A Fun Weekend Watch || Review of The Family Plan (2023)

On their anniversary night, Dan and Jessica go out and while making out, some young men take their photo and post it to social media. Dan looks shocked and Jessica doesn't understand why. The following day, while shopping with his toddler strapped to his chest, a man attacks Dan. He fights, escapes and runs home to pack his family's things for a trip to Vegas. Who are those after Dan and his family? Does he have a secret that his family is unaware of?

Review

I see that the audience ratings for this film is unexpectedly low but I loved it! Never mind that the main actor is Mark Wahlberg but the plot is well executed. It's not an original one, we've seen similar movie plots where a conservative family man is revealed as a former assassin in hiding. His past comes tumbling out and his family has to decide whether or not to accept him.

The storytelling is well-done. Mark Wahlberg convinces the audience that he can be both a calm, normal person and also a badass assassin, all to protect the people he cares about. He embodies his character well and the comedy is hilarious. I enjoyed the scenes of the toddler acting funny right from the beginning of the film. The film balances comedy and drama quite well, and gives the audience a fresh look on changes, confronting our past lives and the power of family love to heal past mistakes.

The supporting cast is great too. It's good to see Maggie Q in action after the low rating of Fear The Night (2023). Though her scenes are few, she plays them convincingly. I almost chose her over Michelle Monaghan as a fitting love interest for Mark Wahlberg. Ciarán Hinds too plays his role well as a worthy villain.

Though some of the scenes aren't realistic such as weaving through traffic in a car chase with a Honda minivan and the wife and kids are asleep. None of them wake up! But it's alright in my opinion. This film doesn't take itself seriously and neither should viewers. Sometimes, you go with the flow and simply enjoy the movie, realistic or not.

I like that the director Simon Cellan Jones pursues the angle that families are not perfect. Through tough situations, like a life-and-death situation, sticking together and loving each other can make a big difference.

Overall, The Family Plan is a fun and delightful film worth watching. I enjoy the blend of spy thriller and comedy within a two-hour runtime. I'll give it 3.5 stars out of 5.

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^{Other images are screenshots from the movie}