If you loved the 2018 dramedy Instant Family starring Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne, you’re probably craving more feel-good movies that expertly blend humor and heart. Instant Family told the story of Pete and Ellie, a couple who decide to start a family by adopting three young siblings out of the foster care system.
The movie was praised for its honest yet uplifting portrayal of the joys and challenges of adoption and blended families. It made us laugh, it made us cry, but most of all, it made us feel good. And couldn’t we all use more of that in our lives?
Well you’re in luck, because there are plenty of other wonderful dramedies out there that capture the same spirit as Instant Family. Movies that will lift your mood, tickle your funny bone, and tug on your heartstrings. If you’re looking for your next feel-good film to watch, check out this list of the 18 best movies like Instant Family.
1. Daddy’s Home (2015)
One of the most obvious comparisons to Instant Family is the Daddy’s Home series starring Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg. In the first film, Ferrell plays Brad, a mild-mannered radio executive who is determined to be the best possible stepfather to his wife’s two children. But his efforts are complicated with the arrival of the kids’ macho biological dad Dusty, played by Wahlberg.
Daddy’s Home is more of a straight-up comedy compared to the more dramatic Instant Family, but it still has plenty of heart. Watching Type-A Brad and tough-guy Dusty try to one-up each other is hilarious, but the movie also has sweet messages about fatherhood, co-parenting, and blended families. If you want the laughs of Instant Family with a little less heavy emotional stuff, Daddy’s Home is a great pick.
2. Blended (2014)
Another great pick for Instant Family fans is the rom-com Blended, which reunites Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore for their third film together. They play single parents Jim and Lauren, who have a disastrous first date and vow to never see each other again. But as luck would have it, they end up stuck together at a luxurious African safari resort with their kids in tow.
Blended is classic Sandler comedy, complete with silly voices and goofy antics. But like Instant Family it has a sweet center and positive messages about family. Watching the two very different families slowly come together is heartwarming and relatable. Blended proves that families come in all shapes and sizes – and that all you need is love.
3. The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)
For a more indie dramedy take on found family, check out the critically acclaimed The Peanut Butter Falcon. It stars Shia LaBeouf as Tyler, a down-on-his-luck crab fisherman, and newcomer Zack Gottsagen as Zak, a young man with Down syndrome who escapes from his nursing home to pursue his dream of becoming a professional wrestler.
Tyler becomes Zak’s unlikely coach and ally as they set off on a Mark Twain-esque journey across the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Along the way, they develop a powerful bond and learn important life lessons from each other. Like Instant Family, The Peanut Butter Falcon is a funny, moving tale about how sometimes your real family is the one you make for yourself.
4. Big Daddy (1999)
If you love Adam Sandler’s particular brand of manchild-grows-up comedy, then you can’t miss the modern classic Big Daddy. Sandler stars as Sonny, a 30-something slacker who adopts a 5-year-old boy in order to impress his girlfriend. But when she dumps him, Sonny is left to raise the hilariously precocious Julian all on his own.
Watching Sonny stumble his way through parenting is comedy gold, whether he’s teaching Julian to trip rollerbladers or pee on buildings. But Big Daddy also has genuinely sweet moments as Sonny learns to put someone else’s needs before his own. It’s a heartstring-tugging tale of an unlikely father-son bond, with a lot of classic Sandler laughs along the way.
5. Life as We Know It (2010)
Life as We Know It stars Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel as Holly and Messer, who are polar opposites that get set up on a disastrous blind date. The only thing they have in common is their love for their shared goddaughter Sophie. But when Sophie’s parents tragically die, Holly and Messer suddenly find themselves named as her joint guardians.
Watching the two bicker and fumble their way through instant parenthood is both hilarious and relatable for anyone who has been thrown into the deep end of child-rearing. But like Instant Family, Life as We Know It also has a big, gooey, heartwarming center as this unlikely trio slowly becomes a loving family. Sometimes the best things in life are the ones you never see coming.
6. Juno (2007)
On the surface, the indie comedy Juno might not seem to have much in common with Instant Family. It follows 16-year-old Juno MacGuff, played by Elliot Page, who finds herself unexpectedly pregnant after a one-time hookup with her best friend Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera). Juno decides to give the baby up for adoption to a wealthy suburban couple.
But in its own quirky, sardonic way, Juno is also a heartfelt exploration of the different ways families can be made. Juno forms a touching bond with the baby’s adoptive father Mark (Jason Bateman) as they grapple with the strange situation they find themselves in. And the film argues that it’s love, not biology, that truly makes a family – a sentiment Instant Family would surely agree with.
