The Power of The Smurf

Last weekend’s movie box office left studio execs scratching their heads.  It seems that the family film, “The Smurfs” tied the hyped sci-fi thriller, “Cowboys versus Aliens” for gross weekend revenue.  A pleasant surprise for the studio behind “The Smurfs,” and a disappointment for the studio that had sent the stars of “Cowboys versus Aliens” on every morning news program and every talk show for the past two weeks to make sure that we all knew that their movie was opening and that it was the place to be.  The only way I knew that the Smurf movie was opening is because Nickelodeon plays on every television in my house from the time the kids wake up until they leave for practices or play dates. 

Despite non-stop advertising, “Cowboys versus Aliens” got their bootie kicked by a bunch of blue pixies running around Central Park with no plot line.  I watched as Harrison Ford was offered a stuffed “Papa Smurf” toy by Conan O’Brien so that he could take his aggression out on the person responsible for the disappointing turnout for his movie.  He ripped the head off and then told Conan that he was going to give the headless body to his son.  My kids would not have liked that present, but who am I to judge a 66-year-old father of a 10-year-old boy? 

But, I digress.  The point is that everyone seemed absolutely stunned by the following of the Smurfs.  They couldn’t understand how a cartoon that really hasn’t been shown since the eighties could do such big box office—and these are men who are paid big-bucks to figure out exactly what we want to watch while stuffing our faces with buttery tubs of popcorn.  Jeez!  Every mother in America can explain it.  Put simply, it did big box office because mom-guilt has kicked into high gear.

It hits about the time that teachers send out letter introducing themselves and giving you a list of supplies, such as hand sanitizer and tissues, that are critical to your child’s success in the upcoming year.  That’s when I realize that summer is almost over and I haven’t done anything fun with our children since school let out in the spring.  I review the past 80 days and realize that they have been playing Playstation for about 70 of those days—and I didn’t stop it because it meant that they weren’t bothering me.  Gone are the plans to teach my six-year-old how to ride her bike before school starts, or to take my kids on a spontaneous road trip to see giant balls of string or dinosaurs made out of plywood.  That leaves me with—“The Smurfs.”

So, Hollywood execs take note.  Release any animated film that looks even remotely funny at the end of July and it will be a hit thanks to lazy moms like myself who always get blindsided by the start of school.  Mom guilt—it gets us every time!