After seeing it over the holidays in the rarified semi-bohemian town of Montclair, NJ, today I attended at a large suburban sprawl multiplex. To my surprise, the audience -- well over half of one of the bigger houses -- sat reverential. The laughs were brief, in the same places discussed in this thread, no more forte or derisive, and the responses otherwise hushed and consistent. The audience was over half female, and many over 55. They were there to size up the next big thing--the artistic end-of-year must-see. There was no sense of discomfort. Curiously, I think the film has wide appeal for older people, because the themes of love, loss, and time as a thief resonate.
The film has made over 7.7 million this weekend, hitting 42 million in 7 weeks, landing at number 5, and clearly, irrovocably, has legs. Even if it starts to dip, and of course, it may very soon, it will easily exceed 50 million in domestic b.o. alone. Surely beyond Focus's original hopes. And if it wins the Oscar? There's no denying that the film arrived at just the right time, at the end of a relatively weak year for grown-up fare. One could also say, the right time in the culture wars, or whatever catch-phrase best sums up its socio-political context. Seeing it again, I realized: The film steadfastly refuses to have any political agenda, so perhaps, that is its strength and plays no small role in its word of mouth.
"I'm a comedian, but in my spare time, things bother me." Garry Shandling
