Movie Review - Instant Family

Last weekend my husband managed to get free tickets via the Sky Movies app to see the new movie Instant Family. From what I’d seen advertised, I wasn’t expecting a lot out of this film and I’d never have seen it without the freebies. However, I was pleasantly surprised that this was so much more than a “crazy family” comedy and I have to shout about it to make sure everyone else gives it a chance!

The plot revolves around middle-aged couple Pete and Ellie, who after years of building up their careers decide that maybe it’s time they started a family. Pete jokes that they have left it a little late and he wishes he could have an instant 5-year-old so he won’t be an old Dad. This gets Ellie thinking about going down an adoption route and before they know what’s hit them, they have fostered three siblings, including one very mixed-up teenager.

There was a real journey in the film which included all the ups and downs that come with adopting children who may have psychological problems. Here are my thoughts:

~ The trailer DID NOT DO THIS MOVIE JUSTICE!

If, like me, you watched the trailer for this during the adverts at some other movie, you would be forgiven for thinking it was a madcap, Nana comedy, like Bad Moms only with Nanas and without the jokes. They showed scenes of all the Nanas looking after the new grandkids and getting into wAcKy mIsAdVenTuuRReesSS LOLZ. In reality, the movie is nothing like that and the Grandma characters are nothing more than a bit of comic relief in what is actually a very engaging, heartfelt story. Margo Martindale didn’t even turn up until the halfway mark and I thought I’d mistaken whatever crazy trailer I saw with some other movie.

ALTHOUGH, the trailer I saw at the cinema seems to have weirdly been replaced with one with significantly less Grandma in it, so I have no idea what it was that I saw before Mary Poppins Returns. Perhaps it was one to make parents think it was a kid-friendly film. All I know is, I went in expecting Cheaper By The Dozen and what I got was a hell of a lot more substantial. (Sorry Cheaper By The Dozen fans).

~ It’s genuinely laugh out loud funny…

I laughed out loud loads of times along with the whole of the cinema - the writing is really witty and the funniest moments are the clever dialogue rather than the occasional slapstick moment. In fact, the whole script is super pacey and funny, I enjoyed it so much more than I expected. There are some super funny side-characters too and quirky moments that are really amusing. Oh, and a moment where Pete and Ellie GO OFF at a poor teenage kid which really tickled me…!

~ As well as being unexpectedly emotional

It’s clear that the script was very carefully researched by people who understand the process of fostering and adoption, and as a result I found myself in tears through too many scenes to count. The story showed every side of fostering, both the rewarding highs and the challenging lows of parenting difficult children in need of care. Ellie gives a particularly emotional speech about how many children are in desperate need of families and that just because it may be difficult doesn’t mean we should give up on them. The scenes in the foster care workshops are very well done too and probably very similar to advice given to real life couples.

~ The theme of foster caring is refreshing

I can’t remember another high-budget film that has dealt with a couple adopting in any realistic kind of way. Most movie couples try for their own children and it’s really unusual to have adopted children as part of the lead story arc. I think it’s great to bring it to the public’s attention and show there are other ways to start families than the obvious. It also doesn’t sugar-coat anything, even showing Pete and Ellie’s breaking point where they say they hate the kids they have brought into their lives. But all of this just makes the breakthrough moments even more rewarding and gives a realistic (if sometimes exaggerated) look at what a real-life situation like this might look like.

~ The on-screen married leads actually like each other

Rose Byrne and Mark Wahlberg are fantastic as the lead married couple who still have amazing chemistry (despite the occasional argument). It seems ridiculous that this should feel so progressive, but usually in family dramedys there is some big break-up moment between the lead couple and a ton of gender stereotypes that often paint Dad as a lazy manchild and Mum as some uptight fun-sucker. Whilst this film totally touches on typical arguments between men and women, mainly Pete and Ellie are a fun, relatable, loving couple who HAVE FUN together whilst always having each other’s backs. I thought this was great and way more representative of all the couples I know compared to how Hollywood normally portrays marriage.

