The sole reason that The Family Plan 2 exists is that, according to Apple TV+, The Family Plan was their most-viewed film on the platform for a brief moment when it was released in 2023. Reviews were dismal and nothing really warranted a follow-up, but this kind of action-comedy entertainment is easily digestible and meant to be viewed at home when there isn’t much else to do. The first film served the purpose of being passable entertainment in the moment and then easily forgettable once the credits began to roll. There’s nothing wrong with movies like this, but I do wish the talent involved were given something better to chew on rather than by-the-numbers entertainment.
With The Family Plan 2, director Simon Cellan Jones is back at the helm, David Coggeshall has returned for screenwriting duties, and stars Mark Wahlberg and Michelle Monaghan, along with the actors who portrayed their children, are ready to serve the plot of this sequel as well. Obviously, everyone involved had a good time working together, and that’s evident as you watch the sequel, which gains slight momentum by having the whole family fully in on Dan Morgan’s (Wahlberg) secret past as a government assassin. The Christmas setting also helps, which will likely turn this into a hit for Apple once again, but, at the end of the day, the movie still lacks staying power and will be an afterthought soon after it’s over.
Following the events of the first movie and with his past exposed to his family, Dan Morgan has gone from being a car salesman to running a security agency. The entire family appears to be thriving, with Jessica now being offered the Head of the Women’s Track position at Ohio State, Nina (Zoe Colletti) living it up in London, Kyle (Van Crosby) working on his hacking skills, now known as “Kylleboi” in the gaming world, while also getting more proficient behind the wheel and Max (Peter and Theodore Lindsey) is at an age to form words now. The family is stable, although Dan and Jessica are seeking a bit more balance. Like any couple, the struggle to find more balance between their professional and personal lives has struck the couple, but so has a wrinkle that will force them back into action. An offer is made to head to London to inspect a security system at Cadogan Bank, which gives the family an excuse to visit Nina and spend time together during Christmas. The family outing is seemingly ruined when a man named Aidan Clarke (Kit Harington) inquires about Dan’s skills in breaching the bank’s security system, which is just a ruse to use Dan to steal the key from the bank, thereby gaining access to an encrypted server. With this, the Christmas vacation is given a layer of action and intrigue as they have to try and stop Aidan, resulting in more of the same that we saw in the first movie, but with the comfort of having spent time with these characters before.
Part of the reason that The Family Plan 2 works better than the first movie is that the family aspect is stronger this time around. Because of the nature of the plot of the first film, where the family had to be in the dark, we didn’t get to really see them interact in a way that felt meaningful. This time around, all of them get to be on the same playing field, and this leads to some solid familial chemistry being on display from all involved. The movie is at its best when the focus is on the family dynamics because they no longer feel like devices to drive the plot forward. Getting them in on more of the action proves to be something The Family Plan 2 gets right.
Sadly, the action part of this action-comedy is lacking in the sense that Jones isn’t entirely proficient at crafting exciting action scenes, something that was evident the first time around. Everything about the set pieces is by the numbers, and they fail to excite. Routine would be the best way to describe them, and that’s the last way you want to describe scenes that are supposed to amp up the adrenaline.
The bad guy this time around is played by Kit Harington, and his “Aidan” has a secret that links him directly to Dan. The connection works for the sake of this movie, but it’s far from groundbreaking. Should one be interested in The Family Plan universe, it does tie back to a character in the first movie, so I suppose kudos are in order for attempting franchise connection and growth. That being said, Harington is a far better villain than Ciaran Hinds’ McCaffrey from the first movie because he feels like a more viable threat, and Harington does appear to be having a blast being the bad guy.
Wahlberg is doing the same thing he has done in recent years, and that’s seemingly slumming it for a paycheck. What happened to the guy who was Oscar-nominated for The Departed or who held his own alongside Christian Bale in The Fighter? Perhaps he’s doing a lot of these safe, family-friendly movies because he’s a family man himself and could be in a place where he wants to put out “positive” material, but it has come at the detriment of his craft. The last thing I felt like he gave a damn in was Patriots Day, and that was back in 2016. It’s frustrating because he’s a more than capable actor when he isn’t phoning it in, and that’s basically what he’s doing here.
Monaghan is surprisingly underutilized this time around. She gets to appear to be turned on by Dan using some of his assassin skills on one of their date nights, and she’s harboring her own secret that would result in the family moving from Buffalo, New York, but she isn’t given much to do beyond this. As for the kids, Zoe Colletti and Van Crosby are pretty solid and actually are given some fun things to do that make them better this time around. Other than Harrington, they honestly give the best performances in the film.
The Family Plan 2 improves in spots, but it ultimately does the action-comedy genre no big favors because it isn’t especially funny or thrilling. Audiences at home will find something to enjoy, especially with the family becoming more viable as a whole in this entry, but slight improvements are enough to justify the film’s existence. There is a sneaking suspicion that more of these will get made, but there isn’t enough interest to see what this family does next.
The Family Plan 2 is now streaming on Apple TV+.
The Family Plan 2 improves in spots, but it ultimately does the action-comedy genre no big favors because it isn't especially funny or thrilling.
Hello! My name is Gaius Bolling: movie, TV, and pop culture junkie! The industry has been in my veins since I was a kid and I have carried that on through adulthood. I attended Los Angeles Film Academy and participated in their screenwriting and editing program. From there, I have learned to hone my skills in the world of entertainment journalism. Some of my favorite genres include horror, action, and drama and I hope to share my love of all of this with you.
