I went to see Skyfall yesterday and there was a father and son behind me talking pretty loudly throughout the first twenty minutes of the movie. "What's MI6?" "MI6 is like the British version of the CIA." "Wow look at that gun." "Yeah, that's an S50 blah blah blah." "Oh no, is James Bond going to be okay!"

I had it, I couldn't enjoy the movie with these obnoxious people behind me. I had already turned around and gave them a look to shut up a couple times, but they continued talking away like they were in their god damn living room, crumbling their popcorn bag, just generally being shitty people.

"Are you going to talk throughout the entire movie" I asked. "Yeah we are, I guess you'll have to move your seat" he replied to me in his heavy Staten Island accent. "No, you better fucking stop talking. You better shut the fuck up." I was so flustered, you could hear it in my voice. I didn't even mean to curse. It just kind of came out. He replied with two words, "Jerk Off", in that fucking accent. I was infuriated. It scared me how angry I was. I wanted to wait until the film was over and hit him. I was boiling, practically shaking...but then I realized something. They both stopped talking. They didn't say one damn word the entire rest of the film.

So, now I'm trying to figure out, did I handle this the right way? I mean I cursed in front of a kid, so that's not optimal I guess. I'd like the hear what you have to say.

Absolutely.

No. You should've murdered the child with your bare hands in front of him.

Congratulations on saying what everyone was thinking, but didn't have the balls to.

Would of had a manager throw them out after I turned around and did an open sneeze on his face. On accident of course.

Meh, I've said worse and done other things to make people shut up when I went to go see a movie, either with my girlfriend or just friends in general. 
 
Only thing that made me feel like a douchebag though was one time where a couple behind me and a friend were also just talking and talking, and not even about the movie. I texted another friend who just so happened to work at the movie theater, cinema, house of moving pictures(whatever you wanna call it) and told him about the two people behind me. 30 seconds later my friend walks in and asks both of them to leave and we were only like 12 minutes into the movie. I felt like such a jerk because I saw that there was another message on my phone I hadn't replied to before going into the movie. I also felt a little bad for having my phone on in the first place because the big screen told me not to. Sound and Vibration was off but still, the screen asked nicely

How many people were in the screening as well. You would figure those two would understand that in a public place it's polite to let other people enjoy the movie. If they like to talk about it during maybe the theater is not the place for them.

There are probably better ways to handle it, and I would not necessarily call yours the “right way,” but that father and his son, I would say, were extremely rude and someone needed to stop them...so if I were you, I wouldn't feel any regret for doing what you did, since to me it seems very reasonable for you to be angered by such rude behavior from the father and son. I can understand why they were talking, and the urge to talk during a movie is sometimes hard to resist, but when someone directly confronts you about how you’re ruining their experience, you better be quiet. Saying that he wasn’t going to be quiet—HE should have moved if he was going to be so incredibly rude.

I'll admit, though, I would have felt the same desire for violence if that happened to me.

All i can say is be nice, of course, until its time not to  be nice.
 
  

Nah, you kind of acted like just as much of an asshole as the guy who was talking, if not more. Not that I agree with people talking during a movie, I'm just not going to pat you on the back for shouting obscenities to someone in front of their kid.

I know exactly how I feel and I would have wanted to respond the exact same way. You were completely justified and everyone was probably thinking the same thing BUT depending on the age of the kid, the environment he's grown up in etc. seeing someone snap on his dad like that may have been a bit upsetting.

@Wolverine said:

I went to see Skyfall yesterday and there was a father and son behind me talking pretty loudly throughout the first twenty minutes of the movie. "What's MI6?" "MI6 is like the British version of the CIA." "Wow look at that gun." "Yeah, that's an S50 blah blah blah." "Oh no, is James Bond going to be okay!"

I had it, I couldn't enjoy the movie with these obnoxious people behind me. I had already turned around and gave them a look to shut up a couple times, but they continued talking away like they were in their god damn living room, crumbling their popcorn bag, just generally being shitty people.

"Are you going to talk throughout the entire movie" I asked. "Yeah we are, I guess you'll have to move your seat" he replied to me in his heavy Staten Island accent. "No, you better fucking stop talking. You better shut the fuck up." I was so flustered, you could hear it in my voice. I didn't even mean to curse. It just kind of came out. He replied with two words, "Jerk Off", in that fucking accent. I was infuriated. It scared me how angry I was. I wanted to wait until the film was over and hit him. I was boiling, practically shaking...but then I realized something. They both stopped talking. They didn't say one damn word the entire rest of the film.

So, now I'm trying to figure out, did I handle this the right way? I mean I cursed in front of a kid, so that's not optimal I guess. I'd like the hear what you have to say.

I live in Staten Island, and I actually used to work in the theatre on Forest Avenue right by Home Depot, so I know exactly what you are talking about, it's why I actually go see movies in Jersey now. Which shit theatre on the island did you go to?

Yes you did. Cunts like that are why I never go to the movies and I for one would have backed you up if I was there.

No, because you didn't get the last word in. They may have stopped, but the last thing uttered was him telling you to jerk off so he probably still felt like he won. But I applaud you for still telling him to shut the fuck up. I've had to yell at people in the theater before and it feels awesome because you have the rest of theater on your side.

