Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Cinema stopping kids in suits from coming in - Minions

541 replies

jackstini · 02/07/2022 16:48

DS & his friend (both 13) had tickets this pm for Minions, Rise of Gru

Like lots of people per TikTok, they dressed up in suits/ties - just for fun
Got to cinema and were told they couldn't come in because of what they were wearing

DS called me upset and DH went down to see if he could sort it. Found 5 grown men standing over them and a few other kids, shouting at them that they needed to leave and they were not allowed in. Kids felt very intimidated

No dress code visible in the cinema or on the website

DH asked if they had misbehaved and was told no, we just don't like this suit thing as some of the people on TikTok have kicked off
DH pointed out, they hadn't kicked off, just wanted to watch the film, so what was the problem. Stoney silence
He took them outside, took their jackets & ties off & they went back in 5 minutes later and were admitted by a different member of staff

Is it just me or is this ridiculous? And pathetic for them to treat kids like that

I really want to complain but wanted the MN population to vote on if you think they were BU or not

YANBU - cinema staff were out of order & I should complain
YABU - don't complain

OP posts:
Pinkdelight3 · 02/07/2022 18:55

Why didn't/doesn't the cinema put up a sign at the entrance saying people dressed like this won't be admitted? Then you're forewarned at the door.

They probably should put a sign too but they did forewarn at the door, in person, so it wouldn't have made any tangible difference.

justagirlstandinginfrontofcake · 02/07/2022 18:55

So this explains my local cinema being closed this evening after teens in suits trashed the place during a showing of minions.

janesmithsdog · 02/07/2022 18:59

Cinemas have had such a shit few years of it financially too.

Axahooxa · 02/07/2022 19:00

YANBU!

QuebecBagnet · 02/07/2022 19:00

The staff don’t need to wait until they’ve disrupted the film. No teenager normally dresses in a suit to go to the cinema.

Anyone who says they’re just going to dress up and only do that part of the trend is bullshitting their parents. Anyone who says they’re just going to be in a suit as they’re on their way to prom is bullshitting their parents. Who the hell goes to the cinema en route to prom?

therefore any teen in a suit is advertising their intentions as far as I’m concerned and I’m glad staff are being proactive. Rein your little shits in.

adorablecat · 02/07/2022 19:05

To be honest I can't understand why teenagers would want to see a kids' movie unless there was an underlying agenda.

Cantstandbullshit · 02/07/2022 19:11

Maytodecember · 02/07/2022 17:39

Unfortunately it looks like your DS and friend were discriminated against on the basis of they MIGHT copy aTik Tok trend of making a noise/ mess/ whatever. In fact any person in a cinema could do this, they don’t have to dress up to do it.
Yes, I’d complain to management.

With all that’s been written you still think they were discriminated against? Good luck with the complaint. If I was management I will beg you to never come to my cinema again.

you have hundreds of teenagers causing havoc in cinemas and you still thinks it’s discrimination, how many employees do you think each cinema employ to try to control such numbers?

GenItalienSchauen · 02/07/2022 19:11

I don't know anything about TikTok or Minions, but I've changed my vote to YABU because there's every chance that a 13 yr old - even a nice and generally well behaved one - is planning mischief.

Nanny0gg · 02/07/2022 19:12

Hoolihan · 02/07/2022 18:37

My son and his friends went yesterday wearing suits, I thought it was really fun. Pmsl at the tiktok what's the world coming to handwringing. Just because you don't get it doesn't mean there's anything wrong with it. Teenagers gonna teenage.

And wreck the showing and the cinema for everyone else?

Why is that ok with you?

Nanny0gg · 02/07/2022 19:13

adorablecat · 02/07/2022 19:05

To be honest I can't understand why teenagers would want to see a kids' movie unless there was an underlying agenda.

I love the Minion films and I'm in my 60s. A good film is a good film. It doesn't have an age against it.

QuandaleDingle · 02/07/2022 19:14

Hoolihan · 02/07/2022 18:37

My son and his friends went yesterday wearing suits, I thought it was really fun. Pmsl at the tiktok what's the world coming to handwringing. Just because you don't get it doesn't mean there's anything wrong with it. Teenagers gonna teenage.

Aww a "cool mum"

Bless.

Nanny0gg · 02/07/2022 19:15

Minimalme · 02/07/2022 18:35

This explains the teens I saw in suits yesterday!

I think it's funny - it's nice to see kids being daft, rather than the other stuff which goes on where I live.

Oh, hilarious.

Bonjovispjs · 02/07/2022 19:17

Good for the cinema. What a ridiculous trend, but your little darling couldn't possibly be a part of it eh?🙄

mam0918 · 02/07/2022 19:20

We have just been to the cinema to see lightyear (mostly parents with young children in our screen) and I was shocked by the sheer number of teen boys in the cinema. 3 screens where showing Minions and all seemed to be packed with unaccompanied packs of teen boy (didnt see a single girl just large groups of boys) and as a result the surrounding shops where packed too.

