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Craig Younkin
50 First Dates Crowd Report
By Lee Tistaert Published February 14, 2004
Judging off that crowd, I was ready to see a gross as low as $4.5 million for Friday.
Well, I almost saw three movies on Friday night, and the third one?s not even in theaters. I figured that I could talk my friend into seeing 50 First Dates, since he?s usually up to just about anything. However, after a debate about what to see at the 7:00 hour, he was not enthusiastic about that flick and would rather have seen Miracle or Master & Commander. I would rather go and rent The Mighty Ducks than to pay $9.50 (the cost at this particular theater) to see Miracle, and I?m saving my potential frustration with Commander till DVD (I don?t expect to be a big fan).
We tried to compromise, which didn?t work, so we ended up seeing City of God, as it returned to a local theater and I had been waiting to see it for quite some time. While I did like the film, I don?t get what the fuss is about. I actually came out a little disappointed since I expected to really like it, as there were times where I was really into it but various scenes did not involve me. My emotions were in a good position by the finale, but not during every step of the way.
I knew going into the 7:30 show that I?d be aiming for the 10:10 show of 50 First Dates at the Westwood Village theater, and since that is a twenty minute drive from this multiplex, I was getting ready for lots of insanity. By the time we got out of the theater and the parking lot, it was 10:00; I had to drop my friend off somewhere and then get to the movie (all in ten minutes), which I knew wasn?t going to logically happen but I was up for the challenge.
My goal was to get to the theater by 10:25 so I would only miss the trailers, and I ended up getting there at 10:30, just as the THX sound display was finishing, and the movie was about to start. Rushing to get there wasn?t one of the smartest things I?ve done in my life (and it wasn?t entirely worth it), but it was fun while it lasted.
The Village holds 1300 people, and for the 10:00 show of Anger Management on opening night, the venue was between half and three-quarters filled. For Daredevil, the theater was closer to three-quarters filled; for Kill Bill, the 10:00 sold out, and I was one of the ones who didn?t get in.
Getting up to the balcony, there were only about 30 - 40 people there (of 300 seats), and from my partial view of the main floor, it didn?t seem like an overly crowded show (when I saw Anger Management, the balcony was roughly half-filled). At first glance it seemed like there were only around 200 people down below, which was basically the case when I saw I Spy here on opening night, as well as the re-release of Alien on Halloween. Considering that UCLA is across the street and it?s Valentine?s Day weekend, the situation was not boasting well for this movie.
As 50 First Dates started to play out, it was reminding me a lot of Stuck on You, as it was very toned down in its style and missing the energy that Anger Management had. During the beginning stages of the movie, it almost came clear to me why the show wasn?t anywhere near as crowded as I had anticipated. The story was looking to be very simplistic, with nothing truly special going on. The movie lacked the attitude that Sandler?s movies are usually known for; even though I wasn?t a big fan of The Waterboy, that movie felt like a big hit to me when I saw it.
Though not a big crowd, the audience seemed to enjoy 50 First Dates, and it was mostly a college demographic (20 ? 30-years old), with the male-to-female ratio being fairly even. Laughs and chuckles flowed in the room throughout the movie (the biggest laughs came from a few of Rob Schneider?s antics), but nothing over the top. Afterwards, there was a light applause from the main floor, but it lasted for less than ten seconds, and did not involve a lot of people.
I found the movie enjoyable, but instantly forgettable; it was almost mediocre, but got by just enough. A lot of people loved the duo of Sandler and Barrymore in Wedding Singer, but 50 First Dates doesn?t reapply those ingredients to the point of fulfilling a night. I personally think the beginning of Wedding Singer is quite funny and that the movie doesn?t always sustain that momentum, but is still an entertaining flick; 50 First Dates never really hits a strong note.
Judging off that crowd, I was ready to see a gross as low as $4.5 million for Friday. When I saw City of God, 50 First Dates was playing across the street on two screens at a multiplex, which can be a heavily populated teen/young adult theater. There, none of the night shows were selling out and from the few times I glanced over, the ticket booth line was not bustling. The theater does tend to drive in teens and young adults more so at the last second, but even when I got out of City of God, there was minimal activity over there for the 10:00 hour. School of Rock, for example, had sold out one of the 7:00 or 9:00 shows on the first night.
Going into the weekend, I figured that there was no doubt that 50 First Dates would beat Just Married?s opening day gross of $6.4 million ($2,315 per-screen - 2,764 theaters). When I first saw Date?s trailer, my gut instinct was $8.5 million (in 3,150ish theaters) for opening night; by Friday, I was contemplating $9.5 million as its bottom range ? now, I?m not even sure what to think.
My original movie watching contemplation (before City of God was in the discussion) was just to see 50 First Dates, and then depending on my mood, head over to the NuArt theater (550ish seats) in West LA to see The Goonies at midnight (Corey Feldman was going to show up). A friend and I almost saw Clerks there two weeks ago at midnight when Kevin Smith was showing up, for the 10th Anniversary (this theater also shows The Rocky Horror Picture Show every Saturday at midnight). The frustrating part was that though Clerks was sold out before we got there, a few moviegoers in line had offered us open tickets as the line was going in at 12:40. Had the show let in at 12, I would?ve accepted the tickets, but I had to wake up early the next morning.
