Instant Family

It plays better than it reviews — the watch lands harder than the write-ups suggest.

• “Instant Family is a decent, involving, endearing story, with funny performances and heartfelt, entirely earned dramatic crescendoes.”

  William Bibbiani, TheWrap · 82

• “Successfully walking the line between sharp comedy and thoughtful dramedy, Instant Family delivers, warming the heart and generating plenty of belly laughs. When it’s funny, as it often is, it’s damn funny. One of the superior comedies of the year, it’s not a classic, but it’s rich, smart and emotionally satisfying and an accomplished step forward for director Sean Anders.”

  IGN · 80

• “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?”

  Matt Singer, ScreenCrush · 80

• “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.”

  Chris Nashawaty, Entertainment Weekly · 75

• “It redefines family craziness as normal in a way that those who seek it out will gratefully relate to.”

  Owen Gleiberman, Variety · 70