Instructions Not Included (2013)

Instructions Not Included has that rare, crowd-pleasing magic trick: it starts as a sunny fish-out-of-water comedy and, almost without you noticing, earns the right to hit you straight in the heart. Eugenio Derbez is effortlessly charismatic as a carefree Acapulco playboy forced into fatherhood, and the film’s secret weapon is the warm, natural rapport between Derbez and Loreto Peralta, who make their bond feel lived-in rather than manufactured. The vibe is big-hearted and accessible—lots of laughs, a gentle sweetness, and a willingness to lean into emotion when it counts—so if you’re allergic to sentimentality, you may find it a touch earnest. But if you want a charming, entertaining movie that leaves you smiling through a lump in your throat, this one delivers.

Instructions Not Included is aiming for a crowd-pleasing mashup of broad comedy and heartfelt father-daughter drama, and when it stays in that lane it can be genuinely charming thanks to Eugenio Derbez’s likability and the kid’s natural warmth. The problem is it’s long, tonally wobbly, and it keeps yanking you from cartoonish slapstick to big, pre-packaged emotion in a way that can feel calculated rather than earned. If you’re sensitive to movies that push hard for tears or you want a tighter, more consistent comedy, this may test your patience. But if you’re up for a sentimental, sitcom-style ride with a few sweet moments and you don’t mind the film playing your heartstrings like an instrument, it’ll probably do the job.