The kid is from Staten Island, there's no way you said anything he hasn't heard before.

@ImmortalSaiyan: It wasn't just Friday night, but it was opening night for Skyfall. The theater was packed.

@commonoutlier said:

There are probably better ways to handle it, and I would not necessarily call yours the “right way,” but that father and his son, I would say, were extremely rude and someone needed to stop them...so if I were you, I wouldn't feel any regret for doing what you did, since to me it seems very reasonable for you to be angered by such rude behavior from the father and son. I can understand why they were talking, and the urge to talk during a movie is sometimes hard to resist, but when someone directly confronts you about how you’re ruining their experience, you better be quiet. Saying that he wasn’t going to be quiet—HE should have moved if he was going to be so incredibly rude.

I'll admit, though, I would have felt the same desire for violence if that happened to me.

I guess you're able to empathize with all of us. In hindsight maybe I should have asked him nicely. "Sir, if you woudn't mind, can you please keep it down?", but I was just so angry. I don't think I could bare to be that politically correct.

Nope. That's the way to do it. Kudos.

@twigger89: I live in Jersey actually, I guess the guy behind me just happened to be from Staten Island. (Not that all people from Staten Island are like that or anything...just...well...a lot of them are)

What a real asshole. You shouldn't feel bad for cursing in front of a kid. You just don't talk in a movie theater.

more people should confront theater talkers. that shit is annoying as hell

So he was loud and rude, so you decided to get loud and rude and teetered on the edge of violence. If I was in the theatre I would have gotten the manager to kick you both out. I don't need any drama or action from the audience of a movie that's full of action and drama. You both sound like you acted like silly children.

Yeah, don't doubt yourself, you did what I always want to do in that situation.

You most certainly did!

Only thing missing is you calling him "bub" to keep in line with your handle ;)

And you certainly shouldn't feel bad for the kid. He learned a fucking lesson about his dad being a bitchmade piece of shit and that he certainly shouldn't aspire to be like him. Fuck that guy!

You probably shouldn't have sworn in front of the kid, but telling them to shut up is the right thing to do. Or call management if you can be bothered.

@Wolverine said:

I guess you're able to empathize with all of us. In hindsight maybe I should have asked him nicely. "Sir, if you woudn't mind, can you please keep it down?", but I was just so angry. I don't think I could bare to be that politically correct.

I do my best to see all sides in a situation, and it is a lot easier to do when one is an outside observer. In addition, I do know what it's like to be that angry, and I myself have trouble being polite when other people, much like that father and son, are just so plain rude. Heck, I sometimes even have trouble stopping myself from being a little vindictive, so I think it is good that your anger didn't escalate to anything more than a little swearing.

How old was the kid? Swearing in front of kids is always the wrong way to handle something, unless you were in an R rated movie where it's reasonable to assume their parents are okay with them hearing curse words, but even then you shouldn't be indirectly yelling at the child. The reason you didn't hear anything else was because you probably scared the piss out of that kid, so he never said anything to his dad for the rest of the movie in fear you'd explode at him again or physically harm him.

If some adult is being an ass in a movie theater I'm all for yelling at them, but kids don't know any better. Them talking during a movie usually comes out of ignorance to the fact that it bothers other people, not because they actually don't care how it affects other people.

You were in front of them? You should have just put on your really big hat. You did have your really big hat with you didn't you? Be like all, "tell me to move MY seat beeyatch?"

You said what everyone else wanted to say; good on you.

@Wolverine said:

I went to see Skyfall yesterday and there was a father and son behind me talking pretty loudly throughout the first twenty minutes of the movie. "What's MI6?" "MI6 is like the British version of the CIA." "Wow look at that gun." "Yeah, that's an S50 blah blah blah." "Oh no, is James Bond going to be okay!"

I had it, I couldn't enjoy the movie with these obnoxious people behind me. I had already turned around and gave them a look to shut up a couple times, but they continued talking away like they were in their god damn living room, crumbling their popcorn bag, just generally being shitty people.

"Are you going to talk throughout the entire movie" I asked. "Yeah we are, I guess you'll have to move your seat" he replied to me in his heavy Staten Island accent. "No, you better fucking stop talking. You better shut the fuck up." I was so flustered, you could hear it in my voice. I didn't even mean to curse. It just kind of came out. He replied with two words, "Jerk Off", in that fucking accent. I was infuriated. It scared me how angry I was. I wanted to wait until the film was over and hit him. I was boiling, practically shaking...but then I realized something. They both stopped talking. They didn't say one damn word the entire rest of the film.

So, now I'm trying to figure out, did I handle this the right way? I mean I cursed in front of a kid, so that's not optimal I guess. I'd like the hear what you have to say.

Speaking up was fine. Swearing, especially with the kid around, may have been bad form though I understand where you're coming from. It may have been better to talk to an attendant in the lobby to see what they suggested.

Nah. You've done what all of us have wanted to do at some point. Since you didn't actually hit anyone, you're fine. They shouldn't have been talking.

