The box-office tallies are in, and after two weeks in the shadow of “Little Fockers”, Joel and Ethan Coen’s “True Grit” finally broke out and claimed the top spot with a $15 million gross. With a total to date of $110.4 million, this marks the Coens their first bona fide hit since … well, ever, I think. (“Burn After Reading” opened at number one, but it faded very quickly.)
The week’s new releases didn’t fare as well. “Season of the Witch” took third place with a decent enough $10.7 million — I was sure that word of its ineptitude would start turning people away by Saturday afternoon — and “Country Strong” came in sixth with $7.3 million, a dud by any other name.
The only question now is whether industry natterers will finally acknowledge that Hollywood is historically unable to court the massive potential audience that is country-music fandom … or if they’ll just try blaming it on Gwyneth Paltrow. I’m betting on the latter. If only they’d cast Sandra Bullock!
I don’t think it’s Paltrow’s fault, but I do think that casting her (and that Gossip Girl chick) was a mistake on the studio’s part. These are not actresses who appeal to the target audience, and the fans of these actresses don’t care for the subject matter.
Then again, maybe everyone just recognized how lame the movie looks.