Mark Wahlberg is never going to be considered one of the most acclaimed dramatic actors in the industry, but when he shows up in more serious fare, he’s usually much better than when we see him in the run-of-the-mill action movies that seem to be his bread and butter.
For instance, Lone Survivor, Deepwater Horizon and Patriots Day are far superior to generic output like Mile 22 and Spenser Confidential. Make no mistake about it, Wahlberg is certainly able to command the screen if he’s given the right material, but he doesn’t always pick the best projects.
One of his more underrated films, though, is 2018’s Instant Family, which did decent business at the box office after earning $120 million worldwide off a $48 million budget, but certainly isn’t remembered by too many people these days when it comes to listing highlights of his career. And that’s a shame, because with a critics rating of 81% and an audience rating of 82% on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s clear that there’s a lot to like about it. Which is perhaps why it’s been dominating Netflix today.
According to FlixPatrol, Instant Family is the ninth most-watched movie on the platform on the global charts, with tons of subscribers flocking to it. What its sudden popularity might be attributed to, we can’t say, but it’s certainly nice to see it getting this little boost.
For those unfamiliar, the film tells the story of “a couple find themselves in over their heads when they foster three children.” Though not perfect by any means, Instant Family is harmless viewing and features great performances from both Wahlberg and co-star Rose Byrne, making for a warm, funny dramedy.
Again, when it comes to Mark Wahlberg‘s best movies, you’ll rarely if ever hear it come up in conversation, but if you’re looking for a few hours to kill and haven’t seen it yet, flip it on on Netflix to find out what you’ve been missing.
