“Unfinished Song” comedy-drama starts strong at indie box office

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Weinstein Company’s comedy-drama “Unfinished Song” debuted in two theaters and took in $27,692 this weekend, TheWrap said.

That’s a solid $13,846 per-screen average for the British import, which was written and directed by Paul Andrew Williams. Terence Stamp stars as a grumpy pensioner who honors his recently deceased wife’s passion for performing by joining the local choir to which she used to belong. Christopher Eccleston and Gemma Arterton co-star.

Weinstein is hoping "Unfinished Song" -- which was earlier known as "Song for Marion" -- can duplicate the success of "Quartet." That similarly music-themed and mature-skewing comedy-drama, directed by Dustin Hoffman, has taken in $18 million domestically since opening in January, and $57 million worldwide.

Also opening was Magnolia Pictures’ Somali pirate drama “A Hijacking,” from Danish writer-director Tobias Lindholm. It brought in $42,500 from seven screens for a strong $6,071 per-screen average.

Cohen Media Group’s “The Attack” debuted in three theaters and brought in $26,352. That’s an $8,784 per-screen average for writer-director Ziad Dueiri’s R-rated drama about an Arab surgeon living in Tel Aviv who discovers a dark secret about his wife in the aftermath of a suicide bombing.

Samuel Goldwyn Films opened Jason Wise’s documentary about wine sommeliers, “SOMM,” on five screens and brought in $22,500 for a per screen average of $4,500.

Meanwhile, “Mud” has become the second independent release of the year to cross the $20 million mark.

It is the second indie film of the year to hit the mark, following Focus Features’ “The Place Beyond the Pines, which has taken in $21.3 million since opening in March.