The Weekend Report

Barnum or H.L. Mencken or an unnamed Chicago journalist observed that “no one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.” Authorship aside the latest confirmation is certainly Dumb and Dumber To and it took on all comers to top weekend movie going with an estimated $38 million debut.

The session’s other major release The Star is Born-ish romance Beyond the Lights ranked third with a disappointing $6 million bow. Also soft were a couple of medium wide  openers. The politically charged Rosewater grossed $1.2 million while the Kirk Cameron’s evangelical uplifter Saving Christmas was far from a stocking stuffer with a $1.1 million tally.

There were also a couple of significant exclusive newcomers including the Western trek The Homesman that had a solid $46,200 box office from four rides and the near capacity bow of award’s contender Foxcatcher with a staggering $277,000 from six screens.

In the niches the most potent of the new Indian imports was the Punjabi Baaz with $55,700 at eight sites while both the Hindi Kil Dil and the Telugu Pilla Nuvvu Leni Jeevitham had dullish debuts. The U.S. made Filipino romance Edsa Woolworth was also weaker than most titles in that sector while there was an excellent $103,000 launch for the Chinese Don’t Go Breaking My Heart 2 from 10 screens.

The frame also saw significant broadening for Whiplash and The Theory of Everything with the latter maintaining a very strong hold.

Adding it all session revenues were close to $150 million for a 7% decline from seven days prior. It was also 14% improved from 2013 when the second weekend of Thor: The Dark World beat out the bow of The Best Man Holiday with respective grosses of $36.6 million and $30.1 million.

After a two decade hiatus the Dumb and Dumber boys returned older but not wiser and audiences appeared to forgive them a lot. Tracking indicated a tight race with the holdover Big Hero 6 but opening day box office provided the belated sequel with an edge and well on the way with pundit estimates of $35 million to $40 million. The film skewed 55% male with 57% of viewers aged 25-years and older according to studio exits that also pegged the audience as a significant 38% Hispanic.

Dumb and Dumber To also bowed in seven international territories including Germany and Spain and grossed a tidy $3.2 million.

The well-received Beyond the Lights hoped to translate its kudos into crossover business that anticipated a $10 million debut. However, it wound up playing to its core with a crowd dominated by older female African Americans that’s likely to limit broader word-of-mouth.

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