What the ‘Ticket to Paradise’ box office opening says about the state of the rom-com in movie-going
The ‘Ticket to Paradise’ movie in theaters now.
The ‘Ticket to Paradise’ movie in theaters now. Photo: Chris Pizzello Photo: Chris Pizzello Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close What the ‘Ticket to Paradise’ box office opening says about the state of the rom-com in movie-going 1 / 1 Back to Gallery
It’s hard to believe this week is already in the books, but the first-day of new box office numbers for “Ticket to Paradise” (based on Wednesday morning reports) is already on pace for a strong opening weekend.
The weekend in question is on the cusp of the Memorial Day weekend, so any strong weekend would be well over $30 million. This is not a fluke, either; “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” debuted with a bang more than four months ago, and then quickly slipped into the $20 million to $22 million range.
That’s a solid opening for a rom-com, but it’s nothing to cry over. The opening of this high-budget Hollywood offering should raise concerns about the state of the rom-com, and the movie industry in general, in general.
Why is “Ticket to Paradise” a rom-com?
“Ticket to Paradise” is a romantic comedy-drama following the story of two people who, after getting married, are then confronted with a choice: If they have kids, they can’t spend their honeymoon away from home. If they don’t, they must leave their family behind. The movie is based on a non-fiction book by author Adam Mansbach.
For “Ticket to Paradise,” that means the movie is following an already existing series of family-friendly romantic comedies. Many were inspired by the 1970’s-era “Father Knows Best” television show. But “Ticket to Paradise” follows a decidedly different narrative.
What makes “Ticket to Paradise” different?
This is a movie where the “romance” is the big attraction of the weekend. And unlike many rom-coms, the story will be told mostly from the
