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Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star (2003)

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9 articles from 2003

23 September 2003 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

The vampire flick Underworld took a big bite out of the weekend box office, taking in a greater-than-expected $21.8 million in its debut. Another new film, Secondhand Lions, took second place with $12.1 million. Yet another new film, The Fighting Temptations, premiered in third place with $11.8 million. A fourth newcomer, Cold Creek Manor, nabbed fifth place with $8.2 million. However, a fifth new contender, the Woody Allen movie Anything Else, didn't even make the top-ten list. It came in at No. 11 with just $1.7 million, the worst opening ever for an Allen film.

The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures compiled by Exhibitor Relations (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date): 1. Underworld, Sony, $21,753,759, (New); 2. Secondhand Lions, New Line, $12,139,832, (New); 3. The Fighting Temptations, Paramount, $11,758,372, (New); 4. Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Sony, $11,007,367, 2 Wks. ($40,951,922); 5. Cold Creek Manor, Disney, $8,190,574, (New); 6. Matchstick Men, Warner Bros., $7,552,427, 2 Wks. ($24,233,745); 7. Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star, Paramount, $3,783,655, 3 Wks. ($17,302,664); 8. Cabin Fever, Lions Gate, $3,609,896, 2 Wks. ($14,722,225); 9. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Disney, $,3480,968, 11 Wks. ($292,495,912); 10. Lost in Translation, Focus Features, $2,622,737, 2 Wks. ($3,957,340).

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22 September 2003 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

For the third time in the past month, moviegoers displayed their voracious appetite for horror films as they made the poorly reviewed Underworld the top film at the weekend box office as they snatched up an estimated $22 million in tickets. (Freddy vs. Jason and Jeepers Creepers 2 also took the top spot in their openings. The Baltimore Sun's Chris Kaltenbach even took a shot at the horror film audience in his review last Friday, remarking that the movie is "all sturm und drang, relentless firepower in pursuit of nothing other than an audience that thinks to itself, 'Wow, ain't that cool.') No other film came close. The second-place film, The Fighting Temptations, a romantic musical, opened with $13.2 million. Secondhand Lions, another newcomer, placed third with about $12.9 million. In fourth place was last week's winner, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, which earned $11.5 million. A fourth new film, Cold Creek Manor, debuted in fifth place with $8.3 million. But Woody Allen's latest film failed even to make it into the top ten. Despite efforts by DreamWorks to avoid any mention of Allen in promoting and marketing Anything Else, the movie earned only $1.7 million, the worst opening ever for an Allen film.

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Exhibitor Relations: 1. Underworld, $22 million; 2. The Fighting Temptations, $13.2 million; 3. Secondhand Lions, $12.9 million; 4. Once Upon a Time in Mexico, $11.5 million; 5. Cold Creek Manor, $8.3 million; 6. Matchstick Men, $7.8 million; 7. Cabin Fever, $3.9 million; 8. Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star, $3.8 million; 9. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, $3.5 million; 10. Lost in Translation, $2.8 million.

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16 September 2003 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

Johnny Depp, who reportedly spent only eight days working on Once Upon a Time in Mexico, is being credited for the striking success of the film at the box office over the weekend. The film, costing just $29 million to make, took in $24 million in its first weekend. Depp, whose comical performance as a swashbuckler in Pirates of the Caribbean helped make that film one of the biggest hits of the summer, has suddenly become a big draw at age 40 after a career appearing in low-budget films playing eccentric and/or androgynous characters. Pirates also continued to perform well at the box office in its 10th week, coming in at No. 5 with $4.6 million to bring its domestic total to $288 million assuring it of becoming the second film of the year to cross the $300-million mark during its run. (The other was Finding Nemo.)

The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures compiled by Exhibitor Relations (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date): 1. Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Sony, $23,424,118, (New); 2. Matchstick Men, Warner Bros., $13,087,307, (New); 3. Cabin Fever, Lions Gate, $8,633,585, (New); 4. Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star, Paramount, $5,042,028, 2 Wks. ($12,871,357); 5. Pirates of the Caribbean: the Curse of the Black Pearl, Disney, $4,506,400, 10 Wks. ($287,884,372); 6. Freaky Friday, Disney, $4,061,689, 6 Wks. ($101,971,030); 7. Jeepers Creepers 2, MGM, $3,019,860, 3 Wks. ($31,865,481); 8. Seabiscuit, Universal, $2,754,615, 8 Wks. ($113,606,750); 9. S.W.A.T., Sony, $2,708,563, 6 Wks. ($112,791,312); 10. Open Range, Disney, $2,706,853, 5 Wks. ($53,482,017).

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15 September 2003 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

In what appeared to be nothing short of a spectacular rise in audience interest for a theatrical film series, Robert Rodriguez's R-rated Once Upon a Time in Mexico opened with an estimated $24-million box office over the weekend, besting the original El Mariachi, which debuted with $313,000 in 1993, and the first sequel, Desperado, which bowed with $7.9 million in 1995. Sony, the studio that produced it, said that the result was beyond its expectations. (Some analysts credited the success of the film to star Johnny Depp's new-found status as a box-office draw following his appearance in Pirates of the Caribbean, one of the biggest hits of the summer.) Second place was claimed by Warner Bros.' Matchstick Men, which took in about $13.3 million. Another new film, Lions Gate's Cabin Fever, claimed third place with around $8.5 million. In limited release, Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation, starring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson, took in an impressive $901,143 in 23 theaters, or an average of $39,180 per theater.

