Box office
The Official Release Party of a Showgirl grossed $34.1 million in the United States and Canada, and $16 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $50.1 million. [2]
Deadline Hollywood reported on September 21 that the film made $15 million in pre-sales in its first 24 hours across all circuits. [7] The first-day presales of The Official Release Party of a Showgirl outpaced that of The Eras Tour in Vue International's cinema theatres in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Italy and Netherlands amongst others. [14] In the United States and Canada, the film grossed $15.8 million on its opening day, and went on to debut to $33 million over the weekend, topping the box office. [15] [16]
Critical response
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 64% of 11 critics' reviews are positive. [17] Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 47 out of 100, based on four critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. [18] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A+" on an A+ to F scale, while those polled by PostTrak gave it a 93% overall positive score, with 82% saying they would definitely recommend the film. [15]
Adrian Horton of The Guardian rated The Official Release Party of a Showgirl two out of five stars, calling it a "lazy big screen cash-in" with a rushed quality, [19] while Blanca Schofield of The Times wrote that the film "could be seen as a cynical capitalist move by the best businesswoman in the game". [20] Variety 's Owen Gleiberman opined that The Official Release Party of a Showgirl could "become a prototype for how Swift releases albums in the future" because of the reportedly high ticket sales, but added that it also "highlights aspects of the album that may not wear so well over time". [21] Angie Han of The Hollywood Reporter found the film overall underwhelming while praising the music video for "The Fate of Ophelia". [22]
A positive review came from Fred Topel of the United Press International, who highlighted that "Swift knows how to make it an event even without a stage performance and focusing on only one album." [23] Steve Seigh of JoBlo.com awarded The Official Release Party of a Showgirl a score of eight out of ten, calling it "an eye-opening look at the heart and inner workings of one of entertainment's most gifted, kind, and cherished sensations." [24] Following the film's release, Vanity Fair 's Samantha Bergeson concluded that Swift reframed her own legacy, personally and professionally, proving "that the songwriter is deftly able to walk the tight rope of fame." [25] Dessi Gomez of Deadline Hollywood highlighted how The Official Release Party of a Showgirl provided a study of Swift's work ethic, adding that it "showcases just how much thought she puts into her work." [26] Liz Shannon Miller of Consequence described the film's release party as "basically church", concluding that it ended up being "an appropriately reverent experience." [27]
