Comedy is the name of the game this weekend with three new movies trying to show you the funny. Don't get too excited. The likelihood that they'll be in a theater near you is inversely proportional to likelihood that they'll actually make you laugh. While those of you who slept through seventh grade algebra are searching Google for "inversely proportional", I'll fill the rest of you in on how bad the comedy gets.
For some reason studios keep giving Larry the Cable Guy his own movies. Larry The Cable Guy: Health Inspector didn't clear the $16 million mark. His follow up "ensemble" piece, Delta Farce, barely made half that much. While it boggles the mind that enough people went to see his movies for them to earn that much cash, it's just as amazing that he's still getting projects pushed into theaters. Witless Protection doesn't even try to veil itself as anything but the dumbest of movies, but at 1,300+ theaters it's still getting the widest release among the comedies this weekend. With any luck, he'll keep up the trend and come in under $4 million this time around.
Charlie Bartlett will open in only 1,100 theaters, but you'll have way better odds than Larry for a chuckle or two. The problem with Bartlett is that you'll have to wade your way through a film that feels like a dark, angsty version of a Ferris Beuller flick. Labeled a comedy, it's more of a cute but overwrought drama. Bound to make more money than Witless Protection, it's not going to be number one by a long shot.
Your best bet for a solid laugh is Be Kind, Rewind, though your chances of finding it are a little slimmer. Opening in only 800 theaters, with a strong indie-ish buzz and Jack Black leading the way, it's still bound to get a decent audience. With any luck it will easily out earn Charlie and Larry.
The big new movie this weekend is Vantage Point. A semi-repetitive thriller that's more adrenaline than brains, it's backed by a big name case and a hefty marketing campaign. In 3,150 theaters it's likely to give Jumper more than a run for its money for the number one spot.