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Exhibitor Relations: 1. Once Upon a Time in Mexico, $24 million; 2. Matchstick Men, $13.3 million; 3. Cabin Fever, $8.5 million; 4. Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star, $5 million; 5. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, $4.6 million; 6. Freaky Friday, $4.1 million; 7. Jeepers Creepers 2, $3 million; 8. Open Range, $2.809 million; 9. S.W.A.T., $2.800 million; 10. Seabiscuit, $2.7 million.

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15 September 2003 | From wenn.com | See recent WENN news

Leading American toy maker Wham-o Inc. is suing Paramount Pictures for featuring one of their products in a new movie without its permission. The manufacturer is unhappy the Hollywood studio used its Slip 'N Slide outdoor water toy without authorization in Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star, which stars David Spade. And Wham-O is especially furious with one scene where Spade's character dives onto a dry Slip 'N Slide - which is meant to be wet - and rolls over with painful red marks all over his chest, screaming, 'Oooh, it stings.' The scene also features in Paramount's trailers for the comedy flick. The manufacturer's marketing director, Peter Sgromo, says, "Wham-O is concerned about the depicted misuse of its product in the film and its advertising, particularly the potential for injury to children and even adults who, after viewing the scene, might use the product in the same reckless manner." He adds the film "violates all safety guidelines that are clearly marked on the product and the packaging" and implies Wham-O allowed their product to be portrayed in this light. But a senior Paramount executive dismissed the suit as "entirely without legal merit".

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11 September 2003 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

After debuting at the top of the box office last weekend, Paramount's Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star, starring David Spade, has been plunging rapidly during the week. In fact, the film had already fallen to second place on Sunday, behind MGM's Jeepers Creepers 2. By Monday, it had fallen to sixth place. On Tuesday it was down to seventh place. The mid-week dive was especially disappointing to the studio, given the fact that the movie targets older moviegoers, who make up the core of the audience during that part of the week. (On Tuesday, the older-skewing Open Range had taken over first place.)

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9 September 2003 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

Suggesting that poor word of mouth may have chilled interest in Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star, thereby cutting into ticket sales on Sunday, the David Spade comedy took in only $6.7 million over the weekend, a figure that was significantly lower than Paramount had estimated. The film edged out the second week of MGM's Jeepers Creepers 2 by less than $100,000. The top 12 films collected $67 million, the worst performance by the box office since the weekend of Sept. 21, 2001.

The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures compiled by Exhibitor Relations (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date): 1. Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star, Paramount, $6,660,540, (New); 2. Jeepers Creepers 2, MGM, $6,562,008, 2 Wks. ($27,282,853); 3. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Disney, $5,271,528, 9 Wks. ($281,831,452); 4. Freaky Friday, Disney, $5,040,247, 5 Wks. ($97,082,820); 5. S.W.A.T., Sony, $4,570,388, 5 Wks. ($108,784,017); 6. The Order, 20th Century Fox, $4,438,899, (New); 7. Open Range, Disney, $4,202,447, 4 Wks. ($49,308,750); 8. Seabiscuit, Universal, $3,705,320, 7 Wks. ($109,642,685); 9. Freddy Vs. Jason, New Line, $3,243,261, 4 Wks. ($78,349,963); 10. Uptown Girls, MGM, $2,466,987, 4 Wks. ($33,584,221).

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8 September 2003 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

Theaters were mostly empty during the first weekend following Labor Day, a normal occurrence, with ticket sales for the top 12 films totaling $50.9 million -- a figure equaled or exceeded by several individual blockbuster films during the summer. The top film at the box office, Paramount's Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star, took in only $7 million, the least earned by a No. 1 film since the Ashley Judd thriller Eye of the Beholder opened with $6 million in January 2000. (Paramount hasn't had a film in the box-office top spot since How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days opened in February.) Last week's leader, Jeepers Creepers 2, crept down to No. 2 with an estimated $6.7 million. The only other new film, The Order, which was not screened for critics, opened with only $4.3 million to place sixth. Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl edged ahead of The Matrix Reloaded, in total sales, thereby becoming the second-highest-grossing film of the year.

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Exhibitor Relations: 1. Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star, $7 million; 2. Jeepers Creepers 2, $6.7 million; 3. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, $5.5 million; 4. Freaky Friday, $5.1 million; 5. S.W.A.T., $4.6 million; 6. The Order, $4.3 million; 7. Open Range, $4 million; 8. Seabiscuit, $3.7 million; 9. Freddy vs. Jason, $3.2 million; 10. Uptown Girls, $2.4 million.

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5 September 2003 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

Many critics have concluded that the only thing wrong with the new comedy Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star is that it's not very funny. The film stars David Spade as a former child star, who, at mid-life, is struggling to rebuild his career while working as a car attendant. Wesley Morris in the Boston Globe observes: "To the casual Spade fan, this might seem dangerously close to home. Every Spade outing fills you with worry that he's one knuckleheaded movie away from parking cars himself." An even harsher judgment of the star is provided by John Anderson of Newsday: "What Spade brings to the title character... is very close to nothing." Comments Roger Ebert in the Chicago Sun-Times: "There are laughs, to be sure, and some gleeful supporting performances, but after a promising start the movie sinks in a bog of sentiment." Similarly Chris Kaltenbach writes in the Baltimore Sun: "There's a funny movie struggling inside of Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star. Too bad it never gets out." Several critics (Ebert included) remark that the film might have been a whole lot funnier if Jim Carrey had been cast in the title role. Stephen Holden in the New York Times observes that unlike Carrey, "Mr. Spade is no comic ball of fire." All of the critics, however, do agree on one thing: the closing credits which reunites a slew of former child stars singing a kind of profanity-laced "We Are the World," is worth the price of admission.

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9 articles from 2003