To think you don't let your children ruin film showings

[miaowmiaowhiss]

Arghhh still so annoyed. Just been to see Jurassic World, in a little 50/60 seater screen. Lots of people clearly had thought dinosaur=children's film, so there were lots children, even as young as 4/5. Now this isn't particularly a problem - if your DC are mature enough to deal with fairly scary scenes and a lot of blood, fine - but there was a family on the other side of the cinema with a DS and DD, aged about 5 and 6.

They. Did. Not. Stop. Talking.

The entire way through the film, the DC were chatting to each other at full volume - eg 'Why is there blood there? Look at all the BLOOD', 'What is it doing?', 'Why is it there?' and laughing/joking doing serious or climatic bits.

They were incredibly loud - the entire cinema kept shushing them and there was definitely resentful British sighs. I was on the other side of the cinema and I could hear every word and it was really, really distracting. Absolutely no sign that the parents were slightly bothered by it, and they certainly didn't try and keep them quiet.

So: AIBU to think that you don't take young children to the cinema when they can't be trusted to remain reasonably quiet and not distract people around them, and that you especially don't take them to films they clearly can't understand? Argh!

[miaowmiaowhiss]

(For when the inevitable happens, yes this is my first thread. Been reading AIBU for about two years but only recently made an account. Promise I'm not trolling or a GF!)

[Writerwannabe83]

YANBU. I would have been seriously pissed off!

[miaowmiaowhiss]

Writer, I was practically vibrating with anger - seems so silly now, but argh!

[ghostyslovesheep]

I would have complained to the cinema and got them spoken to - I hate that kind of behaviour

I almost did it recently when 2 boys spent the entire length of How To Train Your Dragon 2 explaining the plot loudly to each other

there was much scowling and shushing and the parents ignored it - someone else beat me to it and the usher took a parent out and had a word - they shut up after that

[3littlefrogs]

Going to the cinema is so expensive these days. I don't understand why people do this. I would have been very annoyed OP because for us, the cinema is a very occasional treat when there is something I really want to see and have been looking forward to.

Did you contact the manager?

[mrsdavidbowie]

And that is why I don't go to the cinema.
Because ignorant self absorbed people ruin it for everyone else.
Fuck it..I'm not spending £12 to have people talking, eating, rustling and being on their phones.

[CornwallsFinest]

I get where you're coming from in that Jurassic World is not a young child's film. If I wanted to enjoy a film with no/few children I would go to the evening viewing though.

We went to watch the Minions film today so obviously a young viewing audience (we took DS 4) and there was a constant hushed chatter throughout. Didn't bother us, we expected it! I was pleasantly surprised DS remained silent and still for the duration

YANBU.

[SouthWestmom]

Oh we had Tommorowland ruined at the O2 recently by an all girls party. Stupid loud laughing or giggling or commenting - neither adult bothered to stop them.

[SouthWestmom]

Frusso - really? In every case? Fwiw my son is autistic, knows the rule, and is silent in cinemas. Absolutely asd friendly screenings are a fantastic offer, but most loud chatting won't be autism.

[CocktailQueen]

Frusso - where has the op mentioned autism?? She's talking about badly behaved/parented dc.

Fwiw, I wouldn't take an autistic child to a non-autism friendly cinema showing. It's not fair on everyone else. Why on earth not watch the DVD at home or watch the film on Sky Movies or Netflix?

[0x530x610x750x630x79]

I told my kids at minions this weekend, that even if other kids are running around, talking or playing they are not allowed to. My daughter is only four and she can do it.

So fully 100% agree

[0x530x610x750x630x79]

I may be about to get flamed but why do the rights of 1 autistic child trump the rights of 60 non autistic people at the cinema?

[Jdee41]

I remember having the newest King Kong ruined like that (which shows how often I get to the pictures) - family of four with two DCs who could not stop talking.

I'm with mrsdavidbowie - home viewing is much better. I'm too cantankerous, and the cinema is too expensive, to put up with selfish fellow patrons.

[miaowmiaowhiss]

Unfortunately I didn't have the guts to - in a larger cinema I certainly would have, but it would have been really obvious that I'd gone and complained as I would have been the only person leaving, returning, then a staff member coming in!

I definitely don't have a problem with children being there, but I did find it quite amusing that it was SO full of children and yet much much scarier/suspenseful/violent than the other films - one poor guy even left with his DC half an hour in!

[Loraline]

I would expect it at an afternoon screening which it appears this was. If I want to see a grown up film in a grown up way I go to a post - 8pm screening. I think afternoon screenings are for kids and are always going to be noisy

[CrystalCove]

But why didn't you go and complain when the film was actually on?

[TheCatsMother99]

I definitely would have left mid-film to complain to staff. Their behaviour was unreasonable.

[SouthWestmom]

Oh read the thread 0, do us all a favour.

[Tutt]

Jurrassic World was ruined for us too, family behind with real little ones I guess 4 and 5.
The children screamed and cried all through the movie as they were scared... the twat parents did nothing just keep telling them to eat there sweets!!
I didn't say anything because I feared they were the sort of parents who would kick off and make it worse.

[TheHouseOnBellSt]

0x530x610x750x630x79 should Autistic children not go to the cinema then???

[SpudCunt]

YANBU.

I remember seeing one of the Harry Potter films with a mate of mine. We'd made the mistake of going during the day during school holidays (only time we were both off work and could go). There was a group of teens behind us that just would not shut the fuck up. Not just loud talking, but 'OMG he did what!' type screeching. Mobile phones bleeping, the lot. It was like being in a comedy sketch, only not at all funny.

After much glaring from the entire audience, my mate had had enough. Leaned over the seats getting into their space and growled that he'd paid to watch a film, not listen to their shit, and if they didn't shut the fuck up he would have them removed.

I felt slightly awkward at a bloke the size of a NZ rugby team player intimidating 14 year olds, but fuck it, it worked, and the silence afterwards was glorious. We could all hear the dialogue and everything.

[SouthWestmom]

Cocktail - crazy point of view there. So regardless of the actual child, a dx of autism would be enough to avoid cinemas forever?

[miaowmiaowhiss]

Hindsight is 20:20, unfortunately. I was tempted but tbh felt that if the parents didn't give a shit about their children's behaviour and knew I'd complained (see post above), they could also be the kind who might want to start an argument with me in the cinema. Not something I was happy with happening