I have been to movies where I got a refund/voucher for another one after unexpected circumstances arose where they had to stop the feature and fix something with the camera or kick out unruly audience members. However, I have never been to one where refunds were given because the audience just flat out thought the movie wasn't any good. I remember several years ago hearing of a story (on this forum) where a manager issued refunds or vouchers after a screening of Battlefield:Earth. I don't know if that was true, but am curious if anyone has ever heard of or witnessed such a case.

If you leave early enough, you can get a refund. If you stay for the whole thing and didn't like it, you shouldn't get a refund, but I'm sure it's probably happened. Generally to people who are big enough asses about it that the manager just wants them to leave.

Yeah, if you leave before the halfway mark, around here, you'll get your money back. If you stay for the whole thing and complain to get your money back, you're a ****.

If you complain at any time to get your money back, you're a ****.

My theater had a 15-20 mark. anything after that too bad.

I had a 30ish guy come out of Great and Powerful Oz Imax and say, "That was the worst movie I ever saw, I'd like a refund."

I told him no, we don't give refunds if you don't like the movie. "So I can't get my money back?"
Told him we can't guarantee that a movie will be good. He left in a huff.

Agreed.

I don't know why anyone would think they could have their money back just because they didn't like the movie.

I don't think it's ever been implied that movies have a money back guarantee. If people got a refund for all sub-par movies that come out, every studio in Hollywood would be bankrupt in a couple of years.

I could see him saying that about every movie if theaters gave refunds. Be an easy way to see them for free every time.

Ever work a retail job? You'd be amazed what people think they can get their money back for.

I remember when my theater had My Girl with Macaulay Culkin. On opening weekend I had some parents ask for a refund (and were pissed) because Culkin's character bites it in the end. I just told them to contact the studio, we had no control over the content.

I wish I could remember which movie it was, but years ago, the crowd at a 42nd Street theater in Manhattan hated a movie so much that they stormed the manager's office and the manager pulled the film and replaced it with something else after one or two showings. I think it was a low-budget horror film and it would have been the early-to-mid '80s.

Was it I spit on your grave or Last House on the left?

I don't get the whole refund people expect for movies. If I buy a videogame and it sucks I can't send it back for a refund. If I get a music cd and hate the songs do i get a refund? I've read a lot of crappy books and never once thought to contact the author/publisher for a refund.

After working retail for several years when I was younger I found that you can get a refund for pretty much anything if you complain enough. The question is: do you want to be that douche who complains?

People like that are definitely out there. I'd presonally rather lose money than be known as "that guy".

I've given positive reviews to "Election" and "The Forty Year Old Virgin" and had gotten letters from two readers that wanted me to reimburse them.

When I worked at the theater, we would do it for the first fifteen minutes. After that, it was considered against the rules. Everything gets recorded in the computer, and we could be audited by the distributors when they want.

Generally, if someone comes out afterwards, we say "no no no". If they're persistent assholes, the manager could give in and offer a free ticket (paid for by the theater).

I worked there for several years. This stuff happens daily. The kind of person who complains until the theater gives in is irrational and selfish, and should not be trusted.

How long one watches a movie is irrelevant. Sometimes what one would call a bad movie is redeemed by the climax or conclusion. Sometimes not. Movies are as much a "product" as anything else consumers "consume". A bad product is a bad product, and often one doesn't know until one has used a product (in this case, viewed a movie) that it is bad. In the case of most movies, I would say it is a given that one has to watch the entire thing before one can make an accurate assessment of whether or not it is bad.

You're all a bunch of whiney anti-consumerists.

I'm not sure if you're trying to be funny or not. Movies aren't the same as buying a shirt that doesn't fit right or an electric drill that doesn't work.

We tell people that the movie being good or bad isn't a guarantee, the theater being clean, the projectors working and the staff being courteous is what we can guarantee.

Who rents a movie from Netflix or Rednox or Blockbuster the tries to get a refund because the movie stank?

Well, when I was working there, I was under the impression that the ticket should be reversed/refunded within 15 minutes of the start time. After that, the theater chain is supposed to absorb the cost.

I felt bad enough that I asked for a ticket to a different movie because I arrived too late to the one I originally wanted to see and would have been stuck in the front two rows. The movie itself hadn't even started yet, and I was concerned the theater wouldn't give me an exchange, but they were nice as could be.

In my opinion, the theater should refund a ticket if the theater is too hot/cold, picture blurry, sound system lousy, anything that's environment related. If you didn't enjoy a movie, contact the company that actually made the thing for a refund.

That seems like an OK reason to exchange tickets. You hadn't seen any of the movie & would have not enjoyed the experience. They also didn't have to refund any of your money. It was as if you had originally asked for the other movie. It actually might have benefited the theater depending on the two movies considering theaters make more % of the $$ depening how many weeks it was playing. Studios get more $$ first few weeks. Theaters get more $$ for long running films.

I used to work at Regal/Edwards for a couple of years.

If the movie has been playing for more than 30 minutes, we'd tell them we can't do anything.

If they complain and throw a fit, we give them passes.

Plenty of people complained but no one really abused it, it was just random.

A movie should be treated just like a sporting event or a concert, assuming it plays as planned (meaning all the equipment is running properly and there are no issues), no refund should be granted. Can you imagine people at a game asking for their money back because their team sucked?

They wouldn't be able to keep Wrigley open!

The local one where my kids worked will give refunds on a case by case basis. Most of the time if the person is reasonable they'll at least give free passes.

Where they won't; don't go to an R rated movie then complain about any sex or violence. You're too stupid to get one. My son was working when someone who went to a Borat movie complained about the subject matter. The manager said too bad for you.

On weekends, underage kids need to be accompanied by a parent. Often times the parent has purchased a ticket and then walked right out. If they catch them, they throw the kids out and no refund.