Fight in the cinema 🥺

[Usernamqwerty]

I just left a cinema film a few minutes early because a fight broke out between two women. One of them kept getting her phone out and a woman behind her got very upset, got up and said she was complaining to the manager to get her removed if she didn't put it away. Another woman stood up and said she was going to punch the 'complaining' woman in the face and then went for her! I grabbed my coat and ran out... I had a traumatic upbringing and can't be around violence. I am still shaking...

Anyone else had this happen? Cinema is in a rough area about 30 minutes drive from home. Been there with DH loads of times but during the day 😣.

More terrible tales of a lack of cinema etiquette here...

www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4571897-to-think-that-people-have-forgotten-basic-cinema-etiquette

Where are the staff?

A lot of people have no idea how to behave in cinemas or theatres these days. Or they just don't care about anyone around them in general.

I'm so sorry OP, I hope this hasn't put you off going again in the future.
I was once with my Mum outside Morrisons, waiting for a taxi, when two men began fighting as they left. It was a huge sudden scuffle and the next thing I knew, someone was asking my Mum my name, age etc and someone else was telling me an ambulance was on it's way.
I felt so embarrassed, but I had a pretty horrible past and honestly, I'd have left too if my brain hadn't decided that I just wasn't going to deal with it at all 💐

The poor staff at these places that now seem to be a point of terrible behaviour. Cinemas, food outlets , shops . Mostly staffed by MW earners and often young teens as a PT job . So unfair to expect them to confront and control these lawless individuals. No idea what the solution is
but what a shame that cinemas are now being as dangerous as a rough pub in some areas.

Staff in my local cinema are barely out of their teens. They are not security, perhaps cinemas should hire them.

This is why I no longer go out very often. It is always ruined by idiots. I’d rather be in my living room where the company, temperature, snacks and loo breaks are all down to me!

This is why when I did go to the cinema it was also a day time slot. Like around lunchtime or just after and never in the evening. Never had an issue and sometimes its just me and 2 other ppl! Actually once I had the whole screen to myself it was fab!

More people there are the more likely you are to get those knobheads.

I dont go anymore just cant justify the monthly membership with the lack of movies coming out that I'd want to see..shame really. Maybe next yr might be better.

Cinemas won't be along for much longer. They can't expect people to happily pay what they charge for tickets and have to put with dickheads in there.

I worked in a cinema as a teenager - typically about two "usherettes" per cinema.
Most cinamas now don't have any cinama-based staff - maybe staff in an on site cafe and people stuck behind reception desks - how are they supposed to monitor or challenge visitor behaviour?

And there's no one to sell ice creams in the interval😲

Not the cinema but a couple of months ago me and Dd were at the theatre watching the Carole King story. A woman behind DD, but a few seats further along, sang really loudly and really badly the whole time. The woman in front of her kept asking her to be quiet, the drunker she got the louder she got.
It ended up with the sober woman threatening to punch her and the 2 off them being pulled apart.

Why pay all that money just to be so drunk you probably don't even remember it?

Hope you’re okay OP. It really isn’t nice to witness violence, especially in places you least expect it.

I remember being a child at the cinema with my mum and younger brother, some teens in the row behind us kept shouting, throwing popcorn and kicking our seats. My mum turned round and asked them to stop but they just laughed at her and carried on. Sounds silly but it was terrifying at the time, ever since I’ve always chose the back row of cinemas to avoid trouble from people behind.

Just out of curiosity, what was the film you were watching? 😁

It's not in the north-east is it?

I don't understand people who go to the movies and then are on their phone. Such weirdos. I'm glad the lady spoke up! Sorry you had to deal with that, hope you're ok

I went to see Everyone's Talking about Jamie with dd at a London Theatre as she wanted to see it. A woman turned round to another who was talking and said "Are you going to shut up?" It ended with her being called a Fat C* Lovely. No fisticuffs luckily.

Oh my god.. the cinema is meant to be a relaxing experience too. Do you think people are just getting angrier everywhere?

DH and I went to our little local cinema last week to see Empire of Light. There were two women who talked non-stop and shrieked with laughter (it's not a very funny film). A big bloke got up and went down to them, leaned over and muttered something. They shut up straight away. No idea what he said but I was very grateful. DH said he was going to say something but the bloke got there before him. 😁Liar.

Wasn’t a fight, but we did witness a couple going at it, doggy style, in one of the VIP private screening areas that have a glass wall looking down into the main screening area! Sunday afternoon, during a screening of the Smurfs. It was my 11 year old who pointed it out. Needless to say, all of the parents in the audience were not impressed.

You may all enjoy the Wittertainment code of conduct - should absolutely be adhered to at all times!!

Sorry to hear this, OP. As a huge lover of cinema I'm appalled at the way some people intrude on the space. I've never had it happen despite how often I go. Feel like it's bound to happen one day. I would encourage you to speak to the cinema. You never know, you might get a ticket for a different showing. You'd be surprised how understanding they can be!

@Runningoncoffeealone what happened? Did you try and break up the fight? Sorry if I'm being thick!

She was watching Fight Club

Yep, a dad with his family asked a boy who was running around if he would mind sitting down as it was distracting his family. He'd asked very nicely but it was clear from before the cinema got busy that his mum did not care, she said to her friend she was glad they'd come with her, described her son a little shit or something similar and said she wouldn't sit with him so he was sat on his own rows apart - he was about 6.

Well, I'm not sure if it was because it showed her up (although she clearly didn't care before that as she let him run around everywhere, loudly at the front near the screen) or that it was a man, someone who wasn't white or perhaps due to him being Sihk but she hit the roof, swore and shouted at him with every name under the sun. He was quite polite in explaining why he'd spoken to him, I'm not sure he could even work out who he was with! Several people complained but she'd go quiet when staff came in then she'd start up again when they left. Half of the film was ruined by her.

You could feel the tension in the air, I was pregnant at the time and got out quickly but I was concerned that poor family would be attacked by her. I really felt sorry for all of the kids involved.

I never went back to that branch even though it was less than 10 minutes from home and went 25 minutes into a busier area (which sometimes made it a longer journey) to the next one which was always pretty calm.

I wish they'd had that when I'd gone but there's no stopping some people!