Box Office: Jennifer Lawrence Generates Her Own Light in the Shadow of Star Wars.
Sunday, December 27, 2015 at 2:19PM 
Jennifer Lawrence's Joy starpower couldn't match the double-teaming bankability from Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg for the comedy Daddy's Home but she's still got nothing to worry about as Hollywood's current most popular actress pulling in 17.5 million in Joy's opening weekend despite middling reviews, a glut of new wide releases, and two hot button limited bows, all hoping for those same Christmas dollars.
Meanwhile every movie in theaters is trying to stay visible under the galactic-sized shadows of The Force Awakens which has already topped half a billion in the US box office in record time and should leapfrog Jurassic World's once unthinkable $652 domestic gross pretty soon at this rate. We'll also know fairly soon if the Star Wars saga's sheer cultural size affects the Oscar race. The question is not fully restricted to whether it will be nominated for this or that or a wholla lotta that like the '77 starter-kit, but whether it will drown out conversations about the newer or the more struggling Oscar campaigns and we end up with less movement in the Oscar race from where we were in say, October, because people are thinking of little else than Star Wars right now.
BOX OFFICE WIDE
(Christmas Weekend)
01 Star Wars: The Force Awakens $153.5 (cum. $544.5) Review, parody fun Emo Kyle Ren
02 Daddy's Home $38.8 *new*
03 Joy $17.5 *new*
04 Sisters $13.8 (cum $37.1) Review
05 Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip $12.7 (cum. $39.3)
06 Concussion $11 *new* Review
07 The Big Short $10.5 (cum. $16) Review & SAG Ensemble
08 Point Break $10.2 *new*
09 The Hunger Games Finale $5.3 (cum. $264.6) Hunger Games & Oscar
10 Creed $4.6 (cum. $96.3) Review
Christmas proved to be a death wish for many awards hopefuls since behemoths like STAR WARS and talking points like HATEFUL EIGHT & THE REVENANT sucked all the oxygen out of the room for other films
BOX OFFICE LIMITED
Excluding previously wides
01 The Hateful Eight $4.5 100 screens *new* Twitter Review, Worst of Year
02 The Danish Girl $1.5 440 screens (cum. $3.2) Eddie Redmayne
03 Carol $1.0 180 screens (cum $2.8) Reviewish, Podcast, Its Genius
04 The Revenant $.4 4 screens *new* parody fun Revenant Bear
05 Youth $.3 149 screens (cum. $1) Review, Podcast, Jane Fonda
06 Mr Six $.2 30 screens *new*
07 Trumbo $.2 30 screens *new* Podcast, SAG Ensemble
08 Room $.08 100 screens (cum. $4.7) Premiere, FYC Production Design
09 45 Years $.06 3 screens *new* Charlotte Rampling
10 Macbeth $.04 30 screens (cum. $.8) Review, Podcast
WHAT DID YOU SEE THIS WEEKEND?
Reader Comments (44)
THE REVENANT,can't quite get the Leo should win for this,a Hardy tailcoat nom seems possible..
I actually hadn't heard of the Mark Wahlberg movie until two days ago.
That said, $17.5 million doesn't seem outstanding, even given the context. On her own, Jennifer Lawrence is a slightly bigger draw than beloved TV stars whose shows weren't even ratings successes. And even here she has a little help from Bradley Cooper and the David O. Russell company players.
I feel like a more interesting story is Fey and Poehler holding their own against "the world's biggest female movie star" and a bunch of bro programming. I was worried Sisters would truly bomb opening weekend—only because of competition.
Other noteworthy stories are Will Smith's return to BO glory; and two movies with African-American leads and three with female leads in the Top 10. (I don't count SW:TFA in either of those last two stats because you really can't.)
I saw Carol yesterday and I loved every second of it.I think Rooney Mara was fantastic as was Cate Blanchett. I love Todd Haynes films as he is so good at directing women and his production design on each of his films are just breathtaking. Douglas Sirk and Rainer Werner Fassbinder would be proud of Todd Haynes and his work and in a fair world Carol would be the winner of Best Picture and every other eligible award at the Oscars.Carol is easily my favorite of the year.
I thought Joy was very inspiring. I could see it having decent WOM going forward.
saw nothing, just ate like a total bitch
I just got out of a screening of Creed, and I'll be darned if that movie didn't make me tear up a few times, mainly due to Stallone's performance full of humanity and lacking self-consciousness. Carol and Trumbo were yesterday, and all I have to say is that if Blanchett's voice were a person, I'd make love to it. In the last two years she's gone from an actress towards whom I was largely apathetic to one I want to watch more and more, but the film itself is beautiful, and Mara is as wonderful as her co-star. I'm still processing Trumbo and Cranston in it, but I appreciated it more than I thought I would. More than anything it made we wish someone would give Diane Lane a role as meaty as the one in Unfaithful.
