Eugenio Derbez’s ‘Instructions Not Included’ Spain Debut: Newspaper El País Trashes Film, Calls It ‘Pitiful’ Among Other Things

Eugenio Derbez had a fabulous 2013, with his movie “Instructions Not Included,” his debut as a director, grossing over $44 million only in the US and becoming Mexico’s most-watched film of the year. Although Derbez has had a very long and prosperous career in Mexico, where he’s from, he became an overnight success in the United States among Latinos and non-Latinos. It is so, that just recently, he finally announced he’s moving to Los Angeles after getting many opportunities in the Anglo market.

However, his movie “Instructions Not Included” has hit a market where it hasn’t been greatly received: Spain. It turns out that Javier Ocaña, a movie critic for famed Spanish newspaper El País, had very harsh remarks about Derbez’s film. “Excuse me if you’re about to throw up,” Ocaña began, “But that’s the level of ‘Instructions Not Included.’” He went on to say, “A family comedy with hints of melodrama, formally disgusting and ethically pitiful. One of those that seek for easy tears based on the cheapest things.”

The critic went on to add that some people say that “Instructions … ” was based on “Kramer vs. Kramer,” but “To compare Robert Benton’s masterpiece with such absurdity simply hurts, because in any case, this looks more like one of those cheap family comedies led by Adam Sandler or Jim Carey.” Ocaña continued to call it “uncouth when it wants to be ironic, cheesy when it wants to be exciting,” and went on to say that the film appeals to the value of affection above a child’s education.

As for Derbez’s personification of the main character, he was called a “Cantinflas with no grace that everyone has to put up with as a sex symbol.”