This is not a comedy. Summary on IMDb could lead you to wrong expectations from this movie and rating is too low. Movie is somewhat funny, but it definitely isn't comedy. It is beautiful, deeply emotional drama about relationship between single father and his daughter and about ways they handle all the twists life brings. If you did not shed single tear during this movie, please go to X-ray and check if you have heart at all. Technically, it is not anything special, just average production, but emotion it carries is priceless.8,5/10.......................................

I saw the movie and enjoyed it a lot, even as it got darker in the end. It was enjoyable to see how Valentino cared for his daughter very much but in a weird way, lying about her mother just so she'll be happy, which is further complicated by her idea of him as a fearless man when he isn't actually like that (the scene where his daughter makes him unwittingly jump off a building from the 10th floor and is injured) and Julie coming and not being what she thought for so long, which made for a very invigorating plot.But the ending is very unsatisfying. They made such a big deal about who will raise the girl with trials and everything, and in the end, rather than choosing how she'll live her life, they just kill her off??? That ending is too much of a downer and negates so much of the plot. What's weirder is that in the ending scene where Maggie dies peacefully, Valentino and Julie watch the sunset as if they're a married couple when it's really a man and one of his 20 or so exes.Despite the ending, the premise of the movie and how it was played out was still very great. I'll give it a solid 8, all great except the end which deducts 2 points.

INSTRUCTIONS NOT INCLUDED is a heartwarming story about love and what it means to be family, especially when it doesn't exactly look like what you'd expect. I haven't watched too many Spanish-language films, but for the most part I haven't been disappointed. This falls right in line with the others. Eugenio Derbez directed and starred in this, and the best part of this movie was the chemistry between him and his on screen daughter, played by Loreto Peralta. The relationship they portrayed was very real, believable and touching. There was also lots of humor, even though the movie isn't a straight comedy (the movie was slightly mis-marketed). For the most part the performances are OK, with Eugenio Derbez being the standout. Loreto Peralta also gave quite a good performance for a child actor, although her Spanish delivery was better than her English delivery. Still, despite so much to recommend about this picture there are a few missteps along the way. For one, the pacing is off in some parts and the movie goes on a little too long, though it never quite wears out its welcome. There is a sequence/plot point late in the movie that could have been omitted. Also, at some points it seems like they are trying too hard to be sentimental. However, there is one surprise (which I won't spoil)) that is hinted at early on, but the reveal still caught me off-guard. The movie also ends rather abruptly shortly after this point, which was kind of odd. Still, I challenge anyone watching this to not be moved in some way. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this film and see no reason why any serious movie-goer wouldn't get some enjoyment out of it as well.

This movie simply charmed the pants off of me. I laughed and cried. It just ran the whole gamut of emotions. It was such a simple yet effective script. Plays kind of a ladies man who has sex with woman after woman and eventually get one pregnant. She dumps the child with him and he falls in love. I don't think this is t much of a spoiler because it happens in the first 20 minutes of the movie and you see it all coming a mile away. The rest of the movie is what counts. I don't want stay to much, but the father and daughter's relationship is so perfect. I've always been so impressed with Mexican made movies. They manage to be simple and profound at the same time. Thought provoking without going completely over my head. A lot of times they're a little depressing though.