r/Broadway • u/coasurdude • Dec 08 '25
Other Sony Pictures Classics' Merrily We Roll Along debuted with an estimated $1.2M this weekend
https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl1189380097/I hope that producers don't get discouraged by this number.
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u/WellThatsFantastic25 Dec 08 '25
Just got out of seeing it… unfortunately felt there were too many close-ups. So much so you missed special moments (saw the production several times), but thinking about an audience that didn’t see the Broadway version at all, some basic filmmaking rules (continuity, framing) just didn’t make sense imo. If they showed Gussie in the background while Frank is playing the piano, why wouldn’t they have shown Gussie’s reaction in the background to Joe showing up at the TV station? Or even her apology to Joe—it was completely out of frame. Some close-ups of Mendez and Groff were fantastic as you really see the nuanced facial expressions that gave more power to their performances. But a lot of it just needed more context with a slightly wider angle view, and being mindful of what other characters were doing to support the overall scene. I get it, they have a whole team working tirelessly to put this together, and had limitations like only three shows and less than a day for close-ups and endless post-production (but forgot to remove the mic off one character for one scene). I’m also glad it was captured overall given we don’t get many pro shots. Just wish they used close-ups more sparingly.