Reception
The film was not well received by critics, garnering only 12% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. It came in at third place on its opening weekend among U.S. box office, making only $14 million since its Wednesday launch. Despite a budget of $34 million, it only grossed a total of $23.6 million in North America and negligible foreign box office receipts, for a total of only $23.8 million worldwide before leaving theaters after nine weeks. Top film critic Roger Ebert gave the film 2 out of 4 possible stars and derided the movie's dour tone, saying that "The holidays aren't very cheerful in Sandlerville." However, his review program, his co-host Richard Roeper gave the film a "Thumbs Up!"
The movie was very well received by fans of Sandler and is considered to be a modern holiday classic and is shown frequently on Comedy Central during the holidays. On Rotten Tomatoes the audiences gave it a 61%.
Sandler won a Kids' Choice Award for Best Voice in an Animated Movie in 2003 and was nominated for the Razzie Award for Worst Actor along with Mr. Deeds.
Read more about this topic: Eight Crazy Nights
Famous quotes containing the word reception:
“To the United States the Third World often takes the form of a black woman who has been made pregnant in a moment of passion and who shows up one day in the reception room on the forty-ninth floor threatening to make a scene. The lawyers pay the woman off; sometimes uniformed guards accompany her to the elevators.”
—Lewis H. Lapham (b. 1935)
“He’s leaving Germany by special request of the Nazi government. First he sends a dispatch about Danzig and how 10,000 German tourists are pouring into the city every day with butterfly nets in their hands and submachine guns in their knapsacks. They warn him right then. What does he do next? Goes to a reception at von Ribbentropf’s and keeps yelling for gefilte fish!”
—Billy Wilder (b. 1906)
“I gave a speech in Omaha. After the speech I went to a reception elsewhere in town. A sweet old lady came up to me, put her gloved hand in mine, and said, “I hear you spoke here tonight.” “Oh, it was nothing,” I replied modestly. “Yes,” the little old lady nodded, “that’s what I heard.””
—Gerald R. Ford (b. 1913)