While non I saw where out right terribly behaving on purpose they where causing a massive nussence gathering in large groups that where blocking aisle and walkways (as if they where completely unaware of other people), acting loud/silly (as kids do in big groups with no adults to reel them in) and causing massive cues/hassle for staff (getting to the tills and then insisting on waiting for the other half of their group who weren't ready so they could all pay together etc...).

I have never really seen anything like it before, not on that scale anyway so I could see why staff who have faced it all day would be getting sick of it and maybe trying to discourage 'pack behaviors'.

Cantstandbullshit · 02/07/2022 19:21

jackstini · 02/07/2022 17:10

@QuebecBagnet - I mentioned TikTok in the op! They were following the dressing up trend from there

I get there are a few people that have misbehaved elsewhere but the fast majority are just dressing up

Fair enough to kick them out if they interrupt the film, but to not let them in at all is just silly

You sound like those parents who think the sun shines out of their kids asses. You really don’t think they got the idea to wear the suits from TikTok? Have your kids every work suits to the cinema before?

saying they should eject people who disturb is ridiculous, trying to eject lots of rowdy teens will disrupt the whole move for others and if you were one of the audience km sure you will be here in mumsnet asking shouldn’t the Cinema give me a refund for disrupting my movie?

Bunnycat101 · 02/07/2022 19:22

“I think it's funny - it's nice to see kids being daft, rather than the other stuff which goes on where I live.”

WTF. These kids are trashing the place, spoiling it for others and potentially losing the cinema lots of revenue at a time when their struggling. It’s the height of complete fuckwittary.

EarthquakesinEastActon · 02/07/2022 19:22

RedHelenB · 02/07/2022 17:39

Much easier to deny entry than try to chuck teenagers out during the film. Cinemas aren't inundated with staff.

Yep, this. Why should they have to refund everyone who had their experience disrupted, when they could avoid the potential riot by refusing entry to a small number of teens? It’s simple economics for the cinema.

mam0918 · 02/07/2022 19:24

Nanny0gg · 02/07/2022 19:13

I love the Minion films and I'm in my 60s. A good film is a good film. It doesn't have an age against it.

Show quote history

We saw lightyear and I bet the others their was more often than not more for the parents than the kids, same way last 2 toy stories where packed with adults in their 20-30s when it came out... nostalgia.

Same for these teens now, they probably saw minions as young kids and its 'nostaligic' even though they are still young.

Irridescantshimmmer · 02/07/2022 19:26

Its discrimination, which is totally wrong, I would name and shame the organisation because they are in need of an almighty kick up the ass.

Hoolihan · 02/07/2022 19:27

Ffs 🤣 Basically no-one on this thread knows what the trend is but let's all assume there are trashed cinemas and traumatised toddlers up and down the country. Its just teenagers wearing suits, standing up and clapping at the beginning and the end and maybe chatting a bit like teenagers have done in the cinema since the beginning of time.

ChateauxNeufDePoop · 02/07/2022 19:27

Small sample size but have seen a couple of bad stories around this trend. On the face of your headline YANBU but once you read into it I kind of see the cinema's point and your update is a bit naive on letting them in then throwing them out if they misbehaved when they probably just played the percentages on it by not letting them in but then letting them in when they changed their appearance.

GettingEnoughMoonshine · 02/07/2022 19:27

QuebecBagnet · 02/07/2022 19:00

The staff don’t need to wait until they’ve disrupted the film. No teenager normally dresses in a suit to go to the cinema.

Anyone who says they’re just going to dress up and only do that part of the trend is bullshitting their parents. Anyone who says they’re just going to be in a suit as they’re on their way to prom is bullshitting their parents. Who the hell goes to the cinema en route to prom?

therefore any teen in a suit is advertising their intentions as far as I’m concerned and I’m glad staff are being proactive. Rein your little shits in.

Yup.

DelosParks · 02/07/2022 19:29

Irridescantshimmmer · 02/07/2022 19:26

Its discrimination, which is totally wrong, I would name and shame the organisation because they are in need of an almighty kick up the ass.

Discrimination! That is really offensive.

PonyPatter44 · 02/07/2022 19:40

Irridescantshimmmer · 02/07/2022 19:26

Its discrimination, which is totally wrong, I would name and shame the organisation because they are in need of an almighty kick up the ass.

Bless, not being allowed to do something antisocial is NOT discrimination.

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 02/07/2022 19:41

Having worked in a cinema throughout uni I promise that staff are not paid well enough to deal with that shit.

Fair enough it's a bit rough if your kid is genuinely just wearing the suit with no intentions of causing shit, but why take the risk?

I had to ask a couple in their late 20s to leave "where the wild things are" because he was fingering her during the film. They refused, then argued very loudly with me in the middle of the screen causing yet further disruptions. Basically we had to refund nearly every family in that screen because I couldn't physically drag the couple out.