The early numbers are in and as always, Americans don’t go to the movies on Labor Day weekends. This year, they’re not going to the movies over Labor Day weekend even harder than ever. Pretty much everyone stayed home leaving movie theaters the kind of empty you usually only see on a school night. It’s Labor Day weekend, we’d rather be eating barbecue.
The American fared best of the week’s new releases. It got a jump on everyone, opening on Wednesday and that, plus George Clooney’s famous face gave it enough momentum to carry it past mediocre reviews and dismal word of mouth to a $12 million dollar, first place weekend finish. The movie’s made $16 million overall since opening on Wednesday and for a micro-budgeted little indie spy thriller, that’s good enough.
Close behind it was Takers, still going strong after two weeks in release for no discernable reason other than Chris Brown is in it and women think he’s hot. It’s pretty much doom and gloom for everyone in the top ten this week. Machete came in at number three, unable even to top the already pretty terrible opening weekend numbers of Grindhouse, the movie it’s a spinoff from. Going the Distance, perhaps the best new release this weekend, fared worst. The Drew Barrymore/Justin Long rom-com opened in the fifth spot.
For complete weekend box office estimates, check out the chart below. Check out the four day holiday totals here .
