The funny thing about free things

This evening, the Prof and I went to a sneak preview of the new Paul Rudd/Jason Segel movie I Love You, Man. It was entertaining enough, with a few laugh-out-loud moments. Honestly, though, the movie was overloaded with pop culture references. I really don't get why so many modern comedies play this card. Cinema should be timeless. Cheap laughs relying on 2009 vernacular may work today, but no one's going to have a clue what was so funny about Lost gags or Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium jokes 15 years from now (That being said, some worked, especially the Rush reference, which, for fans of Freaks and Geeks, was kind of awesome.).

Anyway . . .

I wasn't writing this to post about the movie. Instead, I was intending to ramble about the crowds that come out when these sort of sneak previews are offered. The spectacle is really quite something. It's as if the average consumer cannot resist someone giving them something for free, regardless of their interest. There were all kinds of people at the theater. Old, young, reallllllyyyyy old, hip hop, nerdy, chic, college professors, husbands of college professors. All were present, and I bet only about 20% of them would have shown up to pay for a ticket if the movie was already in theaters (Prof and I would have been in that 20%. She's got a Paul Rudd thing, and I have a dumb comedy thing). 

In fact, I'm pretty sure a few attendees hadn't been to a movie in easily a decade, judging by the way they looked around the theater when they entered ("It's like one of them future spaceships! Thank God for these movie passes! Now, is Fred and Ginger in this picture?").

And this hodgepodge of people, old and young, also seemed to carry with them some of the strangest manners. I watched about 7 people just up and leave about halfway through the screening. Now, we weren't watching avant-garde cinema, here. Let's face it, there was a 5 minute joke about farting. It isn't like the material was all that challenging. 

Before tonight, I can probably count on one hand the amount of people I've watched walk out of a theater in the past few years. 

Of course, those were tickets that people paid money for.

Then there were the people who conversed throughout the film, as if, since nobody paid to get in, the event was more of a social gathering than anything. There were a few groups that sounded like they were doing flash cards or math homework or something. And the couple that debated why the main character was having such difficulties making friends. Odd.

I won't even get into the people who, even with free tickets, still smuggled in cans of soda and McDonalds. That sort of thing just blows my mind. I mean, I get bringing your own candy or whatever, but cheeseburgers? Do you realize how awful that odor is when it hovers in a movie theater for 100 minutes? And the movie is already free, so cough up a few bucks for the theater at the concession stand. 

I don't know. I just think it's interesting to see how we react to free entertainment. And, truth is, it was a free night out (though we did spring for the $6.50 kids popcorn/soda/candy box). I guess I can't complain. Better than watching American Idol.

Ramble over. Off to bed.