This weekend is all about comedies. 21 Jump Street (3,121 theatres) is the widest release of the bunch. Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum star in this retread of the '80s TV series about cops going undercover in a local high school. Critical reaction has been surprisingly positive given the project's could-be-awful origins. 88% of Rotten Tomatoes critics gave it a fresh rating, and the comedy has a slightly more tepid 70 rating on Metacritic. FJI critic David Noh was not one of the movie's fans, dismissing it as "crassly conceived commercial offal." The opposing view seems to be that if you buy into some of the more ridiculous premises, the comedy will take you on a good ride--just don't think too hard. Tracking suggests an opening above $20 million, with a strong possibility that it will best the third week of
The Lorax.
Will Ferrell speaks entirely in Spanish in the subtitled Casa de Mi Padre (382 theatres). Critic Kevin Lally didn't care for the "eccentric but flat comedy," which "feels just like one of those lame, self-amused ["SNL"] sketches, mercilessly padded out to feature length." It's something of a dark horse candidate at the box office. Lionsgate partner Pantelion, which is Hispanic-focused, will certainly try to optimize the theatres in the targeted release--but will audiences bite?
The latest indie from the prolific Duplass Brothers, Jeff Who Lives at Home (254 theatres) also has an unknown factor. Along with Casa de Mi Padre, it's not expected to earn more than a couple million. I enjoyed the quirky movie, but my guest despised it--so this isn't the safest pick for a group outing. Our critic Marsha McCreadie was warmed by the "gentle yet spunky comedy." It also may be one of the last movies to make use of AOL instant messenger.
After earning $2 million last week, Friends with Kids expands into 640 theatres. Its slow rollout may be buoyed by audiences' positive response to the comedy centered on life stages like marriage and kids.
Those on Nicolas Cage career-spiral watch can check out Seeking Justice (230 theatres), "a goofy little thriller that jettisons logic anytime it interferes with squeezing in more paranoia," according to THR's John DeFore. Next stop: Redbox, if it can even snag a slot.
Arthouse lovers can check out The Kid with a Bike (3 theatres), the well-reviewed "gentle" drama from the Dardenne Brothers. Critic Jon Frosch praises the "beautifully wrought story of a troubled boy and the stranger who saves him."
On Monday, we'll see which comedies sparked among audiences and which fell flat, and if The Lorax continues on a pace to top $200 million.
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