I always find it odd when people go to the movies on Christmas - it's something I've never considered doing. Perhaps, in New Zealand this time of year is our summer so it's boiling hot and sunny all the time, is it an American thing?
I thought Joy would have done slightly more than it did, but it's good to see it's a success (can we please have your review ASAP?) but I'm more interested in Sisters and the success story there - one to watch!
I saw Inside Out twice at home with the kids - I love this movie so much. It's working on so many different levels and every time I watch it I see something new.
Suffragette: I liked this quite a bit more than I thought I would. Mulligan was phenomenal, as usual, and I don't understand why she's not getting the love she deserves. Anne-Marie Duff was also a standout, while Helena Bonham-Carter gave a fine background performance. 8/10
Irrational Man: Mixed feelings on this one. Sometimes these modern day Woody Allen films seem more like exercises than stories, but this film did have impetus and rarely bored me. The acting performances were serviceable to fine. 5/10
Trumbo: From what I'd been reading, I was expecting a really over-the-top film with crazy performances, but I don't think it was that unhinged. Mirren's portrayal was paper-thin (as I'm sure the director wanted since we're only seeing one side of Hedda Hopper), and not worthy of award nominations. Cranston, I think, was pretty great, though I don't know to what degree he really nailed Trumbo. Some of the plot devices were egregiously bad: oh look! they're all watching Trumbo's interview on TV's at the same time and getting revelations! But then I wondered if that was on purpose as homage to the films of the time period. 6/10
I saw the new Star Wars. Very much like the old films but still enjoyable. Daisy (?) new lead is very good. You could not pay me to see Joy. It is losing audience every day.
SUFFRAGETTE - Much better than I expected considering the reviews and box office. Mulligan was very impressive and had me near tears in one scene toward the 3/4 mark. Would be an interesting viewing for mothers and and daughters to attend together - without the passion and sacrifice of these women, there would be no Margaret Thatcher or Hillary Clinton.
45 YEARS - Best movie of the year and Rampling gives the best performance of the year by a country mile! The final scene is a killer, and she says more with that one hand gesture than 25 pages of dialogue. Almost plays like a mystery in its unpredictability.
JOY - Another disappointment from David O. Russell. Wasn't a fan of SILVER LININGS or AMERICAN HUSTLE - and this completes the trifecta. Jennifer Lawrence seems like a really cool person in real life, but I always seem to have the same problem with her I often have with DiCaprio - I feel like they're playing dress up rather than acting. It's not boring - it can't be with a cast like this - but what a waste!
DANISH GIRL - Not good. Didn't like Vikander's character at all. Redmayne was fine in a one-note role. He came across more schizophrenic than anything else - almost like a Bruce Wayne/Batman duplicity. A surprisingly cold movie-going experience.
I saw Brooklyn, Carol, Youth, and The Danish Girl.
I loved Brooklyn. Wonderful ensemble, and Ronan was an indelible heroine. One of my favorites of the year.
And how did I miss the message that Youth was so terrific? Loved it too, so rich, exciting, such a soulful cast.
Carol looked different than I thought it would. More Edward Hopper than Douglas Sirk. Which is also great. Blanchett has such a wonderful range. She can show both flamboyance and elegant restraint. However, I thought Therese was a pain as a character. I liked Abby a million times better.
Finally saw CAROL and still trying to figure out whether I like it or FAR FROM HEAVEN better. I feel like Far From Heaven had a deeper emotional impact on me, but Carol was so swooningly beautiful it was just as entrancing. A close call! Oh, and definitely in my top five films of the year, maybe top three.
THE FORCE IS STRONG WITH JENNIFER LAWRENCE! She should be in a Star Wars movie, maybe playing an evil Sith Lord or something...
I saw "Carol" and felt the first hour is a bit too slow ( I was falling sleep wishing they would turn into lesbian vampires) but the second half is a lot better- no doubt the women give Oscar worthy performances. The men in it are not a bad looking either(more Jake Lacy)- great costume design but the film does not have Sirk/ Hunter glamour of "Far From Heaven" Haynes here is the modern day George Cukor a director who adores women. He was more sympathetic to Carol than to Dennis Quaid character even though they are going through a similar situation.
I saw Carol. I loved Carol. I now LIVE for Carol (and Rooney Mara in Carol).
I saw Joy and really enJoyed it! It disappoints me that many people can't get over Jennifer Lawrence playing older characters. I ask them who is she supposed play? Maybe she should be cast in the next 90210 reboot?
As is appropriate post-holiday, I'm bingeing on The Leftovers.
