Mark Wahlberg is no stranger to family movies or action comedies, so when the trailer for The Family Plan was released, it seemed like a fitting vehicle for the movie star. The Family Plan is a movie about a former government agent, played by Wahlberg, who gets tracked down by former enemies and is forced to take his family on an impromptu road trip to Las Vegas. It combines Walhberg’s strengths and interests as a performer for a fun, PG-13 flick meant to bring families together this holiday season. Despite maybe being a right fit for the actor, the film is getting panned by critics, but this isn’t stopping audiences from checking out the actor’s latest with their Apple TV+ subscriptions.
Critics Are Not Loving The Family Plan
Apple TV+ has a great track record for putting out some critically adored films including Killers of the Flower Moon and CODA, 2022’s Best Picture winner. However, The Family Plan is not following in the same footsteps. The film is getting panned by critics and currently holds a 24% on Rotten Tomatoes. This means that only 24 percent of critics are giving The Family Plan a positive review, considering it “rotten” by the review aggregator’s standards. A closer look into the written reviews for the movie aren’t any better. Barry Levitt from Empire Magazine called the movie:
A comic thriller that isn’t especially funny or particularly exciting, The Family Plan is an overlong slog that struggles to make use of its game cast.
Kevin Maher from the UK Magazine The Times liked the premise, but said that the film didn’t ultimately deliver. He said:
The premise for this action comedy is solid... yes. Even intriguing. The execution, however, is slipshod, bland and at times downright distracted.
Brian Tallerico from RobertEbert.com also didn’t have much good to say about the action comedy. He said of the film:
“The Family Plan” constantly lacks a foundation of recognizable human behavior and doesn’t replace its unbelievability with laughs or thrills.
“Unfunny” certainly isn’t the kind of conclusion filmmakers want critics to make about their comedy film. Based on these reviews, The Family Plan isn’t one of the best movies Apple TV+ has to offer, and audiences might want to keep scrolling for more quality when choosing a movie with their family this holiday.
The Family Plan Is Doing Numbers Despite Negative Reviews
While critics may not be responding positively to The Family Plan, audiences are still checking out the movie. Rotten Tomatoes' Audience Score ranks at 63%, meaning more audiences are liking the film than not. It is also attracting streaming numbers in droves, and Deadline reports that The Family Plan has already become Apple TV+'s most streamed film ever. While Rotten Tomatoes numbers have tanked films before, this film seems to be defying the fact that bad reviews ultimately mean financial doom.
Mark Wahlberg has a history of overcoming bad reviews when it comes to attracting an audience. Daddy’s Home wasn't received well (30% on Rotten Tomatoes), however it still did huge box office numbers, prompted a sequel film and potentially a Daddy's Home 3 in the future. Spenser Confidential and Me Time weren’t exactly critical darlings either, but still attracted Netflix subscribers and found themselves in the Netflix Top 10. This could be a sign that audiences are looking for more easy watching as of recent, and aren’t paying as much attention to critic reviews when it comes to a comedic romp. This also could indicate that Wahlberg’s star power remains incredibly strong and is still able to attract a loyal audience in the face of scrutiny.
Apple TV+ subscribers can decide for themselves if Mark Wahlberg’s The Family Plan is worth a watch by streaming the film now. Fans of the movie star should also check out where to watch some of The Departed actor’s best movies. For more information on other movies heading to theaters and streaming to round out 2023, you can consult CinemaBlend’s movie release schedule.
