Hit the Road
I have a bad habit of writing many posts about the same topic in a row (imagine how bad it would be if you actually knew me in real life and you couldn’t just click the X in the corner).
Obviously, I want to talk about movies again.
A few weeks ago Bart and I went to see a movie. After about ten minutes we both realized “We’re hating this movie with a violent fiery hate” and we got up, walked out, and exchanged our tickets for something different. It was no big deal and the movie theater didn’t care at all – they had reprinted us tickets within about two minutes with no questions asked.
I mentioned this last week in one of my classes and the teacher asked who else had ever walked out of a movie and out of about thirty people, only two ever had.
I was pretty surprised by that, since I felt like it wasn’t that weird of a thing to do. I mean, if you’re in a movie that you are swiftly becoming confident you won’t enjoy for whatever reason (whether it be the content of the movie, loud talkers behind you, a flickering screen, etc), it seems perfectly reasonable to me to leave and ask for a refund or an exchange.
In the past, I’ve walked out of atrocious movies and had other members of my party later tell me that they were loathing the movie as well but felt like “well, I’ve already spent my $5 to see it” (this was like ten years ago, obviously) so they stayed. This don’t really make sense to me since 1) you can nearly always get your money back and 2) even if you can’t, why are you subjecting yourself to abject misery. Why lose both your money AND your time? (Also, why did I not walk out of Napolean Dynamite or Nacho Libre when both of those movies bored me to the very core?)
Anyway, am I just a total freak of movie-going nature? If you’re in the theater are you absolutely set on staying in that seat no matter how unpleasant the next two hours become? Have you or would you ever walk out of a movie?
When I was thirteen or so my parents marched us out of Titanic and then banned PG-13 movies from our house forever. And we had to leave one of the Harry Potter movies because we took Thomas with us(oops). But I don’t think I’ve walked out all on my own before.
I’ve never walked out of a movie but I totally would if I didn’t like it. And I’ve certainly turned off DVDs I hated before getting to the end.
I would have no problem walking out of a movie; however, that isn’t a problem for me because we never see movies in the theater (even the dollar theater)… except the occassional special effects awesome ones that we know we will enjoy which is like once a year!
I walked out of movies more as a teenager than an adult. The theaters were always so quick to refund your money or issue a different ticket that it seemed like a common occurance. I don’t walk out now because I refuse to pay almost $9.00 for a ticket unless I know it is going to be good.
I rarely go to movies at the theater unless I really think I will like it, so walking out is not really an issue. However, when I did used to go to movies there were a few movies that in retrospect I wish I would have walked out of–I guess I just hoped they got better. I have turned off many a DVD, at home, though. And will I ever get back the 2 hours I wasted watching Napoleon Dynamite (Jim got as a gift so we spent no money on it, just wasted time)?
I’ve only walked out of one movie and that’s because my friend wanted to. It was Rent and she felt uncomfortable with the content. I probably should have felt more strongly against it too. I’ve had to turn off a few movies as well. I’d never thought to ask for a refund/exchange at the movie theater, though! That’s a good idea.
Hey! I want to know what movie it was!
I walked out of Wayne’s World 2 at the Dollar Theater once, but I didn’t get my money back for that one. I figured it was a dollar well spent not to have to see the rest of it.
Oh, and I forgot! Just recently I had to leave halfway through There Will Be Blood when I realized I was kind of hoping that everyone in the movie would just drop dead.
I’ve done it once. I was no a date with three other couples in HS and we walked out of Zoolander. I think the guys were sad but the girls were done about 10 minutes in. We got a full refund of our money and went to play in the arcade instead. I should have walked out of Juno great plot it was just too crass for me.
I haven’t walked out of a movie, but I wouldn’t be opposed to it. I almost always go to dollar movies and I mostly only go to movies I’m pretty sure I’ll like. I’ve definitely had to close my eyes in several movies lately due to violence (borne ultimatum, casino royale….)
I walked out of Chicago (I went like the first week it came out because a history teacher recommended it for it’s “musicality.” hmm…). But sadly, I actually sat through all howevermany hours of Nacho Libre and Napolean Dynamite. Blah.
All these napolean dynamite dislikers are coming out of the woodwork! I love it, I always felt like I was the only one….never even bothered seeing Nacho Libre. I’ve never walked out of a movie, but like Jody said, its because we so rarely go to movies that we make sure it is one we really really want to see before we go.
I’ve walked out of horrible movies before. I also will stop reading a book if it sucks…although I hear people usually keep reading.
Whatever…my time is too valuable.
Yah, I’ve only walked out of a movie once when I was pretty young, but that was because the speakers in the theater weren’t working right and the sound was atrocious.
I haven’t walked out of anything since. I’m not sure if that’s a commentary on my lack of theater going, my excellent taste in selecting movies to watch, or my lack of standards, but I’m guessing the first reason. I’ve stopped watching lots of DVD’s I’ve rented, so I’m guessing I have it in me!
I’ve walked out on several movies. I’ve exchanged tickets, but I don’t think I’ve ever asked for my money back. It was my fault if I got myself into an offensive movie without checking it out first.
We walked out of the Ballad of Ricky Bobby. I think that’s the only movie I’ve left, though.
Sorry, being the reader that you are, how many pages will you normally give a book before you will do the same?
Yeah I’ve walked out of a movie. I actually believe that the theater likes it if you have to leave for something like a restless child. I also think that if more people did it then the movie makers would get the idea that some there movies just flat out stink!!! As for Napolean Dynamite, there’s a classic! I have one question, ok, two questions for you, 1) How many times did you see Napolean 2) Did you ever watch Monti Python and the Holy Grail? (another classic!)
So… what movie was it? I’ve never walked out of a movie before. There have been a couple times when I’ve considered it, but by the end, I was glad I stayed. I think I’m too afraid that the movie will get good after I leave.
Wow! I have never walked out of a movie before, but now that I know you can get new tickets, I just might have to!
Ok, so I know this is awful… but I walked out of “The Passion of the Christ.” I felt like I was being guilt tripped into believing something I had already believed… thoughts?