Paul Blart: Mall Cop, a comedy the critics hate, is still number one at the box office.
The slapstick comedy Paul Blart: Mall Cop, starring portly Kevin James, took in a healthy $21.5 million over the weekend, for an impressive total of nearly $65 million in its first ten days.
Professional critics have savaged the film, but audiences have ignored the naysayers—or perhaps they have actively taken the negative critiques as a good sign that the film will be entertaining and convey wholesome ideas despite the presence of vulgar humor.
That’s usually the smart thing to do when critics are confronted with genre films that don’t openly call for the devaluation of all values.
Also doing quite well this past weekend was Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, third in the vampires vs. werewolves series and a prequel to the first installment. It took in $20.7 million and finished a strong second, just behind Mall Cop, even though it has only a brief appearance by series star Kate Beckinsale. Perhaps it would have finished first if its reviews had been a bit worse.
Clint Eastwood’s excellent Gran Torino is still going strong, finishing third with $16 million, bringing its total U.S. earnings up to $97.6 million.
And Oscar nominee and critical darling Slumdog Millionaire? Fifth, with a $10 5 million weekend. Not bad for an indie film, but just imagine how well it might be doing with, say, Shia LaBoeuf as the Indian street kid, spiced up a few shootouts between the police and the Mafia. A sure hit.
Actually, Gus, that was exactly my point. I agree with you completely.
I think you way overestimate the effect of critics on a mainstream Hollywood movie. Critical buzz can put a movie like “Slumdog Millionaire” on the map, but a critical beating isn’t going to keep a silly comedy like this off the box office top 5.
I’m glad to see Kevin James see box office success. I’ve seen his stand-up on TV. He doesn’t do “blue,” but is very funny. And, of course, he was great in King of Queens — though even he couldn’t save the show in its later years when Leah Remini seemed like she was trying to win a bet about how shrill the producers would let her play her character. She won; viewers and fans of the show lost.
James seems to be a genuinely good guy — or, at least, a very believable “good guy” quality just oozes out of him on screen. Gotta be some “real” in there somewhere.
I probably won’t hit the theater’s to see “Mall Cop,” (don’t think I can convince my wife), but this will be queued up on Netflix for sure.