Gyllenhaal’s ‘End Of Watch’ Comes From Nowhere To Top Box Office

Jake Gyllenhaal’s ‘End of Watch’ came from nowhere to top the U.S box office, though it was another disappointing week for the movie industry. The Los Angeles cop tale – also starring Michael Pena debuted with $13.2 million to finish at No.1, according to the Associated Press.

Gyllenhaal’s latest movie had been neck-and-neck with Jennifer Lawrence’s horror film ‘House of the End of the Street’ and Clint Eastwood’s ‘Trouble With the Curve’, though powered ahead on Sunday. Eastwood’s recent appearance at the Republican National Convention probably did little to help the baseball flick’s chances – his speech was roundly mocked online, though the film also received lukewarm reviews, at best. The box office result is great news for Gyllenhaal, director David Ayer and Open Road Films, who made the police drama for just $7 million. It follows two Los Angeles Police Department officers who work in South Central L.A and was lauded by critics. The New York Times called it, “a muscular, maddening exploitation movie embellished with art-house style and anchored by solid performances.”

Despite End Of Watch’s success, the U.S. box office continues to slow dramatically. To put the latest figures into perspective – on the same weekend in 2010, George Clooney’s ‘The American’ also took $13 million, though it was only good enough for sixth place.