How To Ask Someone To Be Quiet in a Movie Theater

See if there’s a seat you can move to without much fuss. In these situations, an avoidance maneuver is always preferable to a confrontation.

Assess your adversary. Does the loudmouth have tattoos that might have been acquired in prison? An aura of insanity? A weapon? If so, it’s probably best to wait until the movie comes out on DVD.

Begin with a polite approach. In a soft, calm voice, explain that while you are impressed with how well he is following the plot, you’d appreciate it if he’d keep his observations to himself.

If he ignores you, raise your voice a notch and say you are begging him to pipe down, as you paid good money to hear Daniel Day-Lewis’s voice, not his.

If nothing is getting through to this chucklehead, complain to management. Even if the “manager” is a pimple-faced teen, he has the authority to throw out unruly customers.

If all your efforts have led to naught, plus you’ve missed a good chunk of the movie, politely request a refund. If you come off as reasonable, you might even score some free passes.