A funny, weepy, big ol’ hug of a comedic drama, Instant Family hits all of the right feels while addressing an important issue.

Blending silly with sentimental is never an easy task, yet somehow filmmaker Sean Anders pulls it off with Instant Family. How? By providing a stirring dramatic core to the proceedings. For Anders that drama is based on his very real experience as a father of three adopted children. As any parent out there would know, adding one new addition to the family is a big task. But three? All at once? Now that is quite the commitment.

This is the challenge that middle-class suburban couple Pete (Mark Whalberg) and Ellie Wagner (Rose Byrne) face, when they decide to expand their family and adopt. Initially hoping to take on the one child, the couple are taken with the sibling trio of teenager Lizzy (Isabela Monor), adolescent Juan (Gustavo Quiroz) and young Lita (Julianna Gamiz.)

As expected, the match is far from smooth, a scenario which Anders uses for much comedic and dramatic fodder. Both Wahlberg (in his third film with Anders) and Byrne are more than up for the task, portraying this couple drowning under the stress of new parentage with the right mix of over the top comedy and heartbreaking drama. The three tots who play the new additions to their family are well portrayed, especially Isabela Monor who plays the role of rebellious teen with a sassy attitude that although at times is near villainous, is balanced by a sympathetic backstory that begs for someone to give her a hug.

Being a comedy from Sean Anders, there is much silliness to be found here. Outlandish comedic scenarios are very much his forte, and this story of over their head would be parents, trying to tame a trio of foster kids, provides much of that. Yet unlike Anders’ previous films (Daddy Day Care), Instant Family has genuine emotions beneath its shallow family comedy exterior.

Above all Instant Family talks about a very important issue and does so with very good intensions and a high entertainment factor. Laughs will be had, tears will be shed. Instant Family is a winner in many, many ways.