Valentine's Day: Does big box office equal love?

Tags: Bad Movies, Chick Flicks, Commentary, Jennifer Garner, Jessica Alba, Romantic Comedies, Taylor Lautner, Taylor Swift, That's Entertainment!, Valentine's Day

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Hey, how was your Valentine’s Day? Did it make you feel like $52.4 million bucks? That’s this morning’s estimated box-office tally for the movie Valentine’s Day, and that’s before adding in the romantics who plan to buy tickets on Presidents’ Day. Before the weekend, I asked you if you, too, were planning a date with Ashton, Topher, and the Jessicas Alba and Biel.T wrote, “It’s the movies, it’s Valentine’s Day, and sap is practically mandatory.” Kim said, “When it comes to rom-coms, I just assume every reviewer will pan them.” Angie reported, “I loved the movie and so did my husband! What I like the most is the scenes show things that could happen in real life.” Carlisle predicted, “I expect it to be light, breezy, cheesy, and schmaltzy.” And bedc01 announced, “The girlfriend and I will avoid this trite, dumb, Hollywood ‘romantic’ movie and will rather stay home and watch the greatest modern-day romantic comedy ever: Shaun of the Dead!

Wow, bedc01, I like your style. Me, I channel-surfed my way onto Casablanca on TCM, watched it for the 43rd time, wept and swooned for the 43rd time, and felt love for the whole wide world, even for Major Strasser and Peter Lorre’s Signor (“just because you despise me, you are the only one I trust”) Ugarte.

But I’m still thinking about Valentine’s Day because I’m guessing that, given its commercial success, Hollywood is about to develop a big 2010 crush on this reliable, recyclable format, the celebrity-ensemble-novelty-act movie. That’s entertainment! Already, plans have been announced for a similar whoop-di-doo pegged to New Year’s Eve. I’d recommend Independence Day, Mother’s Day, Income Tax Day, and the autumnal Jewish harvest festival of Succoth (during which observant Jews eat meals outdoors in little, roofless huts) as equally strong marketing opportunities.

What I don’t recommend, though, is relying on our collective audience goodwill for too long. We the people are able to recognize the difference between pleasurable familiarity of format and lazy cliche. And we demand more from our entertainment dollars than Taylor Swift making out with Taylor Lautner. The best romantic comedies give us what we expect and give it to us fresh — you know, like really good chocolate. Or Taylor Swift on SNL. And we can tell the difference, right? Right?

So here’s your chance: Pick a holiday and a dream ensemble cast, and let’s talk about what you want to see when Garry Marshall directs College Acceptance-Letter Day, Driver’s License Renewal Day, or Thanksgiving 90210.

Image credit: Ron Batzdorff

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Joe C
Mon 02/15/10 1:57 PM

It’s funny, Lisa; I was thinking of your post from Friday when I watched ‘French Kiss’ with Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline yesterday, from the mid-90′s if I recall correctly. It was formulaic, I knew exactly what was going to happen at the end, but I enjoyed it anyway. That’s pretty much the case with the best Nora Ephron movies as well. Still, not surprised ‘Valentine’s Day’ did well, a co-worker of mine saw it with her boyfirend and said it was soooooooooooooooo sweet! That’s what a lot of people want from Hollwood.

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CH
Mon 02/15/10 2:07 PM

My boyfriend said seeing “Valentine’s Day” would be a dealbreaker. Thank heavens I had no desire to see it! I agree with Joe’s comment about “French Kiss” –it was formulaic, but sweet and cute, too, but I draw the line at “Valentine’s Day.”

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Momo
Mon 02/15/10 2:14 PM

If a movie is going to be formulaic, it better have great dialogue and some great acting, which is why I think French Kiss works so well. Or stick with the formula and give it a tweak, like Enchanted. My husband is very lucky that i have no desire to see Valentine’s Day, though, because it looks dreadful. Hmmm now what if they do Valentine’s Day in 3D?

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KS
Mon 02/15/10 2:18 PM

We went and saw THE WOLFMAN instead. It was a horrible movie, and we had the best time laughing at it together. Happy Valentine’s Day! xoxo

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Amy
Mon 02/15/10 2:22 PM

My wife and I were expecting Valentine’s Day to be the worst thing ever to happen to cinema based on all of the awful reviews we had read. Surprisingly enough we actually found ourselves enjoying some parts of it. It was incredibly predictable, and there were several characters I would have loved to have thrown off a cliff, but it was nowhere near as bad as we expected.

We’d give a C, and maybe be willing to watch it again on TV in a few years.

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chris
Mon 02/15/10 2:24 PM

Stayed home and watched Brideshead Revisited.

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Nerwen Aldarion
Mon 02/15/10 2:28 PM

It’s funny how so many people who complain about Valentine’s Day haven’t actually seen it.

I have, was it predictable? Yes. Was it the greatest movie ever? No.

However it was, fun, enjoyable, sweet and funny but most of all, entertaining which is all I want from a movie.

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- LOL
  Mon 02/15/10 2:53 PM
  
  You probably watch “According to Jim,” too.
  
