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The 'Whites Only' Poster Wasn't Even Couples Retreat's Worst Accomplishment this Weekend

Written by Kyle Buchanan | 16 Nov 2009, 1:00 PM | 3 comments

couples_retreat_posters_250.jpgThe fact that Couples Retreat had its black actors extracted from international posters has gotten a lot of attention today, but I’d argue that while it’s an unclassy move, it’s an incident that’s threatening to obscure the real issue. The truth is that in the world of Couples Retreat, something much, much worse than the poster controversy happened this weekend, and nobody seems to be saying a thing about it.

Quietly, as Saturday figures were released, the critically reviled comedy passed the $100 million mark — an impressive hold that indicates that the movie will have no trouble tallying a domestic gross that’s well over three times its opening weekend. The makers of Guitar Hero are so psyched right now!

At first I thought that this had to have been Vince Vaughn’s best gross since The Break-Up, but I was horrified to learn that the similarly terrible Four Christmases grossed a stealth $120 million last year. (Why didn’t we put a stop to that?) Somehow, this is worse than the Paul Blart box office bonanza this past spring. At least you could tell that Kevin James really wanted it. All that the formerly live-wire Vaughn seems to want right now is a paycheck, a vacation, and a copy of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

Tagged: couples retreat, vince vaughn

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Comments

From Lolita | Reply
Posted 16 Nov 2009, 8:15 PM

I'm offended that you find how much the movie grossed to be more insidious than the obvious hegemony and racial prejudice that took place here. In future, don't minimize a very serious issue for the sake of your story. In fact, perhaps you should have left out the whites-only comment at all.

From Eddy | Reply
Posted 16 Nov 2009, 10:25 PM

I agree with what Lolita said. But you sorta expect these writers to be so cynical when it comes to race issues.

Oh, and this guy just had to give Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 some free publicity, right? Is there anybody in the media Activision hasn't paid to push this game down our throats? Talk about a game that's been overhyped.

From From | Reply
Posted 17 Nov 2009, 4:27 AM

They are jokes.

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By the Numbers: weekend takes every Monday
Avatar 20th C Fox
$34.9M
$554.9M
Legion Sony
$17.5M
$18.7M
Book Of Eli Warner
$15.7M
$62.0M
Tooth Fairy 20th C Fox
$14.0M
$14.6M
Lovely Bones Paramount
$8.4M
$31.7M
Sherlock Holmes Warner
$6.6M
$191.5M
Alvin: The Squeakquel 20th C Fox
$6.4M
$20.4M
Extraordinary Measures CBS
$6.0M
$6.0M
It's Complicated Universal
$5.8M
$98.7M
Spy Next Door Lionsgate
$4.5M
$18.8M
Data courtesy of Rentrak