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"INSTANT FAMILY"
(2018) (Mark Wahlberg, Rose Byrne) (PG-13)


At-A-Glace Content Summary

Alcohol/Drugs Moderate
Blood/Gross Stuff Mild
Disrespectful/Bad Attitude Heavy
Frightening/Tense Scenes Minor
Gun/Weapons Minor
Imitative Behavior Heavy
Jump Scenes Minor
Music (Scary/Tense) Minor
Music (Inappropriate) None
Profanity Heavy
Sex/Nudity Heavy
Smoking None
Tense Family Scenes Heavy
Topics to Talk About Extreme
Violence Moderate


QUICK TAKE:
Dramedy: A couple decides to foster a teenage girl and her younger siblings, only to find that parenting is a lot harder but also more rewarding than they could have imagined.
PLOT:
Pete (MARK WAHLBERG) and Ellie Wagner (ROSE BYRNE) are a childless couple who rehab and flip old houses for a living. But something seems missing in their lives and that's kids, something that her sister, Kim (ALLYN RACHEL), and brother-in-law, Russ (TOM SEGURA), blatantly point out those two will never have. As a result, Pete and Ellie consider getting a foster child and meet with Karen (OCTAVIA SPENCER) and Sharon (TIG NOTARO) who run the local problem.

When they meet 15-year-old Lizzy (ISABELA MONER), they're taken aback by her spunky attitude, but also drawn to that, and while they envisioned getting an infant, they think the teen might be the right fit. What they weren't expecting is a package deal in the form of her younger siblings -- tentative and nervous Juan (GUSTAVO QUIROZ) and bratty Lita (JULIANNA GAMIZ) -- but decide to go for it anyway.

At first, it works out beautifully, and Mark's mom, Grandma Sandy (MARGO MARTINDALE), and Ellie's parents, Jan (JULIE HAGERTY) and Jerry (MICHAEL O'KEEFE), enjoy their new foster grandkids. But once the honeymoon phase is over, Pete and Ellie quickly realize that parenting is a lot harder but also more rewarding than it appears, especially when they've become an instant, five-person family.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?
Since three of the main characters are kids, it's possible, especially if any of the viewers are fans of anyone in the cast.
WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13
For thematic elements, sexual material, language and some drug references.


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