7. The Blind Side (2009)
The Blind Side is based on the incredible true story of Michael Oher, a homeless African-American teenager who is taken in by Leigh Anne Tuohy and her family. Sandra Bullock won an Oscar for her portrayal of the fierce, no-nonsense Leigh Anne, who becomes a passionate advocate for Michael as she helps him fulfill his potential both on and off the football field.
Like Instant Family, The Blind Side is a feel-good story of people from very different walks of life coming together to form an unexpected family. It has its fair share of sports movie cliches, but it’s hard not to be moved by its depiction of the Tuohys’ love and generosity, and Michael’s journey to find his place in the world. Sometimes a helping hand from a stranger can completely change the course of a life.
8. Gifted (2017)
Gifted stars Chris Evans as Frank, a boat mechanic raising his math prodigy niece Mary on his own after the death of her mother. Frank is determined to give Mary a normal childhood, but his plans are thrown into disarray when his formidable mother Evelyn (Lindsay Duncan) sues for custody in order to enroll Mary in a prestigious academy for the gifted.
The family court drama that ensues is reminiscent of some of the scenes in Instant Family as Frank and Evelyn battle over what’s best for this special little girl. But like Pete and Ellie, Frank learns that being a parent is about more than just what’s on paper – it’s about providing love, support, and room to grow. Gifted is a charming and thought-provoking film about how sometimes the most important gifts are the ones money can’t buy.
9. We Bought a Zoo (2011)
We Bought a Zoo, based on a memoir by Benjamin Mee, stars Matt Damon as a widowed father who makes the unusual decision to purchase a struggling zoo in order to give his family a fresh start. As the Mees work to renovate and reopen the zoo, they also begin to heal from their shared grief and rediscover the joy in life.
Like Instant Family, We Bought a Zoo is a sweet, gently funny film about an ordinary family embarking on an extraordinary adventure together. It celebrates the power of new beginnings, and how sometimes the best way to move forward is by taking a huge leap of faith. Plus, who can resist the heartwarming combo of Matt Damon and a bunch of adorable zoo animals?
10. Marley & Me (2008)
Marley & Me is based on the bestselling memoir by journalist John Grogan. It follows newlyweds John and Jenny (Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston) as they adopt a rambunctious yellow lab puppy named Marley to test their parenting skills before starting a human family. But the wild, untrainable Marley soon takes over their home and hearts.
Over the course of the film, John and Jenny navigate marriage, children, and career changes, with Marley serving as the chaotic through-line. Like Instant Family, it’s a relatable and ultimately tear-jerking portrait of the way families grow and change over time. And it argues that it’s our imperfections and messes that make us beautiful. After all, life isn’t always a walk in the park – sometimes it’s a mad dash through the dog park.
11. The Proposal (2009)
The Proposal is a rom-com with a family twist. Sandra Bullock stars as Margaret, a high-powered book editor who ropes her long-suffering assistant Andrew (Ryan Reynolds) into marrying her so she can avoid deportation to Canada. To sell the ruse, they have to spend a weekend with his eccentric family in Alaska.
Watching Margaret adapt to Andrew’s tight-knit clan delivers plenty of fish-out-of-water laughs, but The Proposal also has a sweet message about the families we’re born into vs. the ones we choose. Like Instant Family, it shows how opening your heart to others, even in the most unexpected circumstances, can lead to a fuller, happier life. And that sometimes home is more about the people than the place.
12. Cheaper by the Dozen (2003)
If Pete and Ellie thought adjusting to three kids was a handful, they don’t know how good they have it compared to the Bakers in Cheaper by the Dozen. Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt star as Tom and Kate Baker, the harried parents of 12 rambunctious children, ranging from preschoolers to teenagers.
When Tom gets his dream job coaching his alma mater football team, the whole family has to adjust to a new town, new schools, and new challenges that test their bond. Cheaper by the Dozen is a silly, slapstick-y comedy, but like Instant Family it also has heartfelt themes about the value of teamwork and supporting each other through thick and thin. Watching the Bakers band together to navigate adolescent angst and family crises will make you want to hug your loved ones close.
13. The Family Stone (2005)
The Family Stone has become a modern Christmas classic, but it shares more in common with Instant Family than just the holiday setting. It follows the bohemian Stone family, led by matriarch Sybil (Diane Keaton) and patriarch Kelly (Craig T. Nelson), as they welcome eldest son Everett’s (Dermot Mulroney) uptight girlfriend Meredith (Sarah Jessica Parker) for Christmas.