  Reply
  - Nerwen Aldarion
    Mon 02/15/10 3:00 PM
    
    Nope, never seen an episode and never want to. What else you got?
  - kelsey
    Mon 02/15/10 3:41 PM
    
    Wow, LOL. SNAP.
- Duncan
  Mon 02/15/10 3:15 PM
  
  I agree with you Nerwen. Wasn’t the best film ever, but definitely did what it set out to do. I enjoyed it!
  
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- Mary
  Mon 02/15/10 3:55 PM
  
  But, why have “Valentine’s Day” when you can have “When Harry Met Sally,” “Casablanca,” etc, etc, etc.? Why settle when there’s always something better?
  
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  - Nerwen Aldarion
    Mon 02/15/10 4:29 PM
    
    Yes but Casablanca is a drama not a Romcom, still an amazing movie though.
    
    I thought the point of watching Movies was to be entertained? Sometimes I want a good thriller, other times I want something more humerous. Sometimes I want to watch Billy Crystal tease Meg Ryan, other times I want to watch Jennifer Garner beat a paper mache heart to death.
    
    It all depends on my mood. The bottom line is that they can all satisfy my same desire, to be entertained
  - Mary
    Mon 02/15/10 5:04 PM
    
    But this what I think Lisa is getting at. It’s fine to be entertained, sometimes the stupidest things can be entertaining. Yet, when it gets to be so repetitive and Hollywood is just relying on this formula approach with many stars (since they’re cheap to make and seem to earn money), they sacrifice new ideas and creativity. If we’re going to spend about $10 on a movie ticket, I want to get my money’s worth. At the end of the day, I don’t want to see Jennifer Gardner make the predictable and stupid decision of still going to San Francisco when her best friend in the world tells her not to. I don’t want to see Taylor Swift do an unconvincing impression of a dumb blonde (when she has proven to be funnier). I want a romantic comedy that sticks with me, that I’ll see again and again, which Valentine’s Day did not do. And if Hollywood keeps green-lighting movies that follow this format, the future of cinema, mainly romantic comedies, looks pretty bleak.
  - Nerwen Aldarion
    Mon 02/15/10 5:14 PM
    
    But isn’t what’s entertaining to YOU different from what’s entertaining to ME?
    
    I would watch Valentine’s Day again, I love romantic comedies as much as I love epic films like the Godfather. Maybe that means I’m easy to please or maybe that means I have a healthy attitude about films. I don’t expect to be amazed every time and I don’t ask too much, it makes it easy for me to go to the movies and have a good time.
  - Mary
    Mon 02/15/10 10:11 PM
    
    Nerwen, you’re missing my point. If Valentine’s Day entertained you enough to watch over and over again, that’s fine. To each his own. The point is that if the formula of using big named actors for a mediocre movie, which still earns money at the box office becomes the new format, especially for romantic comedies, then what is to become of the genre? Can audiences really tolerate so many ensemble films with less than stellar plots? As Lisa mentioned, don’t we deserve more for our money’s worth? Maybe you and others can be absolutely fine with watching a movie like Valentine’s day and be entertained, but, for me at least, it’s like a designer bag. If you want the real thing, you get your money’s worth by buying the real thing. If you just want to be satisfied, then you buy the fake. I love a good night out at the movies like everyone else, but IMO there’s a difference between a “good time” and a “great time.”
  - Allie
    Mon 02/15/10 11:45 PM
    
    Sometimes you want to think and guess and agree and disagree, and sometimes its just nice to sit back and enjoy the ride. Even my fav professor in World lit says sometimes you can pick up a trashy romantic novel and still go about your business the next day :p.
  - Kelly
    Tue 02/16/10 1:36 PM
    
    Mary – then don’t see it. Simple as that. It’s my $10. If I want to spend it watching something formulaic, then so be it. If I want to spend it by seeing something groundbreaking, or independent, then so be it. Questions like what Lisa is asking are ridiculous. It’s the same reason I don’t read reviews until AFTER I have seen the movie. If it looks appealing – TO ME – then I’m going to see it. I wish people would stop bagging on others for THEIR tastes.
- Jesse
  Mon 02/15/10 3:58 PM
  
  My wife wanted to see it, so we went. I figured it would be a good time for a two hour nap, but it kept my interest for some reason…perhaps it was the ensemble cast and all the short scenes. I’m not sure…but the movie did what it was supposed to do and that was make my wife happy. And she won’t be able to complain when I want to see Clash of the Titans on my birthday!
  
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  - Rebekah
    Mon 02/15/10 6:59 PM
    
    Awww, that’s cute. Glad you guys had a good time. Hope you two enjoy seeing Clash of the Titans. lol.
    
    And yes, with all the bad reviews, I was expecting Valentine’s Day to be horrific (heck, EW gave it a whopping F). But actually, it was rather sweet. It might have been better if a few of the characters and their storylines had been dropped, but otherwise, it was fine. I’d give it a B- as far as romantic comedies go.
  - Nerwen Aldarion
    Mon 02/15/10 8:02 PM
    
    My thoughts exactly!
    
