Los Angeles: Adult thriller 'Contraband' starring Mark Wahlberg grabbed the weekend movie box office title, beating expectations with an estimated $24.1 million in ticket sales at U.S. and Canadian theaters.
'Contraband' added $1.5 million from seven international markets for a global opening-weekend debut of $25.6 million, distributor Universal Pictures said.
In second place, a 3D remake of Walt Disney Co's (DIS.N) animated classic 'Beauty and the Beast' also topped studio forecasts with $18.5 million at North American (U.S. and Canadian) theaters from Friday through Sunday.
'Contraband' tells the story of a smuggler, played by Wahlberg, who takes on a risky job to help settle his brother-in-law's debt. Critics gave the film a mixed reception, with 46 percent of reviews praising the movie on website Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences liked the movie better, giving it an A- grade on average in polling by survey firm CinemaScore....
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01:02 PM, Jan 16, 2012
