21: Top Of the Box

Still haven't seen it, but it looks like 21 is this weekend's box office tournament winner. This'll be an interesting one to watch though, because the reviews have been just awful. It's been marketed well, the subject is compelling as hell, and it seems to have a nerd/glam thing going for it. But will it lead pick up the word-of-mouth buzz needed to carry through for a few more weeks? My hunch is 'no' and that it will fade fast, but we'll see.

Friday's domestic numbers showed that Hollywood can't boost the slumping box office this spring break even though 30% of students are out of school. No. 1 is Sony Pictures's based-on-a-true-story 21 which opened to a solid $8.6 million Friday from 2,648 theaters. That puts the moderately budgeted pic squarely on track to make its expected $22+ million from Friday through Sunday.