After 50 First Dates, I drove by the NuArt at 12:15 and the line to get into Goonies stretched down the alley, the show looking sold out (therefore, I didn?t even try). Had I attended either midnight show (or both), I would?ve written something on it, as those audiences are supposedly hyper.
We tried to compromise, which didn?t work, so we ended up seeing City of God, as it returned to a local theater and I had been waiting to see it for quite some time. While I did like the film, I don?t get what the fuss is about. I actually came out a little disappointed since I expected to really like it, as there were times where I was really into it but various scenes did not involve me. My emotions were in a good position by the finale, but not during every step of the way.
I knew going into the 7:30 show that I?d be aiming for the 10:10 show of 50 First Dates at the Westwood Village theater, and since that is a twenty minute drive from this multiplex, I was getting ready for lots of insanity. By the time we got out of the theater and the parking lot, it was 10:00; I had to drop my friend off somewhere and then get to the movie (all in ten minutes), which I knew wasn?t going to logically happen but I was up for the challenge.
My goal was to get to the theater by 10:25 so I would only miss the trailers, and I ended up getting there at 10:30, just as the THX sound display was finishing, and the movie was about to start. Rushing to get there wasn?t one of the smartest things I?ve done in my life (and it wasn?t entirely worth it), but it was fun while it lasted.
The Village holds 1300 people, and for the 10:00 show of Anger Management on opening night, the venue was between half and three-quarters filled. For Daredevil, the theater was closer to three-quarters filled; for Kill Bill, the 10:00 sold out, and I was one of the ones who didn?t get in.
Getting up to the balcony, there were only about 30 - 40 people there (of 300 seats), and from my partial view of the main floor, it didn?t seem like an overly crowded show (when I saw Anger Management, the balcony was roughly half-filled). At first glance it seemed like there were only around 200 people down below, which was basically the case when I saw I Spy here on opening night, as well as the re-release of Alien on Halloween. Considering that UCLA is across the street and it?s Valentine?s Day weekend, the situation was not boasting well for this movie.
As 50 First Dates started to play out, it was reminding me a lot of Stuck on You, as it was very toned down in its style and missing the energy that Anger Management had. During the beginning stages of the movie, it almost came clear to me why the show wasn?t anywhere near as crowded as I had anticipated. The story was looking to be very simplistic, with nothing truly special going on. The movie lacked the attitude that Sandler?s movies are usually known for; even though I wasn?t a big fan of The Waterboy, that movie felt like a big hit to me when I saw it.
Though not a big crowd, the audience seemed to enjoy 50 First Dates, and it was mostly a college demographic (20 ? 30-years old), with the male-to-female ratio being fairly even. Laughs and chuckles flowed in the room throughout the movie (the biggest laughs came from a few of Rob Schneider?s antics), but nothing over the top. Afterwards, there was a light applause from the main floor, but it lasted for less than ten seconds, and did not involve a lot of people.
I found the movie enjoyable, but instantly forgettable; it was almost mediocre, but got by just enough. A lot of people loved the duo of Sandler and Barrymore in Wedding Singer, but 50 First Dates doesn?t reapply those ingredients to the point of fulfilling a night. I personally think the beginning of Wedding Singer is quite funny and that the movie doesn?t always sustain that momentum, but is still an entertaining flick; 50 First Dates never really hits a strong note.
Judging off that crowd, I was ready to see a gross as low as $4.5 million for Friday. When I saw City of God, 50 First Dates was playing across the street on two screens at a multiplex, which can be a heavily populated teen/young adult theater. There, none of the night shows were selling out and from the few times I glanced over, the ticket booth line was not bustling. The theater does tend to drive in teens and young adults more so at the last second, but even when I got out of City of God, there was minimal activity over there for the 10:00 hour. School of Rock, for example, had sold out one of the 7:00 or 9:00 shows on the first night.
Going into the weekend, I figured that there was no doubt that 50 First Dates would beat Just Married?s opening day gross of $6.4 million ($2,315 per-screen - 2,764 theaters). When I first saw Date?s trailer, my gut instinct was $8.5 million (in 3,150ish theaters) for opening night; by Friday, I was contemplating $9.5 million as its bottom range ? now, I?m not even sure what to think.
My original movie watching contemplation (before City of God was in the discussion) was just to see 50 First Dates, and then depending on my mood, head over to the NuArt theater (550ish seats) in West LA to see The Goonies at midnight (Corey Feldman was going to show up). A friend and I almost saw Clerks there two weeks ago at midnight when Kevin Smith was showing up, for the 10th Anniversary (this theater also shows The Rocky Horror Picture Show every Saturday at midnight). The frustrating part was that though Clerks was sold out before we got there, a few moviegoers in line had offered us open tickets as the line was going in at 12:40. Had the show let in at 12, I would?ve accepted the tickets, but I had to wake up early the next morning.
After 50 First Dates, I drove by the NuArt at 12:15 and the line to get into Goonies stretched down the alley, the show looking sold out (therefore, I didn?t even try). Had I attended either midnight show (or both), I would?ve written something on it, as those audiences are supposedly hyper.
'50 First Dates' Articles
- Craig's 50 First Dates review C
February 15, 2004 This is a romantic comedy, but it usually doesn't feel like one. -- Craig Younkin
