Ignoring critics who slammed it as mirthless, Just Married had a blissful honeymoon, collecting an estimated $18 million in three days and 
pushing the mighty The Two Towers to second place with a $14.95 million gross.
The first wide release of the year, its big opening disappointed critics who were convinced it had no hope. For the movie's young stars, Ashton Kutcher and Brittany Murphy, who saw romance blossom during the shoot, the movie is good news.
The movie revolves around two young newlyweds. A traffic reporter (Kutcher) and a writer (Murphy) from an affluent family, discover their honeymoon in Venice is turning out to be the worst one imaginable. Can their marriage, which many friends and family members predicted was doomed because they are so young, survive?
Just Married received one of the worst reviews in last three months. 'Sitcomish, stereotypical and only sporadically funny,' wrote Lou Lumenick in New York Post, adding, 'it barely rates a video rental -- let alone $10 in a theater.'
Writing in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Christy Lemire praised Kutcher and Murphy, but declared: 'Actors' undeniable charm isn't enough to overcome the script's lack of originality.'
In Chicago Tribune, John Petrakis remarked: 'I laughed exactly once during the whole film...' In USA Today, critic Claudia Puig wrote: 'Just Married is the first new movie released this year, but it might make it onto a host of 10-worst lists 50 weeks from now.'
But executives at Fox must have known, during the previews, that they had a hit on their hands. There were waves of spontaneous laughter often during the previews. Many people discussed the film animatedly as they were getting out of the auditorium.
The problems Kutcher had with electrical appliances in Europe led to plenty of laughter. And the scene in which Murphy's rich mother insists Kutcher call her by a family nickname, Pussy, produced plenty of laughter too.
This is Murphy's second hit in a row. 8 Mile, in which she played Eminem's untrustworthy girlfriend, is still in a few hundred theatres, having grossed an impressive $125 million.
Earlier in the week, there was speculation that Catch Me If You Can could topple Two Towers since it had held very well through midweek. Steven Spielberg's psychological comedy adventure starring Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio finished third with a striking $14.8 million.
While Two Towers reached $283.6 million, Catch Me If You Can amassed $119.5 million. The other DiCaprio movie, Gangs Of New York, still enjoys goodwill, and having grossed $5 million over the weekend, it has taken a heartening though not spectacular $55 million.
Expect the Martin Scorsese epic to retire with $70 million. With a few Oscar nominations and awards, it might gallop to a $90 million to $95 million booty.
The success of Just Married gave distributor 20th Century Fox a second modestly budgeted teen hit within six weeks. Its critically acclaimed Drumline is still making merry and grossed $2.8 million this weekend on its way to a $60 million cache. Each of the hit movies Just Married and Drumline cost about $20 million to make.
Several Oscar-hopefuls added more screens over the weekend, with Chicago, the musical about the inequities of justice and a sensationalist media, continuing to make excellent gains. The film, which expanded from 304 screens to 362, saw its gross grow from $4.9 million to $5.6 million and its cumulative reach $17 million.
Made for about $50 million, Chicago, which has received eight key Golden Globe nominations, could sail past the currently projected $60 million gross with a few top Oscar nominations. Unlike last year's musical hit, Moulin Rouge that appealed mostly to teens, Chicago has been drawing audiences from many demographic pockets.
Antwone Fisher, the story of an angry, resentful young man finding a new meaning and possibility of redemption and Oscar-winning actor Denzel Washington's directorial debut, expanded from 192 screens to 1,006 with decent results. It grossed $3.8 million and made into the top 10 list for the first time since it opened four weeks ago.
The $12 million movie has grossed $11 million and could end its run with about $25 million. The film, which has been ignored by Golden Globe nominations, could earn more if it receives a few key Oscar nominations. It was ninth on the list, followed by Adaptation, which is also expanding with promise.
Adaptation, a clever and imaginative comedy about an arty writer who has problems turning a book into a script, expanded from 109 theatres to 560, earning a meaty $2.9 million and a nearly $10 million gross. With terrific performances by Nicholas Cage and Meryl Streep, the movie is shaping into a medium range, $45 million to $50 million hit.
Comedies and satires continue to dominate the box-office scene across America. The Jennifer Lopez starrer Maid In Manhattan and the Sandra Bullock hit Two Weeks Notice, are still drawing millions of moviegoers, with each movie hoping to hit the $100 million benchmark. The former grossed about $5 million and the latter, $6.7 million.
Maid has cleaned up $83.7 million. Two Weeks pocketed $78 million. Maid would be the first $100 million movie in North America for Lopez.
About Schmidt, the finely-etched drama about the larger meaning of life and coming to terms with one's frailties, is steadily winning new fans and can easily reach $40 million, without Oscar nominations. With a pocketful of top nominations and a prize for Jack Nicholson, it could earn at least $60 million.