. The filmmakers want to...

Rose Byrne has played mothers in comedies and horror films, from Neighbors and Adult Beginners to the Insidious films. In Instant Family, she plays a foster mom jumping in the deep end with three kids. Ellie (Byrne) and Pete (Mark Wahlberg) decide to adopt a foster child, but they hit it off with a teenager, Lizzie (Isabela Moner) who already has two siblings (Gustavo Quiroz and Julianna Gamiz). They take on all three and try to make their Instant Family work. Byrne spoke with Monsters and Critics by phone out of New York. Instant Family is based on writer/director Sean […]

The post Exclusive interview: Rose Byrne on Instant Family appeared first on Monsters and Critics.

This year has blessed us with a beautiful film about a longtime childless couple who suddenly find themselves grappling with the prospect of parenthood. That movie, of course, is Private Life, a comedy-drama featuring deft, touching performances from Paul Giamatti and Kathryn Hahn, which came out on Netflix last month. You should watch that instead of Instant Family, which is superficially similar and equally heartfelt but not nearly as insightful or hilarious.

Director Sean Anders — the director of Daddy’s Home and co-writer of We’re the Millers — has celebrated so-called unconventional and fractured families,...

Instant Family has a whole lot of heart. Director Sean Anders crafts a touching story about the difficulties and profound happiness adopting children. The film uses comedy to highlight the issues of the foster care system. Most prospective parents are looking for infants. They don't want the burden of raising "troubled" older children, especially teens. Instant Family is a testament to the people who care for abandoned children. It takes true compassion and love to embark on this journey.

Pete (Mark Wahlberg) and Ellie (Rose Byrne) are a successful couple in suburban California. Their business flipping houses has finally taken hold. They are able to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Ellie argues with her competitive sister (Allyn Rachel) about having children. She was so busy working, the thought of a baby seemed ridiculous. Ellie goes online to research fostering children. She is deeply moved.

They decide to get certified as foster parents.

Commercial Hollywood comedies about the glory and absurdity of modern family life tend to come in two flavors: earnest and wack job. If Will Ferrell had starred in “Instant Family,” a comedy about an attractive, childless, edging-into-middle-age couple who take in a brood of foster kids who prove to be more trouble than they look, the movie would have been an over-the-top synthetic farce crammed with masochistic dad jokes; even the hugs would have been yocks. But “Instant Family,” starring Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne as a happily married but vaguely saddened white-bread couple (they barely have a clue as to how much they need children!), who take a trio of Hispanic-American siblings under their untested wings, isn’t a zany obnoxious head conk of a movie.

It was directed, as well as co-written, by Sean Anders, who made “Daddy’s Home” and “Daddy’s Home 2” (which were that sort...

Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne adopt three kids at once in “Instant Family,” a film that looks, sounds, and sometimes acts like a dumb comedy. But stick with it, and you’ll discover that Sean Anders’ latest is an earnest, moving family drama that just happens to be kinda funny.

Anders, who previously directed mediocre-to-painful comedies like the “Daddy’s Home” films and “That’s My Boy,” starts “Instant Family” off his usual way, with adults who behave like overgrown children and a comedy flashback in which Wahlberg accidentally kills another kid’s father. The stage is set, and it’s tempting to give up and go home now, before the real show begins.

But “Instant Family” cleverly uses all that early, immature humor as a contrast, because once Pete (Wahlberg) and Ellie (Byrne) decide to adopt three kids, they’ve set themselves on a path to real maturity. Anders...

Too many family movies dismiss the challenges of parenthood and childhood with some feel good ending. Instant Family makes no bones that any happiness is going to come with challenges that won’t go away at the end of the movie, and it’s stronger for it. Pete (Mark Wahlberg) and Ellie (Rose Byrne) decide to adopt a child who already needs a family. When they see how teenage foster children are ignored by other couples, they decide to take a chance on Lizzie (Isabela Moner). Lizzie comes with younger siblings Lita (Julianna Gamiz) and Juan (Gustavo Quiroz) so Pete and Ellie […]

The post Instant Family movie review: Instafam appeared first on Monsters and Critics.

The first trailer for Instant Family introduces a heartwarming and hilarious story based on director Sean Anders' real life. Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne portray a married couple who are looking to expand their family, just like Anders and his wife did. Wahlberg's Pete character and Byrne's Ellie turn to foster care, looking to adopt one child. However, they end up three siblings. The trailer features some of the ups and downs of starting an instant family, especially when one of the kids is a teenager.

Sean Anders is best known for comedies like Sex Drive, That's My Boy, and Daddy's Home, but Instant Family sees the director adding a dash of drama for this story. Along with the trailer for the film, Anders also released a behind-the-scenes featurette that shows his real-life family and explains how his own personal experience with adoption influenced the project. Right away, Anders...

Mark Wahlberg debuted the trailer for his new film Instant Family on Wednesday's episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

The Sean Anders-directed film stars Wahlberg and Rose Byrne as a married couple who explored the possibility of adopting foster children. The story is based on Anders' real-life experience of adopting foster children with his wife.

Instant Family also stars Isabela Moner, Gustavo Quiroz, Juliana Gamiz, Tig Notaro, Margo Martindale, Tom Segura and Octavia Spencer.

The trailer opens with the married couple renovating a five-bedroom house. "I love what you two are doing with this house, but what are you ...

Paramount has rounded out the cast of studio comedy, Instant Family.

Oscar nominee Octavia Spencer will join Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne in the feature, along with Transformers: The Last Knight breakout Isabela Moner. The newly announced cast also includes a trio of stand-up comedians: Tig Notaro, Iliza Shlesinger and Tom Segura.

Instant Family centers on a couple (Wahlberg and Byrne) who decide to start a family and adopt through the foster-care system, only to find themselves raising three wild kids who have no interest in being parented. Moner will play one of the foster kids, along with newcomers Gustavo Quiroz and Julianna Gamiz.

Daddy's Home director Sean...