Writer/director/actor Eugenio Derbez recently spoke with “Breakthrough Entertainment” about his new dramedy “Instructions Not Included.”
In “Instructions Not Included,” which opens Friday, Aug. 30 at movie theaters throughout the Valley, Derbez plays a man whose life as Acapulco’s resident playboy comes to a screeching halt when a former fling leaves a baby on his doorstep and takes off without a trace. However, after spending 6 years establishing himself as an unlikely father figure, he finds himself in danger of losing his daughter – and his best friend.
Listen to “Breakthrough Entertainment’s” full interview with Derbez by clicking HERE. The following is an excerpt from the interview in which the actor discusses “Instructions Not Included’s” heart, what this particular project taught him about himself and what audiences can take away from the film.
“I realized that a film with no heart – even though it is really funny – nothing happens with it. I have seen a lot of films that are really funny but with no heart at all. That is just another funny movie. It is very simple and it does not stick to your heart. So I think that to do a memorable film, it is really important to put a lot of emotion into it and make it inspirational. So that is why we worked a lot on the script to do something memorable, like ‘Life is Beautiful,’ ‘Amelie’ and ‘Cinema Paradiso’ – all of these things with heart and comedy at the same time.
“I started writing this film 12 years ago because I was rejected every time I tried to get a job in the film industry. I have always been a TV actor and when I tried to switch to the movies, they would reject me constantly. So I started writing my own film. I think that that was the worst thing that happened to me during this experience but, at the same thing, it was the best thing that could have happened to me because I had the strength and the courage to write my own movie and finally I have a beautiful film.
“Sometimes life comes with surprises, like maybe suddenly being a father or a mother or maybe losing your job or any other kind of issue. And you think that it is the worst thing ever. But maybe later you realize that it was an obstacle you needed to overcome to be a better human being. You have to face life even though it comes with instructions not included.” – Eugenio Derbez
