the family plan 2Image via Apple TV
By
Nate Richard
Published 3 hours ago
Nate Richard is a Resource Editor for Collider, a film and television critic, and a part-time amateur filmmaker. He graduated from Ball State University in December 2020 with a Bachelor's degree in Telecommunications.
Nate has been with Collider since August 2021 and became a Resource Editor in March 2022. With Collider, Nate has interviewed some of the biggest names in Hollywood including Robert De Niro, Michael Fassbender, Steven Yeun, and J.K. Simmons.
Nate has also covered several film festivals, both in-person and digitally, including the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), the Heartland International Film Festival (HIFF), and South by Southwest (SXSW).
He's also an avid runner and is very proud of his dogs Hazel, Rex, and Turbo. He currently resides in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Sign in to your Collider account
Summary
Generate a summary of this story
follow
Follow
followed
Followed
Like
Like
Thread
Log in
Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents:
Try something different:
Show me the facts
Explain it like I’m 5
Give me a lighthearted recap
Two years ago, Mark Wahlberg starred in the utterly forgettable direct-to-streaming action-comedy The Family Plan for Apple TV. Despite its scathing reviews, it became a hit for the streamer, even going on to become Apple’s top-streamed film for a moment in time. It’s not a shock that a sequel was ordered, although it is a bit ironic that it's the second Christmas-themed sequel for Wahlberg, after Daddy’s Home 2 in 2017.
Still, putting some tinsel up for a follow-up film is like a cheat, especially if you’re one of the many who will simply like a movie that puts you into the holiday spirit, regardless of its quality. After all, who would dare click play on The Family Plan 2 expecting one of the best movies of the year?
What Is 'The Family Plan 2' About?
The Family Plan 2 kicks off two years after the first movie, when Dan Morgan’s (Wahlberg) wife, Jessica (Michelle Monaghan), and kids, Nina (Zoe Colletti), Kyle (Van Crosby), and toddler Max (Peter & Theo Lindsey), are now fully aware of his past as a mercenary for his crimelord father. From the jump, we learn that Dan’s father has died in prison, and honestly, our heroic family man is doing just fine. Even as Jessica tells him that it’s totally normal to feel things over the loss.
But Dan is more concerned about the news that Nina, who is attending college in London, will not be coming home for Christmas. Dan, despite his gruff background, has always been one for tradition and family, so through his job as the head of a security firm, he books a client in the UK so that he can still be with his daughter for the holiday season.
Upon their arrival, Dan is immediately thrown for a loop when he learns that Nina has a boyfriend, Omar (Reda Elazouar), and even worse, the guy can’t seem to stop calling him “daddy.” That’s not only a detour that Dan encounters on his trip; in fact, something far worse and deadlier is waiting for him in the streets of London: his vengeful half-brother Aidan (Kit Harington).
‘The Family Plan 2’ Is More of the Same
Mark Wahlberg wears a brown jacket and looks off screen in The Family Plan 2Image via Apple TV
If you didn’t like the first Family Plan movie, this sequel isn’t going to turn you into a fan. Sure, on the surface, it's slightly better. It’s a bit less generic, and the stakes have been raised, as the Morgan family goes international, but in terms of quality, it’s still pretty much exactly what you’d expect, just slightly better.
Wahlberg and Monaghan have clearly furthered their chemistry as Dan and Jessica, where their married couple dynamic actually does come across as genuinely charming instead of forced. In fact, the sequel actually allows Monaghan to be given much more to do outside of just being the unassuming wife. In the early moments of the film, we see Dan scaling a hotel in order to meet up with Jessica for date night. It’s actually pretty cute, especially since returning director Simon Cellan Jones and screenwriter David Coggeshall have seemingly realized that they need to try something a bit new.
Sure, The Family Plan 2 does take the Morgan family back on vacation, but it’s not exactly the same as the first movie, beat for beat. Especially with the introduction of Harington’s Aidan, who actually proves to be a slightly compelling villain. The sequel never fully paints Aidan as some cold-hearted moustache-twirling villain, like it did with Ciarán Hinds’ McCaffrey in the first movie. Instead, we see him as someone who reeks of jealousy, especially since Dan got the life he never got to have. Yes, it’s very cliché and generic, but at least it's actually trying.