Star Wars, Joy and Mustang were are all worth seeing, though all of them fell short of the year's best. Seeing The Hateful Eight in a bit. Amazed how many are all about Mara in Carol - I'm all about Blanchett and Paulson, but it definitely needs a rewatch.
I just don't buy Jennifer Lawrence as a woman in her 30's with kids, playing a woman who never ages. It's such a retro view of women.
I saw Star Wars, Joy, The Big Short and Carol ( second time ). All of them very enjoyable ( if that's an appropriate word for The Big Short - that one made my blood boil all over again ). I liked Carol even better the second time around. By far the number 1 movie of the year for me, with The Revenant, The Danish Girl, 45 Years , Youth and Hateful Eight still to go.
*Joy, which I liked quite a bit. Russell's strangest, and possibly best film since he reemerged as an awards magnet. Lawrence is great. Complaints about her age really miss the forest for the trees IMO, bit I can understand if it's too much of a barrier for people.
*Love & Mercy, which hits some biopic bumps but is overall a strong, compassionate film about being consumed by, and then rescued from, mental illness. Dano and Banks both superb. I quite liked Cusack as old Wilson, too.
*Ant-Man, the second viewing of which confirms that it is, Fury Road aside, the best, most inventive blockbuster of 2015.
@Patrick Other than the fact that she's always paired with much older men, I didn't have a problem with her in those roles either. I do understand where the complaints are coming from though, especially since JLaw already has first dibs on the great roles written for actresses in her own age range. I haven't seen Joy yet so I can't speak to whatever age(s?) she's playing there, but I always thought she was essentially playing her own age in the other two films. It's not like a woman her age couldn't have been a widow or a mother.
JLaw is the Meryl-Streep-Julia-Roberts of her time. I would love it if Hollywood was more creative and spread around their focus (with age and diversity), but she is 25 and box office. No other woman comes close and matters equally to studios right now, which is unfortunate.
<Jennifer Lawrence = Meryl Streep = Julia Roberts>
Strange equation. Now I've heard everything.
Oh, I did not say equal. I meant is box office and is considered a great actress.
I didn't watch any movies. I did watch my waistline grow. Too many servings of Pavlova.
Jeff & Bruno - I'm so pleased you went to see "Suffragette" - I took both nieces & nephews and they were really interested in the history as well as enjoyed the film. Mulligan is great - she must not have the right publicity person, because "Danish Girl" isn't any more of a box office success than "Suffragette" and yet Vikander is getting nominations galore.
Why ? I hated "The Danish Girl" and I love british period films - I just don't understand why Mulligan isn't getting credit this year.
Blanchett was perfection in Carol (so was Mara) and I'm awaiting the release of Truth in my home country. Like someone said, Blanchett's the one I want to watch more and more. Conversely, JLaw and Streep are the ones I wanna watch less and less!
Creed - great, gripping entertainment. Stallone in the awards race?
Bridge of spies - old school but very enjoyable.
Labyrinth of lies - same as above. Alexander Fehling, yum!
Diary of a teenage girl - somewhat disappointing, far from bad but predictable.
He never died - some good things but the script is all over the place.
I was on a '50s musical binge over the Christmas holidays courtesy of Netflix streaming: "White Christmas," "There's No Business Like Show Business," "High Society," and "Pal Joey"--not a classic in the bunch!
Yet all highly enjoyable, even if it was sometimes in a perverse way... like over-50 angry elf Bing Crosby paired up with hot new stars Rosemary Clooney and Grace Kelly ...or Ethel Merman looking and acting like the prototype for George Costanza's mother ...Johnny Ray as the Merm's son, who likes to go off for walks in New York parks late at night before becoming a priest ...40-something Sinatra as "young" pal Joey on the make, with sadly worn yet 5 years younger Rita Hayworth as the "older woman"...catatonic Kim Novak acting like she was rehearsing for "Vertigo."
Thankfully, songs by Irving Berlin, Rodgers and Hart, Cole Porter, fab '50s sets and styles, and star power--whether on the rise or wane--made these all highly watchable. Especially when endulged with Christmas cheer and candy!
"Johnny Ray as the Merm's son, who likes to go off for walks in New York parks late at night before becoming a priest " : ) In the 1950's Hollywood it was all about subtext baby
Saw "Carol", and that movie made my heart soar. I read "The Price of Salt" a few months back, and as much as I liked the book, the movie was even better. Took a great basis and added an unbelievable performance by Mara, better than regular Blanchett, a delightful Paulson, and the perfect dosing of Todd Haynes.
On a side note, who the f*%k greenlit the Point Break remake? $10.2 million opening with a $100+ million budget. C'mon studios....coulda financed 7 indies and still had money for a pizza party.
@Yavor - Best comment on the thread by far.