~ Isabela Mona is a star

She plays the eldest foster daughter Lizzie and she really steals every scene she is in, plus she is a beautiful singer/songwriter and even performs her own song at the end of the film. I feel like we are going to see a lot more of her going forward, she would be perfect as the lead in other teen roles.

~ Tig Notaro and Octavia Spencer are the comedy duo you never knew you needed

Seriously, these ladies as the adoption agency workers are hilarious in every single scene they are in and their comedic chemistry is undeniable. I’ve kind of fallen in love with them both and want a pure double act spin-off sequel now.

~ Joan Cusack has a bizarre, drawn-out cameo that makes no sense, and I think I’m cool with it?

Now I love Joan Cusack as much as the next human, but she appears so suddenly and randomly right at the end of the movie and her scene is built up so much that I kept expecting her to be some massive plot twist or something, only for her to disappear again with no rhyme or reason beyond a completely pointless, not-that-funny comedy moment. Why is she there? What is the point of her character? Was there any reason whatsoever for her 5-minute story arc that has no purpose? Is something left on the cutting room floor that fills in the inexplicable gaps in my brain? These are the questions you will ask yourself as you watch Joan Cusack appear then disappear again. But don’t worry about it. Just enjoy her presence while you have it.

~ It’s a movie with heart putting good into the world

There was just so much good in this movie. And yes there are silly, crazy moments in there, but the heartfelt drama anchors Instant Family into something that is worth people’s attention. At the end there are lots of photos of real life adopted children with their “forever families” which just shows how important it is to spread awareness of adoption agencies. I think this film had an amazing message and managed to be informative and entertaining at the same time.

Rating: 4/5

Movie Thoughts - A Star Is Born

The new romantic musical epic starring Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper follows a young singer-songwriter named Ally as she gets taken under the wing of the troubled country rock star Jackson. A chance meeting between the two of them leads to their whole worlds being changed in ways they could never have expected, for better and for worse…

I watched the film last weekend and wow… Here are my thoughts:

~ You will not be prepared for how PHENOMENAL Lady Gaga is

Oh my word, I am such a big Lady Gaga fan but even I had no idea of the raw acting talent she possesses. Everything about her performance is magnetic, you literally cannot take your eyes off her. And it’s not because of any crazy wig or costume, she’s bare-faced and plain-haired through a lot of this movie, but something about her presence and intensity completely draws you in. The very final scenes of the movie are absolutely iconic and you can tell she poured every piece of herself into this role.

~ Bradley Cooper gives the performance of a lifetime

Bradley Cooper is just as incredible with his performance as a troubled, supremely talented alcoholic. I have never gone that much on Cooper as an actor, I’ve always thought of him as the guy who plays dumb, goofy comedy roles… but wow, did I underestimate him. He delivers such a strong character so perfectly, capturing every part of him from his warmth and passion to his repressed mumbling and drunken demons. It’s not easy to play that kind of part without veering into hamminess, but he never once becomes inauthentic or unbelievable. I was floored at his talent to be honest. (Also, he can really sing!)

~ Jack & Ally’s chemistry is electric

This is a very sensual film and the two lead characters have chemistry by the bucket load. You really feel their intense, blossoming romance and the love scenes are all very romantic and passionate. It was so good I can only assume those two had serious chemistry in real life too…!

~ The filming style is classic and personal

The way this movie was filmed was very reminiscent of oldschool 70’s and 80’s movies in that it felt so personal and almost like you were watching someone’s real life unfolding rather than scripted scenes. Everything felt so authentic and natural without losing the drive of the story in any way, plus the characters all looked very realistic in their style and dress instead of the typical perfect shiny Hollywood types. It just made you love them all even more.