Hitting him was going too far. You had already won when you told him to shut it.

Well I go see movies at the theatre I work at, so I'd probably be fired if I did that. Then again, I have other means like telling them to leave, and them having no real recourse against that. My word against theirs and all that.

If another customer did that to people who were talking in a theatre though, I'd probably give him a high five. I don't like seeing our customers being bothered by all the rowdy teens and drunkards.

You shouldn't feel bad for what you did but I can't shake the feeling there was a better way to handle it if a kid was present. How old was the kid? Did he look scared when you cursed out his dad? Also, as stated before me, you shouldn't have let him get the last word. After he called you a "jerk off" you should have called him a "punk bitch" so that he knows who is in charge. 
 
Edit: 
Seems like you have finally found your balls though. How goes it with the ladies? 

If someone is being annoying, first confirm whether whether they are a good person or a dick, then act accordingly. Easier said than done of course, but you handled it fairly well.

Be careful with that anger though, too much of it will change you over time...

I think you did the right thing in telling him to be quiet, he was probably not just disturbing you but the other people in the theatre, but yeah, getting that hostile and swearing in front of his kid probably wasn't the way to go.

No. You should have broken his jaw to fix that damn accent.

You probably didn't need to drop f-bombs on them, other than that you're golden. Talking during a movie is a dick move and deserves reprisal.

@stryker1121 said:

You probably didn't need to drop f-bombs on them, other than that you're golden. Talking during a movie is a dick move and deserves reprisal.

This here sums up my thoughts on the matter. Still, I would have found it hard not to stand up and applaud you were I in there :P

This reminds me of the time when I went to see LOTR: The Two Towers in the cinema with a mate of mine. We were a pair of fucking stupid 15 year olds making moronic noises and doing idiotic impressions of the cast; I remember dropping my packet of smarties on the floor and the crowd behind me started laughing their ass off - we didn't say a word after that :P And while I can accept that I was just being a stupid teen, I still can't help but feel really ashamed whenever I think back to that moment.

I tried that on a group of black teenage girls one time. Didn't work.
 
edit: And yes the end was the correct outcome. The father and son shut up for the enjoyment of the rest of the theater, and they didn't get thrown out of the movie and got what they paid for. Cursing at dudes is risky, and he could have easily started choking you and beating your ass from his own seat if he didn't have his son there or it wasn't packed on opening night. But luckily it worked out for you.

You were in front of them? You should have just put on your really big hat. You did have your really big hat with you didn't you? Be like all, "tell me to move MY seat beeyatch?"

Your first line would have probably been sufficient. Yeah, he replied like a jerk but it was probably a way to save face more than anything. He was probably embarrassed but just didn't want to seem like he was a punk in front of a stranger in front of him, which probably why he did stop talking even after saying jerk off. The kid as well.

Some people who talk in the theater don't realize they're talking loud enough for others to hear or that it's disturbing others(yes it's weird but some people, especially when they're with friends or family, just go into "comment on the movie" mode and don't realize it) and won't realize until it's pointed out to them. This leads to embarrassment which demonstrates itself in several ways. Some people get all red and visibly embarrassed, some laugh it off, and others like Mr. Backseat get angry.

Or I'm completely wrong. Meh.

Yeah, you did well, but you should've face-fucked the son after the movie.

Too much?

This. This is why I rarely go to the movies or if I do I go weeks into the movies run so it'll be less crowded.

*shrugs* I remember when I went to see Captain America, and I was sitting next to these three kids. One of them had already seen it, and was threatening to tell the other two what happened. I thought to myself, "kid, if you say one thing about the movie puberty is going to very boring for you".

Honestly, I don't see why swearing in front of kids is such a big deal. It's not like they're never going to hear those words, and it's the adults making such a big deal about it that enforces to the kid the words are fun to say.

How hard did you hit him?

About ten years ago I got in a full on fistfight with two guys in a movie theatre who wouldn't stop talking and kicking the back of my girlfriend's seat. So, just be aware that if you ever say something like you did to a stranger, you should be prepared to get your ass kicked or worse. Since then, being the young hothead that I was, I've learned that if it's not worth dying over, then it's not worth fighting over, and therefore probably not worth mouthing off about.

If you're not prepared for such a response from someone you tell to shut the fuck up, keep quiet and advise theatre staff of the situation and they will handle it...which is probably what you should have done. You never know who you're dealing with or what they're capable of, take that as general advice for life and don't put yourself in situations that you don't know how to get out of should someone have a violent reaction to one of your outbursts.

I once sat next right next to a woman whose infant son got super-bored of the movie, and decided to run around in the aisle, up and down the steps a bunch, laughing. That was kind of annoying. To be fair though, the movie was Spider-Man 3 so it was actually more entertaining to watch the kid.

People who talk in theaters are the worst. Bamboo shoved under their fingernails is too good for them.

Yup, you did everything right. I hate people talking in the cinema. I usually tell them to STFU after a few sentences. I also don't mind yelling if they're a bit further away. Worked fine everytime.

The problem with such people is, if you don't tell them they're a pain in the ass, they will never learn and continue to be a pain in the ass.