Correct thing to do when there is a row of disrespectful kids behind you in a cinema?

[Bigus Dickus]

Say you are, like I was the other night, in the middle of a row with elderly people on either end that you really would rather not disturb and climb over. The kids (teenagers) behind you are using the cinema as a social gathering place, not for movie watching. They have displayed the general signs of disrespect: talking (often more than a whisper) non-stop, laughing, cell phone lights (easily seen as it lights up everyone's heads in front of you) on/off/on/off/on/off..., kicking the back of your seat as they swap places, lean over to talk to someone four seats away, etc.

Do you:
- turn around give them the "shut up or die" eye?
- turn around and politely ask them to be a little less noisy?
- turn around and ask them "do they mind?" (heh, always loved that phrase)
- turn around and threaten them with non-pleasant ass-whoopings?
- turn around and threaten to report them to the cinema staff?
- climb over the old ladies and report them to the cinema staff?
- a combination of the above?

I think "the eye" is a natural reflex for most people, but probably ineffective. I resorted to the politely asking them to shut the hell up, which had no better results. I didn't bother to climb over the elderly people because, well, the movie quite frankly sucked anyway.

What would you do?

 

[digitalwanderer]

What would you do?

Stop going to the cinemas.

 

[wireframe]

- turn around and threaten to report them to the cinema staff?

^^^
And if you are in the US you could threaten to report them to the Department of Homeland Security for terrorizing people in a movie theater. I'm sure some teenagers would be "hip enough" to fall for that one.

 

[linthat22]

I'd have to agree with Digi & Wire.

Cinema's are too expensive to deal with stupid people, be it cell phones, crying children, or rude folks.

Plus, who likes to sit through daggum commercials?!?!?!?!? and a damned movie theater?

Screw that and screw them.

 

[digitalwanderer]

I'd have to agree with Digi & Wire.

Cinema's are too expensive to deal with stupid people, be it cell phones, crying children, or rude folks.

Plus, who likes to sit through daggum commercials?!?!?!?!? and a damned movie theater?

Screw that and screw them.

That and they get all unctuous about someone doing a bat or two.

 

[Bigus Dickus]

Stop going to the cinemas.

Heh, ok, for people who still willing to go to the cinema, what would you do?

And thanks to dig, add "suck it up and do nothing" to the list of options.

 

[Moloch]

Stop going to the cinemas.

Come on dig.
I'd expect that from an old man who's tired but you're not that old.
Gotta turn around and stare at em.. if that doesn't work ask them if they would like to step outside with you

 

[Cartoon Corpse]

i had some chatty hispanics behind me at the movies (one of the last times i went to theatre). i turned around and said "shut the fuck up". and they did.

 

[Sonic]

Yes. Usually a good "shut the fuck up" does the trick. They are so taken aback by it that they really don't know what to do other than shutup.

Putting your hands over your ears with your elbows held up high sometimes does it. Standing up then turning around does it.

It depends if you are non-confrontational or don't mind what happens.

Best option is to go during the day time or really late at night when more people don't go to the movies.

 

[John Reynolds]

I had a teenage couple behind my wife and I a few years ago who were unreal in how loud they were as they discussed all the oh-so-important drama in their lives. So after about 20 minutes of this I turned around and in a polite tone asked if they could please be quiet during the movie. The girlfriend snapped some rude comment back at me full of a tone that suggested raw disbelief that I would interrupt her conversation. It spiraled down pretty fast since my temper snapped and I think I ended up suggesting to the boyfriend that he put a leash on his f'n cow and that if he didn't like that suggestion we could go outside and discuss it further. They left. My wife almost left. Not good.

F'n teenagers.

 

[Beholdereye]

I had a teenage couple behind my wife and I a few years ago who were unreal in how loud they were as they discussed all the oh-so-important drama in their lives. So after about 20 minutes of this I turned around and in a polite tone asked if they could please be quiet during the movie. The girlfriend snapped some rude comment back at me full of a tone that suggested raw disbelief that I would interrupt her conversation. It spiraled down pretty fast since my temper snapped and I think I ended up suggesting to the boyfriend that he put a leash on his f'n cow and that if he didn't like that suggestion we could go outside and discuss it further. They left. My wife almost left. Not good.

F'n teenagers.

That's the way I do it. Luckily, my girlfriend is just as quick to temper when it comes to that, and actually has a bigger mouth about it. Usually I sit back and let her do the bitching. After all, she does it so well

 

[Bigus Dickus]

To be honest, my greatest concern in making a "display" is further aggrevating other moviegoers. I'd happily just knock them out, if I could figure a way to do it that wouldn't make noise or otherwise be distracting to others. Likewise, standing up and turning around, while perhaps getting smiles from others thinking the same thing, isn't really making things less distracting, at least not for the moment. Though I was certainly just about to that point the other night... thankfully it was a terrible movie so I wasn't that pissed.

Are tazers allowed in theaters? Ha... that might solve the problem discretely, unless they start crying uncontrollably. Is there a setting that just knocks someone out without much commotion?

 

[Quitch]

The best thing to do is, when arriving, spot the people most likely to cause trouble and sit right behind them. Then, if trouble is caused, you can lean forward and tell them to "shut the fuck up", which will probably shock them too bad for them to cause further problems.

It worked for me. Of course, if they'd turned round and start something, that's when you're in the deep shit

 

[epicstruggle]

Usually a muffled, "what the fuck is all the noise about" works on me.











j/k
epic

 

[AlNom]

I must confess: I tend to be pretty loud before the movie starts, just not during it.

 

[hey69]

- turn around and politely ask them to be a little less noisy?



that always scares them, but then again, they are scared even when i dont say anything

 

[ChryZ]

late night screening = no kids

 

[digitalwanderer]

Come on dig.
I'd expect that from an old man who's tired but you're not that old.
Gotta turn around and stare at em.. if that doesn't work ask them if they would like to step outside with you

Unfortunately lately in the theatres I've been more the person with the kids disturbing everyone else lately, one of the big reasons I stopped going to theatres until me kids are a bit older/better able to control themselves.

Before I'd usually turn around and make a friendly/polite/slightly sarcastic request that they quit being so noisy and it usually worked, although I do recall a few outcomes similar to what happened with JR.

(Although it was pre-marriage and I was usually drunk with about 4-5 other rather large & drunk guys so we never really had any problems....people tended to listen to our polite requests and if it got ugly left.)

 

[Moloch]

Unfortunately lately in the theatres I've been more the person with the kids disturbing everyone else lately, one of the big reasons I stopped going to theatres until me kids are a bit older/better able to control themselves.

Before I'd usually turn around and make a friendly/polite/slightly sarcastic request that they quit being so noisy and it usually worked, although I do recall a few outcomes similar to what happened with JR.

(Although it was pre-marriage and I was usually drunk with about 4-5 other rather large & drunk guys so we never really had any problems....people tended to listen to our polite requests and if it got ugly left.)

I see,
How old are they?

 

[digitalwanderer]

I see,
How old are they?

6 & 8 now, last time I took them to the theatres they were 3 & 5.