Star reporter Bianca Thompson recently looked at how Toronto moviegoers are grappling with a return of bad theatre etiquette — talking, texting, feet on seats — as blockbusters like ‘Spider-Man’ and ‘The Odyssey’ pack GTA theatres again.
Readers had a lot to say, and some of it wasn’t optimistic. But others have workarounds to share. Here’s what was on your minds:
These comments have been edited for clarity and length.
Whose job is it to fix this?
Kim didn’t hedge: “This is a Cineplex problem and they need to solve it. There has been more than enough conversation about this for years. It is not my duty as a customer to confront those behaving poorly.”
Jason, replying to another reader’s mention of staff auditorium checks, was skeptical they mean much: “It’s jarring and disruptive, and entirely for show. They walk in, sign a log sheet, and walk out. There could be a battle royale going on in the seating section and they wouldn’t bat an eye on their way to the exit.”
Tom offered some institutional memory, recalling a theatre program director’s term for chatty patrons: “In the theatre they called it ‘living room TV syndrome’: people not in venues, just sitting together with family and friends, chat through shows all the time, and had forgotten or never been taught that public conduct expectations are different.”
Speak up, or stay home?
Keith argued the fix is simple: “So many people complain about these things but do nothing about it. Yes, it’s irritating and unnecessary… so speak up. Politely. You might be surprised how effective it can be.” Rose-Marie described doing just that at a Blue Jays game, telling loud talkers behind her: “Wow, I know about your whole family situation now.”
Mr. Pappagiorgio took matters into his own hands when a fellow moviegoer played a movie on his phone with the volume up: “The 17-year-old manager did absolutely nothing so I had my own little chat with the guy and convinced him to put his phone away… I’m still waiting for my paycheque from Cineplex for doing the manager’s job.”
Solutions readers actually want
Gerry proposed the most concrete fix: “Maybe they should start requiring people to put their phones in a locked pouch like they do at some concerts. If you want or need your phone, you have to go out in the hallway to unlock the bag and get your phone.”
Walter had a bigger ask — dedicated quiet screenings: “We may have to bring back the term Silent Film, and repurpose it for screens dedicated to no phones, no talking, in big letters on the doors and back of the seats.”
Others have found smaller workarounds. Mark said: “The best I have been able to come up with is continuing my own COVID-era movie watching protocols and wait until later in the movie’s theatrical run when less people are coming out. Select seats that are away from others if possible.” Jane pointed to drive-ins: “For people with a vehicle, I recommend a summer experience of going to a drive-in. Closest ones to Toronto are Oakville and Newmarket.”
A problem bigger than the movies
Several readers said the issue isn’t really about theatres at all — it’s about public behaviour generally. Andrew wrote: “Torontonians have forgotten how to behave everywhere — roads, sidewalks, malls, restaurants, libraries, movies — behaviour that is symptomatic of the devolution of civil society, much of it linked to the omnipresence of cell phones.” Ann was blunter: “Manners and consideration of others when in a group environment is non-existent. ‘I can do what I want’ is the new mantra.”
Irv connected the dots to dining out: “I’ve cut down on eating in restaurants because — inevitably — a fool with a phone will sit next to me and carry on a loud, amplified conversation on speaker. Why would I bother spending money for that experience? Theatre and restaurant owners, take note.” Caroline described similar disruptions at Roy Thomson Hall: “I have not been back since before COVID when a pair of women had their phones out and were texting just as the Toronto Symphony Orchestra was going to begin their performance.”
The quiet exodus
For a lot of commenters, the simplest solution has been to stop going altogether. Sarah summed up the calculation: “I have an 81-inch screen at home. It’s good enough for me.” Harith said he’s grateful he got to enjoy theatres as a kid “in a time before smartphones,” and now finds movies at home “more peaceful and cheaper.”
We want to hear from you: Have you cut back on going to the movies? What’s the last theatre experience that pushed you over the edge — and is there anything that would get you back in the seats? Let us know in the comments section below.