Meredith’s conservative values immediately clash with the Stones’ laidback, liberal lifestyle, causing tensions to boil over. But as the family grapples with an unexpected crisis, they also start to open their hearts to new possibilities. Like Instant Family, The Family Stone is a funny, emotional exploration of what it means to be a family, warts and all. It argues that it’s our differences that make us stronger, as long as we lead with love.
14. Parenthood (1989)
Before it was a beloved TV series, Parenthood was a classic family dramedy directed by Ron Howard. It follows the sprawling Buckman clan, led by patriarch Frank (Jason Robards) and his four grown children: Gil (Steve Martin), Helen (Dianne Wiest), Susan (Harley Jane Kozak), and Larry (Tom Hulce), as they navigate the ups and downs of raising their own kids.
Each of the Buckmans face their own challenges, from Gil’s high-strung parenting style to Helen’s struggles as a single mom to a rebellious teen. Like Instant Family, Parenthood takes an honest, empathetic look at the joys and pains of child-rearing, with plenty of laughs and tears along the way. It argues that no family is perfect, but that’s what makes them perfectly human.
15. Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
On the surface, Mrs. Doubtfire might seem like just a silly Robin Williams cross-dressing comedy. But at its heart, it’s a poignant story of the lengths parents will go to be there for their children. Williams stars as Daniel, a loving but irresponsible dad who loses custody of his three kids in a bitter divorce.
To spend more time with them, he poses as an elderly British nanny named Mrs. Doubtfire and gets hired by his ex-wife to watch the children. Beneath the slapstick antics and goofy prosthetics, Mrs. Doubtfire has a lot of insight into co-parenting, healing after divorce, and the unbreakable bond between parent and child. Like Instant Family, it shows that sometimes being a family means making sacrifices and meeting each other halfway.
16. The Kids Are All Right (2010)
The Kids Are All Right offers a more modern, LGBT-inclusive take on the family dramedy. Annette Bening and Julianne Moore star as Nic and Jules, a married lesbian couple whose teenage children (Josh Hutcherson and Mia Wasikowska) seek out their sperm donor father (Mark Ruffalo).
His arrival shakes up the family dynamic in both humorous and heartbreaking ways, as each character grapples with questions of biology, belonging, and what makes a “real” family. Like Instant Family, The Kids Are All Right takes an empathetic, nuanced look at the complexities of 21st century families. It argues that while no family is perfect, there’s nothing more perfect than being true to who you are.
17. Yours, Mine & Ours (2005)
A remake of a 1960s comedy, Yours, Mine & Ours stars Dennis Quaid and Rene Russo as Frank and Helen, two widowed high school sweethearts who rekindle their romance after decades apart. The only problem? Between the two of them, they have 18 kids from their previous marriages.
The ensuing blended family chaos is ripe for laughs, whether it’s the battle for bathroom time or the culture clashes between the two sets of siblings. But like Instant Family, Yours, Mine & Ours also has a sweet message about the power of love to bring people together against the odds. Sometimes the family you need is the one you create by opening your heart.
18. Wonder (2017)
Based on the bestselling novel by R.J. Palacio, Wonder tells the inspiring story of Auggie Pullman (Jacob Tremblay), a 10-year-old boy with facial differences who enters mainstream school for the first time. As Auggie navigates bullies and new friendships, his family must also adapt to the challenges and triumphs of raising an extraordinary child.
Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson give moving performances as Auggie’s fiercely loving parents, while Izabela Vidovic shines as his often-overlooked sister Via. Like Instant Family, Wonder is a tear-jerking but ultimately uplifting story about the power of empathy, acceptance, and unconditional family love. It celebrates the wonder of being different, and how our imperfections can be our greatest strengths.
So there you have it – 18 heartwarming and hilarious movies to watch if you loved Instant Family. Whether you’re in the mood for a silly comedy, a touching drama, or something in between, these films all celebrate the crazy, messy, wonderful thing we call family.
Because at the end of the day, that’s what Instant Family is really about. It’s not about being a perfect parent or having a picture-perfect household. It’s about showing up, loving hard, and cherishing the beautiful chaos. It’s about opening your heart to the unexpected and letting yourself be changed by it.
As Pete says in the movie, “Things that matter are hard.” Parenting is hard.