~ There are so many themes that hit hard - especially if you are a musician

As a singer-songwriter myself, so much of this movie spoke to me. The feeling of meeting a perfect musical connection and creating something beautiful together. Getting swept away with the journey and losing what you want to say in the process. Jealousy from people who also love you. The early struggle and constant juggle. I am a sucker for scenes of female musicians quitting their jobs to chase their dreams, it’s the ultimate fantasy and I LOVED Ally’s “I quit” moment in the kitchen. Then of course there is the theme of addiction and finding the one person who believes in you and gives you wings. There were so many themes that are going to speak to so many people watching. I also noticed so much of Gaga’s own life story reflected in the storyline which is what gave it extra impact.

~ The songs are beautiful… Some a little more than others

I really want the soundtrack to this movie because it was full of gorgeous, powerful songs that were so interesting and so raw compared to Gaga’s usual chart pop. (Although of course, we’ve seen her start to go in this direction more with her last album Joanna). The melodies and lyrics are really unusual and special. Although to me, the leading track Shallow is definitely the stand-out and I feel a few of the other tracks couldn’t really measure up. Still, they are all well worth a listen.

~ Watch out for Shangela & Willam!

The girls from Ru Paul’s Drag Race make a special appearance as performers in the club where Ally first meets Jackson - it was so cool to see them on the big screen and they lit up every scene they were in.

~ The run-time is a little long…

I think my only slight criticism was that the run-time (2 hours, 17 minutes) felt quite long to me and by the end I was getting ever so slightly restless. That’s probably more down to my attention span though because everyone else around me was so swept up in it they weren’t thinking of the run-time. Also, I think had anything been cut down then the story would have suffered. Just be prepared for a long ride.

~ It’s a million times better than the Streisand version

Sorry Babs. I watched the original a few years ago during my Streisand phase and I don’t remember much about the story at all. It literally made no impact on me whatsoever and I found it quite boring. This movie was anything but boring though, it was one big emotional roller coaster. I guess by modernising the story it gives it so much more impact. I did love the little touches of Streisand in there though, especially with Gaga complaining about her big nose in the way the original character did.

~ You will cry. A lot.

I was told beforehand that this would be a weepie, but I didn’t realise quite how much it would break my heart. My friend Paul was so much of a wreck that he couldn’t speak for ten minutes afterward. I don’t want to give any spoilers, but JUST BE AWARE. It’s an emotional rollercoaster.

Overall… this is quite simply a bloody brilliant and beautiful movie. I loved it and I’m so glad films like this can still be made and become so popular. Also, I hope this isn’t the end of Gaga’s career because she is quite literally the star being born from this.

Rating: 5/5

Movie Thoughts - A Simple Favour

Last weekend I went to see A Simple Favor at the cinema - I didn’t know much about it besides it was some kind of quirky thiller starring two of my fave American actresses.

It turned out that the plot revolved around a “Mommy Vlogger” named Stephanie who meets the cool, mysterious Emily at the school gates one afternoon and ends up going to hers for their kids to play while they drink really strong martinis together. A very unlikely friendship blooms between the two ladies until a week later, Emily very mysteriously disappears and Stephanie becomes embroiled in a life she doesn’t know as well as she thinks she does…

MY THOUGHTS:

~ Anna Kendrick & Blake Lively are the duo I never knew I needed

They are both completely gorgeous, sparking with chemistry and have amazing comic timing. Anna’s sweet, adorkable nerdiness matched with Blake’s mysterious, foul-mouthed cool girl act is the ultimate double act. I loved both of them so much for different reasons and I want them to star in a million more movies together from now on please.

~ GIRLY THRILLERS ARE THE BEST - I want more of them

I am SO into this genre right now. Gone Girl, Girl On The Train, Big Little Lies…. There is something incredibly watchable about a dark, female-driven mystery unfolding one tiny piece at a time. The fact that this one had a “Mommy Vlogger” at the heart of the drama just made it all the more watchable for me.

