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AIBU?

to rant to you disruptive toddler in PG film ?

66 replies

pippop1 · 29/12/2012 01:19

I went to see Life of Pi in 3D my local cinema. The film started at 5.45pm and is rate PG which, according to the official website of cinema classification mean that the content is unlikely to disturb a child aged 8 or over.

There was a couple in the cinema with a child of about 4 and a younger one of I guess a little less than two. They sat to my left with an aisle between us. The younger DC (without 3D glasses) spent most of the film being shushed by the parents, not in a seat and walking about in front of the parents being passed around between them. Also there was constant rustling with bags of food to try and keep the child quiet.

The parents made no attempt to take this kid out. I found it v annoying and the film was beyond the understanding of a child of this age (espcially without the glasses - it's all fuzzy without them).

I'm not blaming the child at all but am I wrong to think the parents are crazy to take this little child to this film? It might be PG but it's hardly Disney.

Sorry, just need to moan as this outing cost DH and I over £21 and I felt anoyed the whole time!

I know, I know I should have complained to the staff but it was a tiny cinema, I would have had to go outside and then come back in and they'd know it was me!

OP posts:
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MoetEtPantsOn · 29/12/2012 01:24

I guess it cost them £21+ too and they didn't want to waste it. Bet they regretted their decision to go afterwards and won't do it again. Sounds exhausting for them.

I guess one option would have been to leave and ask to exchange tickets for a later show. If you hadn't already made lots of plans to be there (organised babysitter, booked dinner after etc).

They were silly to have taken her to the 3D version as well. No 1 year old is going to wear the glasses.

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Damash12 · 29/12/2012 01:38

Again thoughtless parents, ruined evening and waste of money. I don't get why people do this and have no consideration for others.

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Startail · 29/12/2012 01:43

Regardless of cert. surly life of Pi is an adult film.

Reading the plot, I'd be bored witless never mind a 4yo.

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Bogeyface · 29/12/2012 01:46

Tbh its the child I feel sorry for. You could walk out and go another time, but that poor little bugger is stuck with useless parents for the rest of its life. :(

YANBU

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sixlostmonkeys · 29/12/2012 01:46

Complaining would do no good. same happened to me once so I went out and told staff - they told me they had every right to be in there and nothing they could do (woman with baby and toddler noisily entertaining both throughout the film) I have no idea why the woman was there as she, baby nor toddler even looked at the screen.
I was told I could see a later screening, but honestly, who can spare a total of 6 hours? (which is what it would take)

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NK493efc93X1277dd3d6d4 · 29/12/2012 01:54

Typical that, it's always the disruptive ones that the staff are to scared to tell off!

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HoneyMurcott · 29/12/2012 05:30

Stupid, stupid parents. Asleep at the wheel parenting. YANBU. Really, they deserved to have a shit time in that film. Haven't they heard of baby-sitters? Hope they learn their lesson.

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MaMattoo · 29/12/2012 06:01

I am in two minds here. I don't see the point of bringing and boring a child at a movie they won't like or understand. But there might be another side to story you won't perhaps know? Easy to judge..

On the other hand I remember being the bored silent child walking up and down the cinema aisles as mum and family watched a film. I used to eat popcorn and watch people watching the film. Had no childcare I guess and for mum it was the only outing she had access to for a while. Don't know if others saw me as a pain or they shrugged acceptance of the situation without wanting to judge. The only thing that came out of my being bored in the cinema is that I don't really like watching films or TV as an adult either. So, yes, sitting on the fence for a bit..

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Ellisisland · 29/12/2012 06:06

I work in a cinema and this happens all the time and it drives all the staff at my cinema nuts. We get people coming in with kids to watch movies that finish at 3am and they are crying and exhausted but if the rating dictates that it is up to a parent whether their child sees the film there is nothing we can do. We can go in and say that they are being disruptive but in my experience I have always been told either to 'f&@k off' by the parents or they get the kid to calm down I leave and then 20 minutes later the child is crying again.

I would see the manager after and get your money back.

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yousmell · 29/12/2012 07:39

You should have told the staff.

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AKissIsNotAContract · 29/12/2012 07:45

Maybe they made the same mistake I did and thought it was a film about pies.

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KittyFane1 · 29/12/2012 08:05

There's not much you can do in these situations which is really annoying I know. I have left the cinema twice because of disruption. Once because of a crying baby no more than a few months old and oncebecause of a young lad who loudly repeated practically everything said by the characters in the film. On one occasion, we got our money back and on the other, we went into the next showing.

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sleeplessinsuburbia · 29/12/2012 08:40

I'd send an email and ask for a free ticket. I would have hated that.

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AreYouADurtBirdOrALadyBird · 29/12/2012 08:51

I'm struggling to find a reason why the kids would be there. Surely if a babysitter let them down they would just have one go and try and get a refund for the other ticket. But then by bringing the kids it added more money onto the outing.
Anyways its selfish. They might find their kids adorable, not everyone else will though.

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LadyMargolotta · 29/12/2012 08:55

Yanbu. There is no way I would take any of my children to see Life of Pi, and if we don't get a babysitter, then we just won't go.

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Mrsrudolphduvall · 29/12/2012 09:06

Another example of thoughtless, selfish parents who don't care about other people or their children.

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gimmecakeandcandy · 29/12/2012 09:09

They were out of order of course they were but why didn't you complain/tell the staff? You should have done, your wasted money becomes your fault if you don't do anything about it.

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Whistlingwaves · 29/12/2012 09:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DowagersHump · 29/12/2012 09:16

Judging by the messages here, complaining doesn't do any good.

What the hell is wrong with so many parents? This is the 5th thread I've read in the last few days where completely selfish parents have allowed their DC to ruin someone else's cinema/theatre experience. I find it absolutely staggering how many people a) seem to think it's acceptable and b) that someone it's the person who suffers fault if they don't complain (thus ruining their experience even more by having to walk out in the middle of the film/play and risking not getting anywhere).

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JollyOldChristmas · 29/12/2012 09:23

DH went to an 8:30pm showing of batman, which as a 15 IIRC and there was a 2 year old who spent most of the first hour crying before being removed by the parents.

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HisstletoeAndWhine · 29/12/2012 09:37

The cinemas could fix this overnight if they wanted to. Like pubs, there has to be some child-free time.

The Batman screening shooting highlighted how idiotic some parents are, and with tragic consequences for some.

I say we need to complain, demand our money back, every single time they let neglectful/lazy parents blight performances for others.

A mini mumsnet campaign perhaps. The only way these greedy businesses will change is if they are pushed into it.

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milf90 · 29/12/2012 09:43

This is why if I want to go to the cinema I get my mum to babysit??!

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HardWorkerNotAFool · 29/12/2012 09:49

"The Batman screening shooting highlighted how idiotic some parents are, and with tragic consequences for some."

That is a singularly idiotic, crass and tasteless comment if I ever saw one Hmm

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HisstletoeAndWhine · 29/12/2012 13:15

Oh come on! It was a midnight screening! There were TONS of kids there that shouldn't have been, and for the sake of a thought or a babysitter, they were put in a tragic situation.

It was a shock to hear about the shooting, but total and utter incredulity came when it was clear that there were many little children and babies there. All cos Mommy/Daddy had to see the film on it's premiere?

The cinemas need to police their showings. The classifications are there for good reason, no underrage child should be in a 12/15/18 certificated for any reason.

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Wallison · 29/12/2012 13:22

I don't think it's reasonable to factor in a risk that taking a child to a film will result in them being shot, whatever time the film is on at.

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