'Like' is such a strong word

By Steven Zeitchik

A weekend with as many openings as this -- eight, to be exact -- has to offer some broader lessons, right? We're sure many will be parsed, some of them involving dog movies (hey, they wouldn't be wrong -- "101 Dalmatians" and "Turner & Hooch" won their openings weekends too. For a complete list of canine pics, this, um, devotee knows more about dog films than you could ever think possible.)

But here's one little theme that emerged-- movies with likable main characters flourished while those with unlikable one floundered. Sound vague? Well, it wasn't just the lap dog from the 90210 that took home dollars, but the ultra-sweet "Nick 'N Nora's Infinite Playlist," which sports that epitome of ultra-sweetness, Michael Cera, and finished in a solid third.

On the other side of the likability spectrum, it was a parody of an unlikable Michael Moore that faltered, with "An American Carol," earning just $3.8 million across 1600 screens, and "How to Lose Friends and Alienate People," based on the memoir of the epitome of hateability, Toby Young, finishing out of the top ten with just $1.4 million. (We'll leave to others to decide where Bill Maher fits in.)

One exception: "Rachel Getting Married," in which Anne Hathaway plays a free-spirited but irresponsible former addict, earned a whopping $30,000+ per-screen in limited release. Her character is more frustrating than unlikable, and the nuance of her performance is propelling not just box office but Best Actress buzz. New rule: You can be unlikable. Just be subtly unlikable.