    I can’t wait to see Clash of the Titans either! So sad that they pushed it back a week.
Ugly Jenny
Mon 02/15/10 2:29 PM

I read the EW review of Valentine’s Day a was forced to see it with a group of girlfriends. And I hate to admit it but I actually kind of enjoyed it (with the exception of the Taylor Swift’s horrible acting and the overacting of the little blonde boy). The bar was set so low for this movie, maybe that’s why I enjoyed it.

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- me
  Tue 02/16/10 4:08 AM
  
  YES — that little blonde boy was awful. Couldn’t believe it, took me right out of the movie.
  
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tMOORE
Mon 02/15/10 2:29 PM

I LOVED THE MOVIE!
GREAT MUSIC AND STORYLINES! IT DOES NOT DESERVE AN F! BY EW!:( GOO AND SEE IT AGAIN!

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Joseph
Mon 02/15/10 2:37 PM

“Valentine’s Day” certainly can’t compare to the classic romantic comedies, but it was certainly much superior to last year’s similarly themed “He’s Just Not That Into You.” I saw it with a packed (sold-out) audience and we were all clearly enjoying it; and the third act reveal of the gay couple was the best part–I was worried the audience would moan or hiss, but instead they clapped and cheered! And this was in Texas!

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- Hrfe
  Mon 02/15/10 3:06 PM
  
  Exact same thing happened to me! I went with two friends and we all agreed that was our favorite part (only part we didn’t really expect).
  
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- Mary
  Mon 02/15/10 3:53 PM
  
  Sorry, but I liked “He;’s Just Not That Into You” way better. I thought it was a little more unique and not your average cookie cutter romantic comedy.
  
  Reply
mmmmm
Mon 02/15/10 2:37 PM

My husband was willing to take me to see this yesterday (so sweet), but I couldn’t let him do it. We saw An Education instead. I know he was relieved. I’ll look for it on HBO in a few months.

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LOL
Mon 02/15/10 2:51 PM

America loves crap. It’s sad.

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- maiv
  Mon 02/15/10 8:09 PM
  
  hey-i would like to say that everyone loves crap. it’s not just us.
  
  Reply
Mary
Mon 02/15/10 2:54 PM

The movie was lighter than light fluff. I saw it with a group of my friends and we had fun (I would have rather seen The Wolf Man, but I was outnumbered). And a lot of people just look for that. An entertaining movie (not too much thinking) to watch for a good time. However, I agree Lisa. I worry this will become the norm. I like an ensemble flick every now and then, but it seems to be approaching overkill. Instead of story, it’s getting more about bringing together as many big named celebrities as possible. In the long run, I’d rather have a good story than a movie jammed packed with celebrities.

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Emma
Mon 02/15/10 2:58 PM

Thanksgiving has been done to death. New Year’s is the perfect not-to-family oriented holiday for another rom-com. This time I want Ryan Renolds, Hugh Dancy, Zac Efron, Lauren Graham, Matthew Perry, Emily Blunt, Tom Cruise, Shia Labeouf, Cameron Diaz, Reese Witherspoon, Kristen Dunst, Natalie Portman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Ellen Page, and Kat Dennings. Too much?

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- RyRyNYC
  Mon 02/15/10 5:50 PM
  
  Ughhh – Portman, Blunt, Witherspoon, and Gyllenhaal are too good to be in the mix with Zac Efron (REALLY?!) or Tom Cruise (no comment, for legal reasons…lol.)
  
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- Jean Genie
  Tue 02/16/10 10:34 AM
  
  Yes, Emma, it IS too much.
  
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Ellie
Mon 02/15/10 3:06 PM

Eh.I saw Valentine’s Day and it wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t very good either. A better script, more originality, and the throwing out of a couple superfluous story lines would have been welcome. On February 14th however, we girls all watched the triple whammy of Love Actually, The Princess Bride, and Ever After. Adorable.

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- Nerwen Aldarion
  Mon 02/15/10 3:55 PM
  
  Oh the Princess Bride!!! AS YOU WISH! One of my all time faves!
  
  Reply
- Kim
  Mon 02/15/10 4:06 PM
  
  That is an awesome triple play!
  
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  - Aidan
    Mon 02/15/10 7:54 PM
    
    Love Actually is the perfect example of how ensemble casts work. Such a brilliant script; I’ve watched it at least 50 times and know the film off by heart, but I laugh to pieces each time.
  - JackJack
    Mon 02/15/10 9:30 PM
    
    agreed agreed agreed love actually is so much better – the characters actually interact with each other more seamlessly and you end up caring about everyone – like honestly, why was jessica alba even there? did she need to be in the hotel? did shirley maclaine really need to wear that ridiculously hideous thing? and did emma roberts REALLY need to ANNOUNCE TO HER TEACHER that she was going to have sex with her boyfriend? but, at least we got to see how nicely topher grace has ‘matured’ since his scrawny that 70′s show days. and, as much as this pains me to say, i hate ashton kutcher a LITTLE less than i used to….
  - Jean Genie
    Tue 02/16/10 10:35 AM
    
    What Aidan & JackJack said about Love Actually …

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