The R-rated adventure comedy produced by the Seth Rogen Squad, Good Boys, took the No. 1 spot at the U.S. box over its first three days of release with $21 million in sales. Reviews aren’t so hot and word-of-mouth isn’t the best, but that doesn’t matter. This is an R-rated movie made specifically for American boys between the ages of eight and 14.
Like Netflix’s Big Mouth, Good Boys is the movie kids going through, or about to go through, puberty will want to see most. It’s being called a hybrid of Superbad, Rushmore, Stand by Me, and Neighbors. It’s something I’ll watch eventually, and likely turn off before the second act kicks in.
The film, directed by The Office rotation director Gene Stupnitsky, stars Jacob Tremblay, Keith L. Williams, and Brady Noon. I’m surprised, really, that this flick took the top spot at the box. I’d be curious to know how many of those tickets were sold to underage viewers.
Also at the Box
Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw took the No. 2 spot over its third weekend of release, selling another $14 million, upping the film’s 17-day sales total to $133 million in the U.S. and $437 million worldwide. Not quite Fast & Furious numbers, but good enough to warrant a sequel. Looks very fun, if very plebeian, to me.
Jon Favreau’s The Lion King took the No. 3 spot at last weekend’s box office with another $12 million, bringing the film’s five-week worldwide total to over $1.4 billion, making it the ninth highest-grossing film ever made.
The Angry Birds Movie 2, which I thought would be laughed at and ignored, managed to take the No. 4 spot at the box over its first weekend of release, selling $10.5 million while playing on more than 3,000 screens.
And, finally, we have Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark at the No. 5 spot, selling just over $10 million over its second weekend of release. So far, in 10 days, the $25 million movie has sold over $40 million in the U.S. and $55 million worldwide. Looks fun to me. That being said, it also looks like something that you wait and watch at home on a streaming service some lonely night.
Also of note: Blinded by the Light sold just $4.5 million while playing on 2,307 screens. Oof. That’s not great. I’m a big Bruce Springsteen fan, and this movie is made for big Bruce Springsteen fans, yet for some reason I didn’t even consider going to it. Maybe I should.
New this Week
This weekend will see three notable wide releases, including horror-thriller Ready or Not, which is more or less a star-maker vehicle for actress Samara Weaving, who has been the “Next Big Thing” in Hollywood since stealing scenes in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.
Weaving is not just the full movie star package in regards to looks and appeal. She has some serious chops, too. If you’ve not yet seen her work in Three Billboards, the Picnic at Hanging Rock mini-series, SMILF, or The Babysitter, I’d recommend looking her up.
I’m not convinced Ready or Not is the project that makes her a household name, but I am looking forward to see what she does with the role. Adam Brody, Henry Czerny, and Andie MacDowell support in Ready or Not, which was directed by by the team of Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett and written by Ryan Murphy and Guy Busick.
Next up is Ric Roman Waugh’s new R-rated action flick, Angel Has Fallen, starring Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman (has he been forgiven for his sins, or is Outrage Culture fading and I didn’t get the memo?), Lance Reddick, Nick Nolte, Danny Huston, Piper Perabo, and my guy Tim Blake Nelson.
Here’s the thing: I don’t like Gerard Butler. And I don’t think many people do. He’s never really had great success as being the face of a film, and I don’t think this is going to be the movie to change that. I’m not really sure how he has the career he has if I’m being candid. He’s probably the most forgettable, vanilla, boring action star of his generation.
And, finally, we have Sony’s new PG-rated drama, Overcomer. Whoa, what a truly awful title. Looks very much like a Hallmark film from the 1990s, which is basically what writer/director Alex Kendrick is known for. That being said, if you like super wholesome films, this is probably something to look forward to. And there’s nothing wrong with that.