I saw Star Wars: the Force Awakens and hyperventilated like a mad woman when Han Solo and Chewie first showed up on screen. It is a fine return to form for the franchise, even if it follows on the footsteps of A New Hope a tad too closely. I am looking forward to the next two installments, but I truly hope they expand the Universe a little bit more.
Oh, and BB-8 = love ♡♡
Part of the reason women like Jennifer Lawrence gets paired with older men is because the male actors in their age range seem so young. Look at the actors in Richard Linklater's upcoming film - they're playing college kids, but Tyler Hoechlin (28), Blake Jenner (23), Ryan Guzman (28), Wyatt Russell (29) are all older, often by quite a bit, than their characters. And Lawrence would look really mature next to any of them. I just looked up Chris Pratt's age, and was amazed that he was 36 - he seems like he should be a generation younger than I, not almost my age.
Actors like Jon Hamm often talk of struggling through their 20s because they seemed too mature for their age, and a lot of the really great male stars don't hit it big until they're 35 or so (look at Oscar Isaac - just hitting his stride now).
<<Part of the reason women like Jennifer Lawrence gets paired with older men is because the male actors in their age range seem so young.>>
WHITE AMERICAN male actors in that age range. Which is why all those roles usually go to Brits, Australians, Scotsmen, Irishmen and New Zealanders...or African-American actors in extremely rare cases.
That Masculinity Conundrum.
I haven't seen "Joy" yet (plan to tommorrow) but I wanted to comment on Jennifer Lawrence on playing older. Now I think she's a great talent and she's fairly convincing but the problem is there are plenty of more age-appropiate actresses out there looking for work. Jenny should enjoy her twenties and act her age. She's got plenty of time before the struggle to find work when she's actually thirty
Agree it's a sexism issue. Studios want JLaw for any character because she is white. 25, pretty and popular. It erases all other women who are over 25 and/or minority from the casting equation.
17 mil and the media is proclaiming that JLaw can open a movie on her own? given that it has mixed reviews, very strong competition, etc. but 17mil from the biggest (supposedly) female star in the world? Something's definitely amiss. With all the hype that Joy has gotten, it should have at least made 20mil. That's why i still don't buy the idea that JLaw is a boxoffice draw outside of the franchises.
Yeah, I have to agree. It's as though the Joy-Lawrence narrative was written in stone so long ago that people can't seem to adapt to reality. A 17 million opening on one of the biggest movie going weekends of the year is not great. It's not a flop by any means, but it's definitely somewhat disappointing/underwhelming. Especially on a 60 million budget and lots of marketing.
The Intern opened higher in a much more difficult date, back in September.
Concussion also looks like a disappointment for Smith. It had almost half the budget of Joy, so it will probably be fine. But it does indicate Will Smith's decreasing BO power. I thought his disappointments over the past few years were more related to his kids. But it seems as though his Box Office reliability, like that of many stars, is seriously decreasing.
I think the endless media hyping of people like Lawrence and Pratt ultimately does them a disservice.
I could have sworn i'd already commented on this but in my defense about framing this as a success for Jennifer Lawrence, I really do think it is. It's a biopic about a woman who invented something as non cinematic as a MOP and it comes in a super crowded weekend and it got mixed and it's just a tiny bit off of DAVID O. RUSSELL's last wide opening weekend for American Hustle which had 4 starts to sell it. This one's only got JLaw really and considering their previous contributions have started off similarly or less and earned over $130 each, i think JOY will prove to be a hit.
You also have to consider that her OTHER movie in the Top 10 may have taken some of the audience $ from Joy...
I saw Star Wars: TFA, which I found enjoyable, even if it dragged in the middle and I'm not quite sure I cared as much about the a) possible romance between the two new leads and b) the main mission of blowing up another Death Star-like planet. But otherwise, it was fun and well-paced.
Also saw Carol, which I really, really liked except...I don't know...I don't quite get their relationship. Are we supposed to think it's true love? Because it seemed more like lusty infatuation (seriously, what do either of them see in the other one beyond superficial stuff?) that we're then told to believe is some once-in-a-lifetime romance. Maybe it had to do with Mara's performance. It seemed to toggle back and forth between googly-eyed awe around Blanchett and teary breakdowns when they're apart. I wonder if people are projecting what they want to see in her since it's such a quiet, still performance? I know that sounds like I didn't like it but I did! Blanchett! Paulson! The costumes! The cinematography! All so good.
And let's just not talk about that Phillip Glass/"The Hours"-wannabe score.
That's the thing with Jennifer's perceived boxoffice success - it's very much within a "comfort zone" that doesn't really prove her actual drawing power. When she gives a Julia Roberts in Sleeping w/ the Enemy or Reese in Sweet Home Alabama type of b.o. success (solo billing, opened #1 amidst competition), then I'll be convinced.