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‘Pain and Glory’ Shines, ‘Lucy in the Sky’ Falls at Indie Box Office

Antonio Banderas and Natalie Portman’s latest films find very different results at arthouses this weekend

Jeremy Fuster | October 6, 2019 @ 10:21 AM
Antoinio Bandaras Natalie Portman

Sony/Walt Disney Studios

Two top Hollywood stars had their latest films hit arthouse theaters this weekend, with each finding very different fates at the box office. While Antonio Banderas’ “Pain and Glory” earned the top per screen average of the weekend, Natalie Portman’s “Lucy in the Sky” fell to Earth after receiving poor reviews.

“Pain and Glory,” the latest film from famed Spanish director Pedro Almodovar, has received critical acclaim since its May premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, where Banderas received the Best Actor award. Released by Sony Pictures Classics on four screens in Los Angeles and New York, the film grossed $160,087 for an average of $40,022. It’s the largest per screen average for a SPC release since the Oscar-winning “Call Me by Your Name” in November 2017.

Also Read: Antonio Banderas Didn't Want to Impersonate Pedro Almodóvar for 'Pain and Glory' (Video)

“Pain and Glory” stars Banderas as Salvador Mallo, an acclaimed director whose failing health has paralyzed both his career and his social life. After a series of encounters leads Salvador to reflect on his childhood and the sacrifices made by his mother (Penelope Cruz), he slowly finds the inspiration to move forward with his life and with a new film. Critics have given the film a 96% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Meanwhile, “Lucy in the Sky” was released on 37 screens in five cities by Fox Searchlight but only grossed approximately $55,000, for a per screen average of approximately $1,500. Starring Portman as an astronaut who struggles to readjust to life on Earth, the film boasts a strong supporting cast with Jon Hamm, Zazie Beetz and Dan Stevens but was panned by critics with a 27% Rotten Tomatoes score.

It’s a tough setback for Fox Searchlight, which found success with their widest release ever, “Ready or Not,” which has grossed $48 million worldwide against a $6 million budget. Fortunately for the indie wing, they have a chance for a quick rebound in two weeks with the release of “Jojo Rabbit,” the winner of the audience award at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Also Read: 'Pain and Glory' Film Review: Antonio Banderas Plays Pedro Almodóvar - Sort Of

Also releasing this weekend was “My People, My Country,” an anthology collection of seven short films by Chinese filmmakers to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China. The film was distributed by China Media Capital on 70 screens and grossed $970,000 for a per screen average of $13,744.

Next weekend will see the release of one of the most acclaimed films of the year: “Parasite,” the seventh film from Bong Joon-ho and the first Korean film ever to win the Palme d’Or at Cannes. The film is expected to be the frontrunner for Best International Film at the Oscars and could be a potential Best Picture nominee, currently holding a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score with 118 reviews logged. NEON is handling the film’s limited U.S. release.

Antonio Banderas, Kerry Washington and 95 More Portraits From TheWrap's Toronto Studio (Photos)

