Broke and looking for a cheap movie? You might want to head to your local AMC or Cinemark theatre and buy a ticket for the Russell Crowe–Renée Zellweger Depression-era boxing flick, Cinderella Man. Just make sure you don't like it.
On June 24, AMC Entertainment announced a money-back guarantee for theatregoers who don't enjoy the picture. AMC, the second-largest movie-house chain in the nation, provided the offer to help boost this summer's box office slump. The chain had not made a money-back guarantee since Mystic Pizza in 1988.
"If there's a question about the quality of movies that are being shown right now, here is a movie that AMC would like to really tout as very high caliber," Pam Blase, AMC spokeswoman told CNN in a June 29 article about the new policy. Paul Dergarabedian, president of box office tracking service Exhibitor Relations Inc., told CNN the theatre chain's behavior was "highly unusual."
Even more unusual was the announcement Friday that the Cinemark Theater chain will also offer a money-back guarantee for the film in certain cities. Terrell Falk, vp of Marketing and Communications for Cinemark, told The Associated Press that its guarantee would be limited to the Fourth of July holiday weekend and in 25 U.S. markets where the film doesn't compete with AMC. Cinemark is the third-largest movie-house chain in the country.
AMC openly touts the film as one of the finest movies of the year despite its box office woes. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the biopic about boxing hero Jim Braddock has taken in a disappointing $50 million since opening June 3. The film grossed $18 million its opening weekend.
Universal spokesman Paul Pflug told Reuters that releasing the period piece during the typically action-packed summer movie season possibly could account for the poor attendance.
"We took a risk, and this time period clearly didn't work," Pflug told Reuters. He also noted that Universal has considered rereleasing the film in the fall.
Blase told CNN that the number of moviegoers demanding their money back for the film has so far been "miniscule," but the promotion has yet to reveal whether it has effectively persuaded moviegoers to see the film. Blase told CNN there was no way to determine whether admissions have increased since the offer began.