Netflix viewers are flocking to the 2018 comedy-drama Instant Family, which has claimed the top spot on the streaming platform’s movie chart. The film stars Isabela Merced, who currently appears as Dina, Ellie’s love interest in HBO‘s acclaimed series The Last of Us.
The Paramount Pictures release follows Pete and Ellie Wagner (Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne), a married couple who enter the foster care system after facing persistent questions about their childless status. Their lives transform when they welcome three siblings into their home: 15-year-old Lizzie (Merced), 10-year-old Juan (Gustavo Escobar), and 6-year-old Lita (Julianna Gamiz).
Director Sean Anders, who co-wrote the screenplay with John Morris, drew inspiration from his personal experience with fostering and adoption. The film features a stellar supporting cast including Margo Martindale, Julie Hagerty, and Octavia Spencer, alongside comedians Tig Notaro, Tom Segura, and Iliza Shlesinger.
Instant Family proved both a commercial and critical success, generating over $120 million at the international box office while earning an 82% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes.
“For all its formula, Instant Family is a winning confection, unafraid to go to unexpected dramatic places and elevated by Byrne’s gift as a comedy foil and Moner’s lively but subtle turn,” noted Empire in its review.
The Washington Post praised the film’s balance of emotion and humor, stating that the “laughs are sometimes silly, but often come as moments of relief that the family has made it through something tough.”
Merced’s rising profile following her transition from Nickelodeon star to feature film actress and her current role in The Last of Us likely contributes to the film’s renewed popularity on the streaming platform.
Instant Family is available to stream on Netflix.
