Instructions Not Included is a film to surely make you smile. This 2013 Spanish film is a one of a kind and it couldn’t be more of a success. The film begins with a Mexican bachelor named Valentín Bravo (Eugenio Derbez) who lives off the coasts of Acapulco, Mexico. He lives his life making love with the many women who come to tour Mexico, never having to conquer his fear of commitment.
All is well until his ‘primer y ultimo amor,’ Julie (Jessica Lindsey), comes back a year later with a beautiful baby girl named Maggie (Loreto Peralta). Julie informs Valentín that he is the father then leaves without a trace. Afraid and unsure of what to do, Valentín decides to travel to Los Angeles, California on the search to find Julie but later finds himself completely in love with Maggie and decides to raise her while working as a Hollywood stuntman.
After six years in LA, life was going well for the father and daughter but in a blink of an eye it all begins to change when Julie reappears into their lives.
Instructions Not Included in total made $10,378,558 with only 348 theatres premiering the film on its opening weekend in the United States, making the film the fifth highest-grossing film in 2013 as well as the highest-grossing Spanish film to open in North America. Not only did the film succeed in the U.S., the film also was an enormous success in Mexico. When the thriving film premiered in Mexico with only 2,755 screenings, the film had a record-breaking total of $11,500,000 on its opening weekend.
Derbez surely has mastered comedy-drama, not only with his directing but also with his impressive acting. Derbez captured his role perfectly, being able to play a Mexican playboy and transforming into an unconditional loving father is incredibly impressive. Not only is Derbez an actor and director, he is also a writer and producer. Some popular TV shows Derbez has directed, written, produced, and starred in are Al Derecho y al Derbez, XHDRBZ, and La Familia P. Luche which all ran from 1992 – 2012. Derbez is very successful and has been recognized by Variety as “#1 most influential Hispanic male in the world.”
Instructions Not Included surely was and still is a successful film. This comedy-drama will make you laugh with its spoof comedy and, sometimes painful to watch, physical comedy. However, while the film has its laughs it also has some tears. Instructions Not Included has a plot twist that will make anyone with a heart burst into tears.
