Review of Instructions Not Included (2013) by Tvjerry — 08 Sep 2013

This is the highest grossing Spanish-language film to open in North America and it's aimed squarely at the family-film audience that Disney targets. Eugenio Derbez (who also co-wrote & directed) plays a ladies' man, whose life is upended when one of his former girlfriends drops off her baby at his door.

Seven years later, she shows back up to re-claim the daughter he's raised. This is big on sentiment: broad comedy, dramatic conflict and tender emotion. Loreto Peralta (the daughter) is sweet and appealing.

The audience around me was enthusiastic (some of the references are strictly cultural) and the movie is not without charms, but it's not likely to appeal to English-speaking families because of the subtitles.