~ It was black comedy at it’s finest

It’s by the same director as Bridesmaids and I was not prepared for how absolutely hilarious it was going to be. The audience were laughing out loud the whole way through at the super sharp dialogue. It’s definitely not as serious as the Gone Girl style thrillers, it knows it’s all a bit hammy and tongue-in-cheek and that just makes it all the more enjoyable.

~ THE CLOTHES, OH GOD THE CLOTHES

EVERY OUTFIT WAS MAGNIFICENT AND MADE ME WANT TO HIRE A PERSONAL STYLIST TO GET A TENTH OF THE WAY CLOSE TO SUCH BEAUTIFUL FASHION CHOICES. Extra shout-out to Emily’s white suit and Stephanie’s yellow coat. I kept whispering to Mat about how much I loved that coat in the cinema, hoping it might magically appear on Simply Be if I summoned it.

~ THE WHOLE AESTHETIC ACTUALLY

The setting. The props. The APARTMENTS. (Can I have Emily’s giant wardrobe please?) The title credits. The whole chic film noir thing going on with all the shots and promo stuff. UGH YES.

~ AND THE FRENCH MUSIC OH MY LIFE

There was so much beautiful, trendy French pop in the soundtrack and now I must make a French Pop Spotify List immediately.

(Yes I know that picture has nothing to do even vaguely with French music, but I couldn’t find the screenshot of Stephanie dancing…)

~ The twists and turns were OTT and ridiculous

Without giving too much away there were a lot of crazy twists that took this movie from a somewhat serious psychological thriller to a full on cheesy ham-fest, particularly at the end where the they just got more and more ridiculous and unbelievable. But you know what? I loved them. I’m not ashamed to say it.

~ Nothing made any sense and I can live with that

Half of the time I was thinking… Why is she there? What is she looking for? Who is that? What was the point of that random scene? Why are those people kissing? Why would she be doing/saying that? Why does no one seem that shocked about this insane thing? WHAT’S GOING ON? THIS WOULD NEVER HAPPEN. But like, just go with it. None of that stuff matters. In the end, what matters is being entertained by two funny, gorgeous, badass ladies.

~ Also the pacing was so off, but I can live with that too

Everything happened SO QUICKLY. For a start Stephanie and Emily were “best friends” in the space of a week (I think we were supposed to be shaking our head at Stephanie saying this all the time but it still seemed quite stupid)… And then don’t get me started on a certain relationship that unfurled at the speed of light, along with all the backstory and plot points that were just dumped out of the blue one after the other. Everything happened at very unrealistic rates, but at the same time it meant the film was super snappy and got to the point without over-waffling so I’m happy to suspend belief for the sake of entertainment.

~ The feminist slant was perfection

Emily gave Stephanie many wise, badass pieces of advice from one lady to another. Such as never say sorry like we women are conditioned to do on a daily basis. And go in hard on guys in charge of you before they try and walk all over you. (Note: she said something a lot ruder than walk all over you, I’m paraphrasing here). I LOVED all these little thoughts and speeches. I loved the fact the two characters were mothers and complicated and layered and so much more than the little tick boxes we put certain women into.

~ Stephanie was the main character I’ve always wanted

Sweet, cute and dorky with a hidden edge burning underneath. She said and did such stupid, embarrassing thoroughly relatable things and I loved her so much. Every moment she babbled out some cringe-worthy, nonsensical reply to anyone I was just so happy to see myself represented onscreen. (ha ha)

~ Bonus points for the Andrew Rannells cameo

I have never not loved him in anything I’ve watched him in and I’ve seen him in 5 movies and 4 TV shows, I just checked.

Overall, this is a total romp of a movie and if you are looking for some kind of serious, edgy thriller then it might not be for you. If like me however you love a good romp, especially one with witty banter and massive girl-crushes then you should definitely watch it because I personally loved every second and want to watch it all over again already.

MOVIE RATING: 4.5/5