  • TIFF2019 portrait split
  • Robert Pattinson, Robert Eggers, and Willem Dafoe, The Lighthouse
  • Kerry Washington, American Son
  • Antonio Banderas, Pain and Glory
  • Bryce Dallas Howard, Dads
  • Isabelle Huppert, Frankie
  • Isabelle Huppert and Ira Sachs, Frankie
  • Christopher Plummer, Knives Out
  • Katherine Langford, Knives Out
  • Jaeden Martell, Knives Out
  • Jamie Lee Curtis, Knives Out
  • Don Johnson, Knives Out
  • Toni Collette, Knives Out
  • Knives Out Cast and Director Rian Johnson
  • Finn Wittrock, Renée Zellweger, and Rupert Goold, Judy
  • Cynthia Erivo, Harriet
  • Leslie Odom Jr, Harriet
  • Kasi Lemmons, Harriet
  • Harriet Director and Cast
  • Marielle Heller, A Beautiful Day
  • Enrico Colantoni, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
  • Kelvin Harrison Jr, Waves
  • Alexa Demie, Waves
  • Lucas Hedges, Waves
  • Taylor Russell, Waves
  • Trey Edward Shults, Waves
  • Waves Cast and Director Trey Edward Schults
  • Dakota Johnson, The Friend
  • Jason Segel, The Friend
  • Matthew Teague, Dakota Johnson, Jason Segel, and Gabriela Cowperthwaite, The Friend
  • Jamie Dornan, Synchronic
  • Jamie Dornan and Ally Ioannides, Synchronic
  • Ally Ioannides, Justin Benson, Jamie Dornan, and Aaron Moorhead,Synchronic
  • Priyanka Chopra Jonas, The Sky is Pink
  • Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Shonali Bose, The Sky is Pink
  • Isla Fisher, Greed
  • Isla Fisher and Steve Coogan, Greed
  • Beanie Feldstein, How to Build a Girl
  • Alfie Allen, How to Build a Girl
  • Alfie Allen and Beanie Feldstein, How to Build a Girl
  • Coky Giedroyc, Caitlin Moran, Beanie Feldstein, and Alfie Allen, How to Build a Girl
  • Bolude Watson, Hearts and Bones
  • Andrew Luri, Hearts and Bones
  • Hugo Weaving, Hearts and Bones
  • Hearts and Bones cast and Director Ben Lawrence
  • Gabe Polsky and Steven Warshaw, Red Penguins
  • Kyle Marvin and Michael Angelo Covino,The Climb
  • Alex Wolff, Bad Education
  • Ray Romano, Bad Education
  • Bad Education Cast
  • Military Wives Director and Cast
  • Ellen Page, There's Something in the Water
  • Taika Waititi, Jojo Rabbit
  • Roman Griffin Davis, Jojo Rabbit
  • Alfie Allen, Jojo Rabbit
  • Stephen Merchant, Jojo Rabbit
  • JoJo Rabbit Cast and Director Taika Waititi
  • Gael Garcia Bernal, Ema
  • Mariana Di Girolamo, Ema
  • Santiago Cabrera, Ema
  • Gael Garcia Bernal, Mariana Di Girolamo, Santiago Santiago Cabrera, and Pablo Larraín, Ema
  • Julie Delpy, My Zoe
  • RIchard Armitage, My Zoe
  • Richard Armitage and Julie Delpy, My Zoe
  • Halina Reid, Instinct
  • Carice van Houten, Instinct
  • Valerie Pachner, A Hidden Life
  • August Diehl, A Hidden Life
  • Stellan Skarsgård, Hope
  • Andrea Bræin Hovig, Stellan Skarsgård, and Maria Sødahl, Hope
  • Laysla De Oliveira and Rossif Sutherland, Guest of Honour
  • Makoto Shinkai, Weathering With You
  • Daniel Radcliffe, Guns Akimbo
  • Samara Weaving, Guns Akimbo
  • Guns Akimbo Cast and Director Jason Lei Howden
  • Charlie Hunnam, True History of The Kelly Gang
  • George MacKay, True History of the Kelly Gang
  • Justin Kurzel, True History of the Kelly Gang
  • True History of the Kelly Gang Cast and Director
  • Josh and Ben Safdie, Adam Sandler, Uncut Gems
  • Idina Menzel, Uncut Gems
  • Kevin Garnett, Uncut Gems
  • Julia Fox, Uncut Gems
  • LaKeith Stanfield, Uncut Gems
  • Uncut Gems Cast and Directors Safdie Brothers
  • Edgar Ramírez, Wasp Network
  • Wagner Moura, Wasp Network
  • Wasp Network Cast and Director Olivier Assayas
  • Alex Wolff, Human Capital
  • Maya Hawke and Alex Wolff, Human Capital
  • Human Capital Cast and Director Marc Meyers
  • Willem Dafoe, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Edward Norton, Motherless Brooklyn
  • Claes Bang, The Burnt Orange Heresy
  • Giuseppe Capotondi, The Burnt Orange Heresy
  • Hirokazu Koreeda, The Truth
  • Jonathan Pryce, The Two Popes
  • The Two Popes Cast, Writer and Director
  • Malky Godman, Keith Thomas, Dave Davis, and Menashe Lustig, The Vigil
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Toronto Film Festival 2019: Robert Pattinson, Renée Zellweger, LaKeith Stanfield and more stop by TheWrap’s studio in the Thompson Hotel

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