As an action-comedy, however, The Family Plan 2 is far more interested in repeating some of the same unfunny jokes as its predecessor. Bits such as Dan and Jessica embarrassing their kids by singing the top '90s pop hits in the car or complaining about phones are all still present, and they still aren't ever hilarious. A lot of it is just going through the same motions as the first film did with telling so-called jokes. It all goes back to "Mom and Dad just don't get it. But also, I feel like I'm becoming them." It's going through all the same motions as the first, as Nina and Kyle are frequently embarrassed by how uncool their secretly badass action-hero Dad appears to be. The inclusion of Elazouar's Omar attempts to shake things up, but even that sub-plot revolving around Dan's disapproval is tired and worn out as soon as it's introduced.
'The Family Plan 2' Holiday Cheer Carries the Sequel
Zoe Colletti, Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Monaghan, and Van Crosby as the Morgan family on the poster for The Family Plan 2.Image via Apple TV
As cheap as it is, sometimes injecting a bit of Christmas spirit into a movie can take it a long way. In its first act, The Family Plan 2 has plenty to go around. Hell, it even gets the tradition right of putting up your Christmas tree right after Thanksgiving, whereas most holiday films depict families putting their tree up on the day itself. Admittedly, that's not the highest of compliments, but Dan's need for a family Christmas makes for an enjoyable first act.
As the film goes along, things get much more stale. Most of the action scenes are unremarkable. While the first film went into some unexpectedly violent places that felt at odds with the family-friendly tone, the sequel plays things too safely. One notorious example is a pivotal fight scene between Wahlberg and Harington, duking it out on a double-decker bus. Instead of having up-close shots of the fight, the film opts to have fights primarily take place within wide shots of the London streets, so the two stars' fist fight takes place far away from the camera.
There's nothing about The Family Plan 2 that particularly stands out aside from the European Christmas setting. Despite having a slightly different premise from the original, much of the film plays out like a sitcom. Yes, it's an improvement over the first movie, that's not saying much when your predecessor was already lackluster. For those looking for a disposable Christmas movie to flick on when putting up your tree, then maybe The Family Plan 2 will do the trick. Otherwise, don't make any plans to stream this sequel.
The Family Plan 2 premieres on Apple TV+ on November 21, 2025.
5
10
The Family Plan 2
The Family Plan 2 is better than the first movie, but is that really saying much?
Like Follow Followed PG-13 Action Comedy Release Date November 21, 2025 Runtime 106 Minutes Director Simon Cellan Jones Writers David Coggeshall Producers John G. Scotti, Mark Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson, Dana Goldberg, David Ellison, Don GrangerCast
See All-
Mark Wahlberg
Dan Morgan
-
Michelle Monaghan
Jessica Morgan
- Wahlberg and Monaghan's chemistry has improved.
- The first act has some holiday cheer to go around.
- The action feels lackluster.
- Most of the jokes feel tired and too sitcom-like.
- The movie plays it even safer than the first movie.
-
The Family Plan 2
-
Mark Wahlberg
We want to hear from you! Share your opinions in the thread below and remember to keep it respectful.
Be the first to post Images Attachment(s) Please respect our community guidelines. No links, inappropriate language, or spam.Your comment has not been saved
Send confirmation emailThis thread is open for discussion.
Be the first to post your thoughts.
- Terms
- Privacy
- Feedback
6 hours ago
The 10 Greatest Performances of the 1940s, Ranked
6 hours ago
'Murdaugh: Death in the Family's Johnny Berchtold "Had a Pit in [His] Stomach for a Week" Before Filming the Series Finale
8 hours ago
'District 9' Visionary Neill Blomkamp Joins Forces With Dimitri Vegas, David Guetta, and Loreen for a New Sci-Fi Music Video [Exclusive]
5 hours ago
The 20 Greatest Thanksgiving TV Episodes of All Time, Ranked
What To Watch
July 20, 2025
The 72 Best Movies on Netflix Right Now
Trending Now
Studio Ghibli Redefined Female Power With These 10 Groundbreaking Protagonists
‘The White Lotus’ Season 4 Gets Massive Update Ahead of Filming in France
'Twin Peaks' Icon Kyle MacLachlan Is Headed Back to the Pacific Northwest For Emerald City Comic Con [Exclusive]
