Rom-com finds box office love
Australia’s first major romantic comedy in years, I Love You Too, debuted at #2 at the Australian box office with $874,533 coming from 228 screens (average $3,835).
The solid performance of film by director Daina Reid, producer Laura Waters and writer Peter Helliar consolidates Roadshow Film’s position as the most consistently successful distributor of Australian films in the last 12 months – following last year’s Beautiful Kate and Mao’s Last Dancer, and the highest grossing one of 2010 so far, January’s Bran Nue Dae ($7.5m+).
I Love You Too opened to mixed reviews, some of them saying lead actor Brendan Cowell was miscast in the role, while others called the “sweetness” he displays in it “a revelation”. Helliar addressed the criticism the film has received, via Twitter: “Actually [the reviews] have been good. Sure, we copped some shit ones (as did Iron Man 2!), that happens, but got a lot of 4 star reviews. Crowds happy!”
Another film starrring Brendan Cowell, Beneath Hill 60 (Paramount/Transmission), is still charting at #8 on its four weekend, with $227,475. It’s overtaken Daybreakers as the second highest grossing local movie of the year, with more than $2.6m.
The other Australian films currently showing are limited releases: Playing for Charlie (PackScreen) debuted on one screen with $2,665; Triangle‘s second week (Icon) added $1,966 on two screens; and Accidents Happen (week three for Hopscotch) with $9,911 on 17 screens.
